USD account
Your own dollar account in Pakistan
Open a USD account in your own name from your phone. US clients pay you by ACH, clients everywhere else by SWIFT. Keep it in dollars, and cash out to any Pakistani bank at the Google rate when you choose.
In your name.
Held in dollars.
Withdraw to PKR
when you choose.
- ACH
- SWIFT
- Free @handle to @handle
How can you get your own dollar account in Pakistan?
Updated
You have two routes. A Pakistani bank will open a foreign currency or freelancer account in your name with your CNIC, and clients pay it by SWIFT wire. Or HandlePay gives you US account details in your own name, so US clients pay you by ACH like a local payment, and clients elsewhere by SWIFT. Choose by who pays you. Many freelancers keep one of each.
Two routes
What a bank dollar account gives you, and where it stops
Checked against the State Bank's rules and the banks' own pages.
It's in your name, with a branch
Pakistani banks open foreign currency accounts in US dollars for residents, with your CNIC and proof of income. You get a cheque book, a branch and cash dollars. Some banks charge you below a minimum balance.
Source 1
Only part of your income stays in dollars
A bank freelancer account keeps 50% of export proceeds or $5,000 a month in dollars, whichever is higher. The bank converts the rest to rupees at its own rate.
Sources 2, 3
No US routing number
A bank account in Pakistan can only take SWIFT wires. A client in the US can't pay it by ACH like a local supplier, and banks along the way can take a fee before the money reaches you.
Source 1
What you get
What you get with a HandlePay dollar account
US account details in your name
A routing and account number your US clients can pay by ACH, plus SWIFT details for clients abroad. The account is yours, not shared.
Your dollars stay dollars
Payments land and stay in dollars. Nothing is converted to rupees until you say so.
Cash out to any Pakistani bank
Cash out to any Pakistani bank at the Google rate, in minutes, whenever you choose.
Free transfers to any @handle
Send money to friends, family or your team on HandlePay for free, in seconds.
- Coming soon
Payment links
Clients who use PayPal, Venmo or Cash App pay a link you send. The money lands in your account.
- Coming soon
EUR, GBP and AED accounts
Get paid by clients in Europe, the UK and the Gulf in their own currency.
Side by side
Bank dollar account vs HandlePay
| HandlePay | Bank dollar account | |
|---|---|---|
| US routing and account number | Yes | No |
| How a US client pays you | ACH, like paying a local supplier | International SWIFT wire |
| How clients in the UK, Gulf or Europe pay you | SWIFT | SWIFT |
| An account in your own name | Yes | Yes |
| Freelance income you can keep in dollars | All of it, until you convert | 50% or $5,000 a month, whichever is higher |
| Getting rupees | At the Google rate, within minutes, when you choose | The bank converts at its own rate |
| Account fee | Free for the first year, then $25 a year | Free at most banks, with charges below a minimum balance at some |
| Cash dollars, cheque book and branch | No | Yes |
Bank rules from the State Bank of Pakistan and HBL's foreign currency account page, checked 27 Oct 2026. Charges differ by bank, so check yours.
How to open it
Get your dollar account in four steps
Download HandlePay
Claim your @handle and secure the app with a passkey.
Verify your identity once
That's what puts the account in your own name. No branch visit.
Open your USD account
Your US account details are ready in a few minutes, free for the first year.
Share your details
ACH details for clients in the US, SWIFT details for clients anywhere else.
Free for your first year
Claim your USD account for free
US account details in your own name, ready in a few minutes. Your first year is free, then $25 a year.
ACH details for clients in the US- SWIFT details for clients worldwide
- Receive up to $1M per payment
Ready in a few minutes
FAQ
Questions people ask
Can I open a dollar account online in Pakistan?
Yes. Banks can open freelancer accounts digitally under the State Bank's 2023 framework. HandlePay opens a USD account in the app after a one-time identity check, with no branch visit.
Which bank is best for a dollar account in Pakistan?
It depends on what you need. Compare the minimum balance, charges, debit card and online banking. HBL, for example, asks for $100 to avoid charges and issues a debit card on USD accounts. None of the banks gives you a US routing number.
Can I withdraw cash dollars from HandlePay?
No. HandlePay pays out to any Pakistani bank in rupees, at the Google rate. If you need cash dollars, keep a bank foreign currency account as well.
Is a dollar account the same as a US bank account?
No. A US bank account is a full account at a US bank. A USD account in HandlePay gives you US account details for receiving payments, held in your own name.
Can I keep my bank account and use HandlePay too?
Yes. Many freelancers keep a bank account for wires and cash, and use HandlePay for US clients and for choosing when to convert.
Keep reading
HandlePay
is live
Get US dollar account details in your own name in a few minutes. Download the app to start receiving USD.
