Getting paid from Egypt
Stripe's global availability page does not list Egypt. Paystack, the African payment company Stripe owns, has run a private beta in Egypt, but Egyptian businesses cannot open a regular Stripe account. Shopify Payments is not available to Egyptian businesses either.
PayPal accounts in Egypt can receive payments. To withdraw, PayPal lets you link a Visa card issued in Egypt or a US bank account. Many freelancers also use Payoneer or Wise to collect from clients abroad.
A US LLC with an EIN and a US business bank account can apply for a US Stripe account and US PayPal Business, and keep revenue in dollars. Stripe reviews each business and the owner's passport; approval is not automatic.
At home
Egyptian tax
Egypt taxes resident individuals on income earned in Egypt, and on income earned outside Egypt when their centre of commercial, industrial or professional activity is in Egypt. A founder who runs an LLC's business from Cairo will likely face Egyptian tax questions; ask a certified accountant how they apply to you.
Egypt and the US have an income tax treaty, which helps decide which country may tax which income. It does not mean no tax. Whether US tax is due depends on where the work is done.
Foreign exchange under Law 194 of 2020
The Central Bank and Banking System Law (Law 194 of 2020) lets people hold foreign currency and move it into and out of Egypt, provided this goes through accredited banks or licensed entities. Dealing in foreign currency outside them is a criminal offense with prison terms and fines of millions of pounds.
Since the March 2024 float, the Central Bank of Egypt has committed to a flexible exchange rate set by the market. Banks still ask for documents on transfers abroad. Ask yours what it needs to send capital to a foreign company, and keep the records.
Bringing money home
Money you take out of the LLC arrives as an incoming transfer to a dollar or pound account at an Egyptian bank. Keep the paper trail on both sides: invoices, the LLC's books and the bank record of each transfer.
The US side is the same for everyone
Where you live does not change the US part. It is done online, without travelling, without a US address and without an SSN.
- Choose a state: Wyoming or New Mexico for low running costs, Delaware if you plan to raise money from investors.
- The formation document is filed with a registered agent in that state, within 48 hours.
- The EIN is requested from the IRS as soon as the state approves. No SSN or ITIN is needed.
- You get the operating agreement that banks and payment providers ask for.
- With those documents you apply for a US business bank account, for example at Mercury.
- Every year: the registered agent, the state's annual report where there is one, and Form 5472 for a single-member LLC owned by a foreign person.
Which state?
With no people or premises in the US you can choose any state. Most founders abroad choose on yearly cost and speed.
Sources checked on November 2, 2026
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change; check your own situation with a certified accountant in Egypt before you form the LLC.
