Getting paid from Ghana
Stripe lists Ghana in its extended network: Ghanaian businesses sign up through Paystack, which Stripe owns. Paystack Ghana takes cards and mobile money and can accept international cards, but settles in cedis; dollar payouts are only offered to businesses in Nigeria and Kenya.
PayPal's features for Ghanaian accounts have been limited for years, and many freelancers use Payoneer or Wise to receive money from abroad. Shopify Payments is not available to Ghanaian businesses.
A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account can apply for US Stripe, PayPal Business and Shopify Payments as a US company, with payouts in dollars. Stripe reviews every application and decides; approval is never automatic.
At home
Tax in Ghana
According to the Ghana Revenue Authority, a resident person's assessable income is their worldwide income from all sources. Profit from a US LLC that you own and run from Ghana is part of that picture, whether or not you take it out.
Ghana has no income tax treaty with the US, so there is no treaty relief to fall back on if both countries claim tax. How Ghana treats a single-member LLC and its undistributed profit is a question for a chartered accountant; get advice before the LLC has real income.
Moving money under the Foreign Exchange Act
Foreign exchange in Ghana is governed by the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723), with the Bank of Ghana as regulator. Payments in foreign currency between a resident and a non-resident must go through a bank. Ask your bank which documents it needs to send capital to your LLC, and keep its confirmation.
The Bank of Ghana also requires local transactions to be priced and paid in cedis, so dollar income is converted when you spend it in Ghana.
Bringing money home
Money you take out of the LLC arrives as an inward transfer to a foreign currency or cedi account at a Ghanaian bank. Keep invoices and the LLC's records so your bank and the GRA can see what each payment is.
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 chartered accountant in Ghana before you form the LLC.
