In 2026, if you are in Argentina, as a freelancer or as a company, and you bill clients abroad for services, BCRA rules require you to bring those proceeds into the country and settle them in the FX market within 20 business days of receiving them or of their being credited to an account abroad (BCRA “Exterior y Cambios” rulebook as of 14/09/2026, point 2.2.1). The point 2.2.2 exceptions still require you to bring the funds in within that deadline. For example, an individual (persona humana) may skip settling them if they are credited to a foreign-currency account in their own name at a local bank, and a knowledge-economy firm may skip settling the amount covered by its export-increase certification if it credits it to the regime’s special account in its name. Before you get paid, check with your accountant which rule applies to you, and use only registered providers where required.
With Bancoli, you receive USD from your clients by ACH, RTP or wire on account details in your name or your company’s legal name, once your account is verified. Those payments are still subject to the BCRA duty to bring them into Argentina and, unless an exception applies, settle them within 20 business days. Smart USD is not a deposit and is not FDIC-insured.
Bancoli offers free FX in 25+ currencies and serves businesses in 150+ countries.
First, talk to your accountant
This guide explains rules. It is not legal or tax advice. Argentina’s FX rules are strict and change often. Before you get paid or move dollars, talk to your accountant.
Read the sources yourself:
- BCRA “Exterior y Cambios” rulebook, as of 14/09/2026.
- BCRA Comunicación “A” 8417, dated April 9, 2026.
- If you use stablecoins, ask your accountant whether the provider must be registered with the CNV as a virtual asset service provider (PSAV). You can search the CNV PSAV registry.
What the BCRA requires when you get paid from abroad
The general rule is simple. If you bill a client abroad for services, you must bring that money into Argentina and settle it, which means selling it for pesos in the FX market. The deadline is 20 business days. The clock starts when you receive the payment or when it is credited to an account abroad (point 2.2.1).
Point 2.2.2 lists exceptions. Even with an exception, you still bring the funds into the country within the same deadline. The exception only changes whether you must sell them for pesos.
Getting paid in USD on account details in your name
Your US client wants to pay you the way they pay any vendor. With Bancoli, you give them USD account details in your name or your company’s legal name, once your account is verified. They pay by ACH, RTP or US domestic wire.
Important: a Bancoli account, or any account abroad, is not an account at a local bank. Payments you receive there are still subject to the duty to bring them into Argentina within 20 business days. Smart USD, USDC, USDi or USDT are not a way around BCRA rules. Smart USD is not a deposit and is not FDIC-insured.
Who may keep dollars, and on what conditions (point 2.2.2)
Individuals (freelancers)
If you are an individual, you may skip selling your proceeds for pesos if all of these are true:
- You bring the proceeds into Argentina within 20 business days.
- They are credited to a foreign-currency account in your own name at a local bank.
- The arrangement is tax neutral.
If one is missing, the general rule applies.
Certified knowledge-economy firms
If your company benefits from the knowledge-economy regime and holds a “Certificación de incremento de exportaciones asociadas a la economía del conocimiento (Decreto 679/22)”, it may skip settling part of its proceeds, on these conditions:
- Only for the certified amount, and only for the services that point 2.2.2.2 allows.
- The funds come into Argentina within 20 business days.
- They are credited to the regime’s special account in the company’s name, until used to pay registered staff working in those activities in foreign currency.
- The company files the sworn statements the rules require (points 2.2.2.2 and 2.6.2.2).
- Each quarter’s total certifications are capped at 30% of the increase in goods and services export proceeds brought in through the FX market, compared with the same quarter of 2021 (point 2.6.2.1).
Who this guide is not for
If you are not in one of these exceptions, or do not meet every condition, you must bring in and settle your proceeds within 20 business days. That covers most Argentine companies. Check with your accountant which rule applies to you.
This guide also does not promise to protect your savings from inflation. It is about rules, not investments.
Before you get paid: a short checklist
- Confirm with your accountant whether you are an individual or a certified firm, and whether you meet every condition.
- Have your foreign-currency account at a local bank ready, or the regime’s special account if you are a certified firm.
- Note the date of each payment. The 20-business-day clock starts there.
- Keep your invoices. See the Argentina e-invoicing guide (in Spanish).
- Check eligibility before you open an account.
FAQ
Can I hold US dollars as a freelancer or a certified knowledge-economy firm in Argentina in 2026?
Yes, within the BCRA point 2.2.2 exceptions and on all their conditions. As an individual, your proceeds come into Argentina within 20 business days and are credited to a foreign-currency account in your name at a local bank. As a certified firm, only for the certified amount and in the regime’s special account. Check your case with your accountant.
Does getting paid in USDC or into an account abroad exempt me from bringing in and settling my proceeds under BCRA rules?
No. Proceeds you receive in an account abroad or in stablecoins are still subject to the duty to bring them into Argentina within 20 business days and, unless an exception applies, settle them.
When does the 20-business-day clock start?
When you receive the payment, or when it is credited to an account abroad (point 2.2.1).
Does a Bancoli account count as an account at a local bank?
No. For the individuals exception, the funds must be credited to a foreign-currency account in your name at a local bank.
What does Bancoli offer for getting paid from abroad?
USD account details in your name or your company’s name, once verified, so clients can pay by ACH, RTP or US domestic wire. Those payments are still subject to BCRA rules. Smart USD is not a deposit and is not FDIC-insured.
Get paid from abroad on details in your name
Open a Smart USD Wallet and share your USD account details with your clients. Smart USD is not a deposit and is not FDIC-insured. Bancoli works with an affiliated chartered bank.