A US company, from Kenya.
Since June 2026 PayPal has been freezing Kenyan accounts over AML compliance checks, holding balances for a minimum of 180 days -- one Nakuru freelancer had $2,400 locked with no clear way to get it back. A US LLC with its own Stripe access does not depend on PayPal ever fixing this.
What's included
- LLC or C-Corp filed in the state you choose, in 1-2 business days
- EIN from the IRS with no SSN or ITIN required
- Registered agent and a US business address
- Operating agreement and your stamped formation certificate
- The domain, if you still need one, at the price you keep renewing at
- Bookkeeping and US tax filing when the company starts trading
What it costs
Plus the state filing fee, paid straight through to the Secretary of State. Wyoming $100, New Mexico $50, Delaware $110 with a $300 annual franchise tax on top.
What Kenyan guides skip
PayPal's 2026 freezes are a platform decision, not a law
Kenya's FATF grey-listing pushed PayPal into aggressive AML reviews from June 2026, and Stripe in Kenya only exists through Paystack with reduced features. Neither is a legal restriction on you, they are business decisions by two companies that can change without notice. A US LLC with its own EIN gets a US Stripe account these platforms cannot freeze on a whim.
Kenya has no exchange controls at all, which surprises most guides
The Central Bank of Kenya Act governs licensing of forex businesses, not restrictions on individuals. There is no permit requirement to transfer money to a non-resident entity and no limit on holding foreign currency. Forming and funding a US LLC from Kenya is entirely unrestricted on the Kenyan side.
Your KRA position does not disappear
Kenya taxes residents on foreign income under the Income Tax Act, Cap. 470, and you must be registered with a KRA PIN and file through iTax. Kenya and the US have no double taxation treaty, so ask a KRA-registered adviser how foreign tax credits apply to your specific situation before you assume it works the way it does in countries that do have one.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
What actually works for Kenyan founders
- Wise is the lowest-cost conventional option, with inbound transfers typically free and conversion around 0.5-0.8%.
- Payoneer is common among Upwork and Fiverr freelancers, though it does not connect directly to M-Pesa.
- Stripe becomes usable once the LLC has its EIN, which is the whole point of forming it.
- Mercury does not list Kenya as a prohibited country, though approval without a genuine US footprint is reported as inconsistent.
What to know before you rely on it
- PayPal is send-only for most Kenyan users and has been freezing existing accounts since June 2026 over AML checks, with funds held a minimum of 180 days.
- M-Pesa does not solve this. It is excellent for domestic KES payments but does not support international card processing or global checkout.
- A registered agent address is not a business address, which matters for whichever provider you use.
- The EIN takes 4-6 weeks for non-US founders, and most payment tools need it before they fully activate.
Why we say this out loud. Every competitor advertises a US bank account as though it were part of the package. It is not, for anyone, and pretending otherwise just moves the disappointment to after you have paid. Form the company for the entity, the EIN and the ability to take Stripe payments. Treat the bank account as a separate application with a real chance of rejection.
Real platforms this comes up against
Everything else your US company needs
EIN without an SSN
The step that stalls most non-US founders. We run the SS-4 process end to end.
Form 5472 and US filings
Foreign-owned LLCs file every year even at zero income. The penalty for missing it is $25,000.
Form the company
LLC or C-Corp in any of the 50 states, with the EIN and registered agent included.
Founders from other countries
Exchange control, your SARS position, and the honest answer on US banking.
CBN currency rules, Stripe access, and which banks actually work.
BoG licensing rules, GRA filing, and the Stripe-Paystack workaround.
PayPal's 8% conversion tax, CBE forex rules, and the zero-rated VAT on exports.
BIR registration, remittance limits, and Mercury vs Relay.
SBP rules, why PayPal is not the answer, and what is.
PayPal's announced-but-not-live access, CBSL's 2026 repatriation rules, and IRD's new freelancer tax.
Bangladesh Bank's 2026 forex overhaul, the IT tax exemption, and Mercury's ban.
SBV forex rules, Decree 117's platform withholding, and why Stripe needs a US LLC.
Why Stripe is invite-only, Mercury's ban, and the DHE repatriation rules.
The 100% tax deduction that still needs a foreign bank, and why Stripe still says no.
The cepo cambiario after 2025, why Stripe still won't onboard you, and the LEC.
The 9x IOF shock, why Stripe needs a CNPJ, and the Carne-Leao filing.
The ATO LLC classification trap, CFC rules, and the DTA.
IRD's foreign investment fund rules and the US-NZ DTA.
How this works. NameMarshal is not a law firm or an accountancy practice, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Company formation, EIN and registered agent services here are fulfilled by our formation partner doola. Foreign-owned US LLCs generally have to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with no income, and the penalty for missing it is steep. Ask us and we will point you at someone licensed to handle it.