How to Get Paid by a Client Who Pays Only in Another Currency

Your new client is happy with your quote, but there is a catch: they only pay in their own currency. A US company pays in dollars, a UK agency in pounds, a Swiss client in francs. You live and spend in euros, pesos or rupees. Who absorbs the conversion cost, and what happens if the exchange rate moves between the invoice and the payment?

This is one of the most common situations in international freelancing. Handled well, it costs you very little. Handled badly, it quietly takes several percent of every invoice. This guide shows how to set it up properly.

The short answer

• Accept their currency, but receive it in the same currency. Use an account with local receiving details in the client’s currency, so the client sends a domestic payment and nothing is converted on the way.
• Decide when to convert, and with which provider, instead of letting a bank or platform convert automatically.
• Price in their currency with a small buffer for exchange-rate moves, and review prices regularly.
• Put currency terms in the contract: invoice currency, who pays fees and what happens with late payments.

Why “they pay in their currency” usually costs you

When a client pays dollars into a euro account, someone converts the money. If it is your bank, the client’s bank or a payment platform, the conversion usually includes an exchange-rate margin of one to several percent, plus possible fees. You see less than you expected and often cannot tell why. See how to avoid hidden currency conversion fees.

There are two separate costs to manage:

1. Conversion cost: the margin and fees when the money changes currency.
2. Exchange-rate risk: the rate can move between when you set the price and when you convert.

Step 1: get account details in the client’s currency

The most effective fix is to receive the client’s currency as a local payment in their country:

• For US clients, account details that accept ACH or domestic wire in USD.
• For UK clients, a sort code and account number in GBP.
• For eurozone clients, an IBAN reachable by SEPA.

Many multi-currency accounts and some business accounts provide these details. The client pays as if paying a local supplier, which is cheaper and faster for both of you, and the money arrives in the original currency. For dollars specifically, see how to receive US dollar payments without a US bank account.

Step 2: control when and how you convert

Once you hold the foreign currency, you choose:

• Convert immediately if you need the money now or want to avoid risk.
• Hold and convert later if you have costs in that currency, or prefer to convert in batches.
• Spend directly in that currency, for example software subscriptions billed in dollars.

Compare your provider’s rate with the mid-market rate. Our currency conversion cost calculator shows what each conversion really costs.

Step 3: price in their currency, with a buffer

If you quote in the client’s currency, the risk of the rate moving is yours. Build it into the price:

1. Calculate your rate in your own currency. Our freelance rate calculator does this.
2. Convert it at the current mid-market rate.
3. Add a small buffer, for example 2% to 5%, depending on how volatile the currency pair is and how long you wait to be paid.
4. Round to a clean number in the client’s currency.
5. Review it every few months or when the rate moves significantly.

Worked example

You want at least EUR 50 per hour. The mid-market rate is 1 USD = 0.92 EUR.

• EUR 50 ÷ 0.92 = USD 54.35
• Add a 3% buffer: USD 55.98
• Quote USD 56 per hour.

If the dollar later falls 3% against the euro, you still receive about EUR 50 an hour. If it rises, you earn a little more.

Step 4: put currency terms in the contract

Add a short clause to your contract or terms. It should cover:

• Invoice currency: “All invoices are issued and payable in USD.”
• Payment method: the account details to use and that local transfer is preferred.
• Fees: who pays bank or platform fees. For SWIFT transfers, “OUR” means the sender pays all fees.
• Full amount: “Payments must be made in full, without deduction of bank charges.”
• Price review: a right to review rates annually or if the exchange rate moves more than a set percentage.
• Late payment: interest or fees for overdue invoices. See freelance contract basics for clients abroad.

When the client wants to pay through a platform

Some clients insist on paying through a specific platform or their own payment system. Then:

• Check the platform’s conversion settings. Some convert automatically into your account’s currency at their rate; others let you hold the original currency.
• Withdraw to an account in the same currency where possible, then convert with a cheaper provider.
• Include the platform’s fees in your price for that client.

See PayPal vs Wise vs Payoneer for freelancers for how the main platforms compare.

Invoicing in a foreign currency: tax points

Invoicing in another currency is generally allowed, but your country may require you to show certain amounts, such as VAT, in the local currency too, and you will need to convert income for your tax return using an accepted exchange rate. Keep records of the rate you used. See how to invoice an international client and how to declare foreign income.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Letting the client’s bank convert your invoice into your currency at a poor rate.
• Quoting once and never reviewing the price when the currency moves.
• Accepting “fees deducted” SWIFT payments that arrive short.
• Forgetting platform fees in your pricing.
• Converting in small, frequent amounts if each conversion has a fixed fee.

Frequently asked questions

Should I invoice in my currency or the client’s currency?

Invoicing in your currency moves the currency risk to the client, but many clients refuse or are slower to pay. Invoicing in their currency is often easier to sell; protect yourself with a buffer and local receiving details.

Who should pay the conversion cost?

It is negotiable. In practice, if you invoice in the client’s currency, you usually handle conversion, so include its cost in your rate.

Is it better to convert immediately or wait?

Converting immediately removes risk. Waiting can help if you have costs in that currency. Trying to time the market is unpredictable.

What if the exchange rate moves a lot during a long project?

A price review clause lets you adjust rates for future work. For large fixed-price projects, consider staged payments to reduce exposure.

Final thoughts

A client who pays only in their currency is not a problem if the money arrives in that currency and you decide when to convert. Get local receiving details, compare conversion rates, add a buffer to your price and write the currency terms into your contract. For the complete picture of international payments, read how to get paid by international clients.

This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Exchange rates and provider terms change often. Information reviewed October 23, 2026.