International payments guide for South Asian businesses [2026]

If your business sends or receives money across borders, here’s a practical look at the main international payment methods you can use and what each one actually costs

Key takeaways

• Businesses in Pakistan and Bangladesh trading internationally deal with FX markups, receiving fees, intermediary bank charges and forced conversions on both sides of every payment
• Bank transfers, payment gateways, cards and multi-currency accounts each handle international payments differently, with trade-offs on cost, speed and control
• The real cost of a payment includes the visible fee, the FX markup buried in the exchange rate, and any charges deducted by correspondent banks along the way
• Converting the same currency twice (once when you receive, once when you spend) is one of the costs businesses miss most often
• A multi-currency account lets you receive, hold and send in the same currency, so incoming USD can fund outgoing USD without a round trip through your local currency

If your business is based in Pakistan or Bangladesh and you trade with the rest of the world, the same challenges probably play out every month. Money comes in from marketplace payouts, overseas clients or freelance platforms, mostly in USD, GBP, or EUR. Money goes out to Chinese suppliers in CNH, to SaaS tools and ad platforms in USD, and to overseas freelancers in whichever currency they invoice in.

This guide walks through the four main international payment methods available to businesses like yours, what each one is best suited for, and the real costs to look out for at every step.

The four main international payment methods

Bank transfers

Bank-to-bank wires through the SWIFT network are the most established route for international payments. Most banks in Pakistan and Bangladesh offer inbound and outbound wires, and some offer foreign currency accounts for holding USD, GBP or EUR alongside your PKR or BDT balance.

Payment gateways

Payment gateways plug into your online store, invoicing platform or subscription service, and let overseas customers pay by card, digital wallet or bank transfer. Once the payment clears, the funds sit in a merchant account until you withdraw them to your linked bank account or multi-currency account.

If your gateway pays out into a local PKR or BDT bank account, your foreign currency earnings still get converted at whatever rate applies on the day, plus any withdrawal fees the gateway charges. Linking the gateway to a multi-currency account instead means USD sales can settle into a USD account and GBP sales into a GBP balance, without a forced conversion at the point of payout.

International debit and credit cards

Cards linked to a business bank account or a credit line can be used to pay for business expenses. That covers marketplace supplier payments, SaaS subscriptions, ad platforms like Meta and Google, and one off overseas purchases.

Every international card transaction typically carries a foreign transaction fee plus an FX markup.

Multi-currency accounts

A multi-currency account gives you a set of local currency accounts (USD, GBP, EUR, CNH and others), all sitting under one login. Each account comes with its own bank details, so you can plug your USD details into your US-facing website, your GBP details into your UK-facing website, and so on. Your customers pay you the way they’d pay any local business in their country with no international transfer or international fees at their side.

When a payment arrives, it lands in the same currency your customer paid in and stays there. Nothing gets converted automatically, so you can hold on to the balance until you actually need it. When it’s time to spend, the outgoing payment comes straight out of the matching balance. Your USD earnings can pay for your USD costs. A CNH refund from one Chinese supplier can go towards paying another. You skip the round trip that would otherwise cost you a bit of margin on the way in and a bit more on the way out.

And when you do need PKR or BDT for local costs like staff salaries, office rent or utilities, you decide when to convert. If today’s rate looks poor, you can wait a few days for a better one instead of accepting whatever rate applied on the day your funds arrived.

How the World Account works for businesses sending and receiving internationally

WorldFirst is a payments provider built for businesses operating across borders. The World Account is a multi-currency account that brings your international sending, receiving and FX into one place.

You can open local currency accounts in 15+ major currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, CNH, AUD and NZD, each with its own account details.

For outbound payments, the World Account supports sending in 100+ currencies across 200+ countries and regions. Payments to other World Account holders are free and instant. You can pay Chinese suppliers in CNH directly from your World Account through World Pay, the authorised international payment provider for 1688.com, without needing a Chinese bank account.

The account integrates with 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways for inbound revenue, and connects to Xero and NetSuite for reconciliation.

Up to 20 World Cards are available at zero card issuance cost. These are Mastercard-powered business payment cards that draw from your multi-currency balances, so USD held in the account can be spent directly in USD on ad platforms, SaaS tools and overseas vendors. No fees are charged when paying in any of the 15 supported currencies, as long as sufficient balance is held in that currency.

Multi-user access and permission controls let your finance team manage international operations from one platform, without splitting funds across several bank accounts.

Choose the setup that fits how your business trades

You don’t have to pick one method and use it for everything. Most growing businesses end up combining them: bank wires for larger, less frequent payments, gateways for online checkout, cards for small SaaS and ad platform spend, and a multi-currency account to hold and route funds without losing margin at every conversion. Combining methods this way keeps costs predictable, gives your customers familiar ways to pay, and puts you in control of when your money gets converted.

FAQs

What’s the cheapest way to send international payments as a business in Pakistan or Bangladesh?

The cheapest method depends on the payment size, frequency and corridor. The total cost of any international payment includes the visible fee, the FX markup baked into the exchange rate, and any correspondent bank charges along the way. Comparing what the recipient actually receives across different methods is a more reliable measure than comparing headline fees on their own.

How long do international payments usually take?

SWIFT-based bank wires generally take two to five business days. Card transactions settle quickly on your side but can take days to reach the recipient. Multi-currency accounts that use local payment rails can be same day or instant on supported corridors.

Do I need a business bank account to send international payments?

Bank wires generally require one. Other methods have their own requirements: cards need a linked account or credit line, gateways handle inbound payments only, and multi-currency accounts have their own onboarding. If you’re evaluating options, this guide on how to open a business bank account covers the basics.

What’s the benefit of holding foreign currency instead of converting straight away?

If your business regularly earns and spends in the same foreign currency, holding the balance means you can use incoming funds to cover outgoing payments without converting the same money twice. It also gives you control over the timing of any conversions you do need, so you can wait for a rate that works better for your business rather than accepting whatever rate applied on the day funds arrive.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice. This article should not be regarded as constituting an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any regulated or financial products or services. WorldFirst makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content, and readers are encouraged to consult with legal professionals or other professionals for advice tailored to their specific situation. WorldFirst does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of this article and expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance on this article.