Source: https://rivet.global/blog/best-way-to-pay-international-suppliers
Published: 2026-08-17 · Updated: 2026-11-05 · By William Sunjo M.

# The best way to pay international suppliers in 2026

Bank wires, local payouts, specialist accounts, cards, stablecoins and letters of credit compared for paying overseas suppliers, with costs and risks.

## Key takeaways

- A SWIFT wire from a bank can cost a fee to send, intermediary deductions on the way and the bank's FX margin. Specialist providers publish fees and send many currencies on local rails.
- Paying in the supplier's currency often gets a better price than paying in USD, because the supplier no longer prices in its own FX risk.
- Stablecoins settle in minutes and suit suppliers who ask for them; local rules on holding and receiving them differ by country.
- Rivet pays suppliers in 120+ countries for $2, $1 or $0.50 per payout by plan, shows the rate first, and supports USDC and USDT.

An importer pays a factory in Guangdong 40,000 USD by SWIFT from a high-street bank. The bank charges a sending fee, an intermediary bank deducts a fee on the way, and the factory's bank charges to receive. The factory gets less than invoiced and asks for the difference on the next order.

Paid in yuan from a specialist account, the same invoice goes on a local rail at a rate shown before sending, and arrives in full. WorldFirst's UK list, for example, shows £11.55 for a USD payment to mainland China within four business hours.

Prices are from each provider's page, read in November 2026.

## Six methods compared

| Method | Cost | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank SWIFT wire | Sending fee, intermediary deductions, bank FX margin | 1 to 5 days | Suppliers who insist on it |
| Specialist account, local rail | Published FX plus small fixed fee | Same day to 2 days | Most supplier payments |
| Corporate card | Card FX fee; supplier pays card fees | Instant | Small and online suppliers |
| Stablecoins (USDT, USDC) | Network fee and conversion | Minutes | Suppliers who ask for them |
| Letter of credit | Bank fees, often a percentage | Tied to shipping documents | Large first orders, new suppliers |
| Payment platform (e.g. Alibaba Trade Assurance) | Platform fees | Varies | Orders placed on that platform |

## Four habits that save money

**Ask for the price in both currencies.** See [paying suppliers in USD or local currency](/blog/pay-suppliers-usd-or-local-currency).

**Verify bank details by phone** before the first payment and after any change. Supplier detail changes are the commonest invoice fraud. See [invoice fraud and payment detail scams](/blog/invoice-fraud-payment-detail-scams).

**Use the right documents.** A [proforma invoice](/blog/proforma-invoice-vs-commercial-invoice) for deposits, a commercial invoice for customs.

**Batch payments** on one approval to save time and fees.

## How Rivet handles supplier payments

Rivet pays suppliers in 120+ countries from your USD, EUR or GBP balance, with the rate and fee shown before you confirm. Payouts cost $2 each on the free Starter plan, $1 on Growth and $0.50 on Scale, and Growth adds approvals for up to 10 team members. If a supplier asks for USDT or USDC, you can pay from the same account. Scale holds CNY and 20 more currencies. For China specifically, see [how to pay suppliers in China](/blog/how-to-pay-suppliers-in-china). Rivet is not a bank; regulated partner institutions hold client funds.

## Questions

### What is the cheapest way to pay an overseas supplier?

Usually a specialist provider paying in the supplier's currency on a local rail, at a published FX margin. A bank SWIFT wire in USD is often the most expensive once intermediary deductions and FX are counted.

### Should I pay suppliers in USD or their local currency?

Ask for both prices. Suppliers that invoice in USD often add a buffer for currency moves. Our guide on paying suppliers in USD or local currency works through the numbers.

### Is it safe to pay suppliers in USDT?

It can be, if the supplier is verified, you send on the network they specify, and you test with a small amount first. Check local rules in both countries.