Bank Account Opening for International Companies
A company without a bank account is a piece of paper. We open business bank accounts in 55 jurisdictions — both with traditional banks and with the new generation of regulated EMIs. Above 90% first-introduction approval rate on standard profiles.
What we do
For every company we form, we include a bank account introduction in the standard package. We pre-screen your structure against the onboarding criteria of our partner banks and EMIs, prepare the application pack to their specifications, and shepherd the file through the bank’s compliance team. Where the first introduction is declined, we attempt a second at no additional fee.
We handle three types of banking introduction:
- Traditional banks — for established businesses needing letters of credit, trade finance, treasury services, or higher transaction limits
- Modern digital banks and EMIs — for fast-onboarding, multi-currency, and remote-friendly cases
- Specialist banking — for regulated industries (crypto-adjacent, payments, gaming) and non-resident-controlled structures where standard banks decline
Our partner network
European Union
Bank of Cyprus, Eurobank Limited (Cyprus), AstroBank, ING Bank Śląski, mBank, Pekao, PKO BP, Santander Bank Polska (Poland), LHV (Estonia), SEB and Swedbank Baltic operations, BCEE (Luxembourg), KBC and Belfius (Belgium), Erste Group (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary).
UK and Crown Dependencies
Wise Business, Tide, Starling Business, ANNA Money, Cashplus (UK); Royal Bank of Scotland International, Barclays International, HSBC Expat (Crown Dependencies).
UAE and Middle East
FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank), Emirates NBD, Mashreq, ADCB, RAKBANK, Wio Business, Mashreq Neo, Citibank UAE, HSBC UAE.
Asia-Pacific
HSBC Hong Kong, Standard Chartered, DBS, OCBC and UOB (Singapore), Citibank Asia.
Multi-jurisdiction EMIs (work for most jurisdictions)
Wise Business, Revolut Business, Airwallex, Payoneer, Currenxie. These typically onboard in 5–10 business days fully remotely.
How we screen for approval
Before introducing you to any bank, we screen your profile against three things: (1) the bank’s sector restrictions, (2) the bank’s beneficial-owner profile preferences, and (3) the bank’s expected initial deposit and turnover thresholds. If your profile is outside their parameters, we say so upfront and recommend an alternative — saving you the time and confidence-loss of a declined application.
Typical timeline
| Bank type | From application to active account |
|---|---|
| EMI (Wise, Tide, Wio) | 5–10 business days |
| Modern digital bank (LHV, Starling) | 2–4 weeks |
| Traditional EU bank (Bank of Cyprus, ING) | 4–8 weeks |
| Traditional UAE bank (FAB, Emirates NBD) | 4–6 weeks (with Emirates ID) |
| Traditional Hong Kong / Singapore bank | 6–12 weeks |
What if my application is declined?
We do not charge for failed bank introductions. If a primary application is declined, we attempt a secondary at no additional fee. If three attempts all fail, we refund the banking-introduction component and recommend you reconsider the structure (jurisdiction, business activity, or beneficial owner profile). In practice, this rarely happens — we screen profiles upfront and decline engagements where banking is structurally unlikely.
Get a banking introduction
Tell us your jurisdiction, business activity, and expected monthly transaction volume on the contact form — we map you to the right bank or EMI within 4 business hours.
Where we open business bank accounts
We open corporate bank accounts in every jurisdiction where we form companies. Some of the most common destinations:
- Bank account in the UK — Wise, Tide, Starling, Barclays International, HSBC Expat
- Bank account in Cyprus — Bank of Cyprus, Eurobank Limited, AstroBank
- Bank account in the UAE — Emirates NBD, FAB, Mashreq, ADCB, Wio Business, Mashreq Neo
- Bank account in Singapore — DBS, OCBC, UOB, Standard Chartered
- Bank account in Hong Kong — HSBC, Standard Chartered, Hang Seng
- Bank account in Estonia — LHV, Wise (e-Residency-friendly)
- Bank account in Poland — PKO BP, mBank, Pekao, Santander
- Bank account in Germany — Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, plus EMIs
- Bank account for BVI BC — multi-jurisdictional EMI options
- Bank account for Cayman Exempted Company
For the full list of jurisdictions where we operate, see the Jurisdictions directory — every country page covers the local banking landscape in detail.
Common questions about banking introductions
Do you guarantee account approval?
No bank introducer can. Banks make their own KYC and risk decisions. We screen profiles upfront and decline to introduce cases where approval is structurally unlikely (regulated industries we don’t serve, sanctioned-country profiles, etc.). For accepted cases, our first-introduction approval rate is above 90%.
How long does the bank account opening take?
EMIs (Wise, Tide, Wio): 5-10 business days. Modern digital banks (LHV, Starling): 2-4 weeks. Traditional EU banks (Bank of Cyprus, ING): 4-8 weeks. UAE traditional banks: 4-6 weeks (after Emirates ID for the resident director). Hong Kong / Singapore traditional banks: 6-12 weeks.
What information do you need from me?
Beneficial owner KYC (passport + address proof), corporate documents (we draft these as part of the formation), business plan or activity description (1-2 pages), source-of-funds declaration, expected monthly transaction volume.
Can I switch banks later?
Yes. Many of our clients open with an EMI for fast launch and add a traditional bank later once the company has trading history. We handle the switch / addition at any point.
Can a non-resident open a business bank account?
Yes, and it is most of what we do. The account belongs to the company, so the bank assesses the company’s activity first and the owner’s residence second. Non-residents should expect more questions on source of funds, a video call, and certified copies of identity documents.
Can a non-US citizen open a US business bank account?
Yes. A US LLC or corporation can bank in the United States with its EIN, the formation documents and the owner’s passport. A Social Security number is not a legal requirement, although many branch networks insist on one. Some ask the signatory to appear in person. Where that is not practical, the multi-jurisdiction EMIs listed above are the usual route.
Can you open a corporate bank account in Dubai?
Yes. Our UAE partners cover both mainland and free zone companies, and the list above names them. Expect the bank to want the trade licence, the Emirates ID or residence visa of the signatory, and a tenancy contract for mainland files. The UAE timeline in the table above still applies.
What minimum deposit do banks ask for?
It depends entirely on the bank. EMIs and digital banks generally open with no minimum balance at all. Traditional banks in Cyprus, the UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore set an opening deposit or a monthly average balance. The relationship manager states it in the offer letter. We check the level before we introduce you.
How many business bank accounts can a company have?
There is no legal limit. Most of our clients run two: an EMI account for day-to-day payments and a traditional bank for card acquiring, credit lines or local payroll. Banks ask about existing accounts during onboarding, so declare them all. Undeclared accounts read as evasion.
Do all officers have to be on the corporate account?
No. The bank identifies the directors and the authorised signatories, and separately runs KYC on every beneficial owner at or above the 25% threshold used across the EU. An officer who neither signs nor owns is usually named in the corporate documents only. Signatory lists can be changed later.
