One of the most significant changes in the past decade for UK and European founders running US companies is the emergence of fintech platforms purpose-built for remote and international business owners. Where a non-resident founding a US LLC once faced near-impossible barriers to basic financial services — traditional US banks with in-person requirements, payment processors demanding US addresses, accounting software that assumed domestic-only operations — the fintech landscape has fundamentally shifted.
Today, a UK or European founder with a properly formed US LLC and an EIN can access a sophisticated stack of US financial tools without ever visiting the United States. This guide covers the most useful platforms across banking, payments, currency management, and accounting. Before you apply to any of these platforms, make sure you have the right documents ready — see our banking documents checklist for a full overview.
Business Banking: The Foundation
Mercury is the most widely used banking platform among remote-owned US LLCs, and for good reason. It offers free business checking and savings accounts with no monthly fees, a clean dashboard, virtual and physical debit cards, and API access for developers. Mercury is built for technology companies and digital businesses, and its onboarding process explicitly accommodates foreign-owned US entities. Payouts from Stripe and PayPal connect seamlessly. Mercury also offers Mercury Treasury, a higher-yield cash management option for businesses holding larger balances.
Relay is an excellent alternative, particularly for founders who want more granular control over their finances. Relay allows you to create up to twenty separate checking accounts and fifty virtual cards within a single company profile — making it ideal for founders who want to allocate funds by category (tax reserves, operating expenses, owner distributions) or manage multiple revenue streams cleanly. Relay has no monthly fees on its standard plan and integrates well with QuickBooks and Xero.
Wise Business is the strongest option for founders who need to move money internationally on a regular basis. While it functions as a business account rather than a traditional bank, Wise offers US account details (routing and account numbers), the ability to hold balances in over forty currencies, and some of the most competitive exchange rates available for international transfers. For UK founders regularly converting USD to GBP, Wise Business saves meaningfully over traditional bank transfer fees.
Payment Processing
Stripe remains the gold standard for online payment processing, particularly for SaaS businesses, subscription products, and custom checkout implementations. Through a US LLC, UK and European founders access Stripe at US domestic rates, with the full product suite including Stripe Billing, Stripe Connect (for marketplace payments), and Stripe Radar (fraud prevention). The Stripe dashboard provides clear reporting and integrates with most accounting platforms.
PayPal Business complements Stripe well for e-commerce and B2C transactions where the PayPal button drives conversion among US consumers. PayPal also offers Venmo for Business — a product that allows US consumers to pay businesses through the Venmo app — which has become increasingly relevant for B2C founders targeting younger US demographics.
Square is worth considering if your US business has any in-person component, such as trade shows, conferences, or physical product sales. Square's point-of-sale hardware and software is widely used across the US, and a US LLC can register for a Square account and begin accepting card payments in person with minimal setup.
Currency Management and International Transfers
Wise (personal and business) is the platform of choice for most UK and European founders converting US business income to their home currency. Wise's mid-market exchange rates and transparent fee structure make it consistently cheaper than bank transfers for GBP, EUR, and other major currency conversions. Receiving USD into your Wise Business account and converting to GBP costs a fraction of what a traditional bank wire would charge.
Revolut Business is a strong alternative for European founders, particularly those holding EUR or operating across multiple European currencies. Revolut's multi-currency accounts, instant currency exchange, and integration with accounting tools make it a practical hub for founders managing finances across multiple jurisdictions.
Accounting and Bookkeeping
QuickBooks Online is the most widely used accounting platform for US small businesses, and many US CPAs and Enrolled Agents work primarily within it. For non-resident LLC owners who work with a US tax professional, having your books in QuickBooks makes the tax filing process significantly smoother. QuickBooks integrates natively with Mercury, Stripe, and PayPal, automating much of the transaction import and categorisation process.
Xero is the preferred alternative for many UK and European founders, particularly those already using it for their home-country accounting. Xero supports multi-currency bookkeeping and connects to most US banking and payment platforms. If you are running parallel accounting for a UK entity and a US LLC, Xero's multi-entity support makes consolidation manageable.
Wave is a free accounting platform worth considering for early-stage founders who want to keep overheads minimal. Wave handles invoicing, expense tracking, and basic financial reporting without a monthly fee. It is less powerful than QuickBooks or Xero for complex multi-currency operations, but for a straightforward single-member LLC with US-dollar revenue, it is a capable and cost-effective starting point.
Expense Management
Brex offers corporate cards and expense management tools specifically designed for startups and technology companies. A US LLC can apply for a Brex card, which offers rewards on software subscriptions, travel, and other common startup expenses. Brex does not require a personal credit check — it underwrites based on your business's cash balance — making it accessible for non-residents who have no US credit history.
Ramp is an alternative corporate card and spend management platform with strong automation features, particularly around receipt capture, expense categorisation, and accounting integrations. Like Brex, Ramp underwrites based on business cash position rather than personal credit history, making it non-resident friendly.
Building Your Financial Stack
The right combination of tools depends on your business model, transaction volumes, and home-country financial setup. A common and highly functional stack for UK founders running US LLCs looks something like this: Mercury for primary US banking, Stripe for payment processing, Wise Business for currency conversion and international transfers, and QuickBooks or Xero for accounting. This combination is entirely operable from the UK with no US presence required and covers every core financial function a remote-owned LLC needs.
We help UK and European founders get their US LLC set up with the right legal and financial foundations so that accessing these tools is straightforward from day one.
US Banking Documents Checklist
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