How Vietnamese Freelancers Get Paid by International Clients
Vietnamese freelancers receiving money from overseas should compare the amount ultimately received, when it becomes usable, reconciliation records and the client’s experience. A low headline fee is not enough: minimums, withdrawals, intermediary charges and exchange rates may also matter. This guide explains the main service categories, four comparison factors and IRID’s foreign-currency receiving process. Confirm route-specific support and timing; general examples are not FinFan service guarantees.
The three ways Vietnamese freelancers receive international payments
These three categories help structure a comparison. They do not establish that every freelancer is eligible for every service.
Online Services for Senders and Recipients
Some services let overseas clients use an account or card, subject to country and account conditions. Confirm availability for Vietnam residents, transaction eligibility, verification and the sender’s options. Do not assume every registration is quick or every client is familiar with a service.
Review receipt, conversion, withdrawal, fixed and minimum charges, plus refund and dispute conditions. Use the official schedule for the right account type and country. A fee for one method is not necessarily the cost of the entire receiving process.
Type two, international bank transfers over SWIFT
Clients may send directly to a Vietnamese bank account using a route the bank supports, commonly involving Swift messages. Crediting currency and conversion depend on the account, currency and bank instructions; not every case requires the same type of foreign-currency account.
Obtain the bank’s receiving instructions: beneficiary name, account number, bank, SWIFT/BIC and any additional details. Intermediary banks and deductions may apply. Agree on OUR, SHA or BEN where available: SHA is not a 50/50 split, and OUR should not be treated as a universal full-receipt guarantee. Compare sender-paid costs separately from the amount reaching the recipient.
Services Providing Receiving Details in Supported Markets
Some providers supply receiving details for a supported domestic route. Confirm the format, beneficiary name, responsible institution, currency, sender type and permitted use before sharing the details.
A unique receiving identifier does not by itself prove ownership of a separate overseas bank account. Domestic or international route availability depends on the specific service. General descriptions of this category do not establish that IRID is an IBAN or a bank account issued by FinFan.
Four factors worth comparing before choosing a channel
Comparing these four gives a far more realistic picture than comparing headline fees.
Total actual cost, not the advertised fee
Separate sender-paid charges, intermediary and receiving-bank deductions, service and withdrawal fees, and the exchange-rate effect. Not every transfer incurs every item. Check the fee basis, deduction currency, minimums, caps and applicable taxes or additional charges.
For one conversion: net VND = (foreign-currency input − foreign-currency deductions) × effective exchange rate − separately charged VND fees. Do not subtract a fee twice if it is already reflected in the credited amount or rate. Calculate each leg separately when two conversions occur. Ask when the rate is determined and how costs can be checked; do not assume every service offers the same preview feature.
Time to funds
Distinguish onboarding time, crediting to the platform, withdrawal review and VND crediting at the domestic bank. A fast receiving route does not guarantee equally fast end-to-end payout.
Ask when the clock starts, which business days and cut-offs apply, and whether holidays or additional documentation may affect timing. Allow a buffer when paying subcontractors rather than relying on a headline time or assuming a domestic route is always faster than Swift.
Documentation showing where the money came from
Identify both the documents you must submit and the confirmations supplied after processing.
Match receipts to the client, contract or order, invoice where applicable, transaction reference, fees and exchange-rate information. Platform records help reconciliation but are not automatically sufficient for every accounting or tax purpose. Check how records can be retained and ask your accountant what is required.
What the experience looks like for your client
Ask where the client sends from, in which currency, whether the sender is an individual or business, and what their finance team requires. A familiar route may be convenient, but a client’s location in the US, UK or EU does not establish eligibility for a particular receiving route.
Use the exact beneficiary name and reference instructed. If the beneficiary name differs from the contracting party, clarify the arrangement and each party’s requirements before sending. A personal receiving identifier alone does not prove that a bank account is held in your name.
Transaction Records and Tax Considerations from 2026
Changes in tax administration support preparing records proactively. They do not establish that choosing a receiving service completes tax obligations.
Clause 6, Article 10 of Resolution 198/2025/QH15 states that household and individual businesses no longer use the presumptive tax method from 1 January 2026 and pay tax under tax administration law. This does not mean every freelancer has the same taxpayer status, method or documentation requirements.
Identify the actual activity, receipt type, residence status and business form to find the relevant guidance. Distinguish remuneration, service revenue, reimbursements and other receipts. Foreign origin or crediting to a personal account does not itself determine classification.
A receiving method does not replace determining tax obligations. Net VND after fees is not automatically revenue or taxable income. Keep original records and consult an accountant or tax adviser on recognition, documentation and filing for your circumstances.
How IRID Supports Foreign-Currency Receipts
IRID (Inbound Routing & Identity Descriptor) is an international receiving identifier developed by FinFan to support foreign-currency receipts, transaction tracking and reconciliation for individuals and businesses in Vietnam. Each customer receives a unique code. Users request withdrawals for VND payout to a linked domestic bank account.
A Unique Identifier and Currency Scope
Register for IRID and complete the required verification. Use the receiving details as instructed; do not insert an IRID code into an IBAN or bank-account field without appropriate instructions. IRID should not be described as a bank account issued by FinFan.
Through the partner network, IRID supports more than 30 currencies, converted to USD before reaching Vietnam. Before the client sends funds, confirm the currency, country, sender type and route available for your case.
Outside that partner-network route, receiving currencies are USD, CAD, AUD, EUR, GBP and SGD. Receiving scope is distinct from payout currency: the confirmed process pays VND to a linked domestic bank account. No external marketplace or platform has yet been confirmed for receipt through IRID.
Registration Verification and Receiving Details
Register and verify your email; supply individual or business information and the required supporting records; complete eKYC through the FinFan Merchant app as instructed; await review and provide additional information if needed; use receiving details after approval. Check current instructions for the required documents and submission process.
Activation depends on review and any additional information needed. Follow the outcome notifications and confirm readiness before sharing receiving details with a client.
Route-Specific Withdrawal Fees and Timing
The current schedule lists no charge for IRID registration, maintenance, portal crediting and dashboard tracking. This does not make the entire service free: check withdrawal fees, conversion and any related-party charges.
The following withdrawal rates apply by route and should not automatically be added together:
- Local USD/EUR/CAD and Local GBP routes: 0.7%, minimum USD 25.
- SWIFT/Local Fedwire route: 1.5%, minimum USD 50.
Do not interpret this as a 1.5% receiving fee plus a 0.7% withdrawal fee on the same transaction. Confirm the applicable route, calculation basis, deduction currency, exchange rate, other costs if any and expected VND receipt. These rates do not establish the total cost of every transaction.
Platform crediting and VND crediting at the domestic bank are separate milestones. Confirm when timing starts, business days, documentation conditions and withdrawal processing before planning to use the funds.
Minimums matter for small receipts. Under the 0.7% route with a USD 25 minimum, a USD 1,000 withdrawal costs USD 25, or 2.5%; a USD 5,000 withdrawal costs USD 35, or 0.7%. Where grouping is permitted, one USD 5,000 withdrawal costs less than five USD 1,000 withdrawals totalling USD 125 in fees. This covers withdrawal fees only, excluding rate effects or other charges. Consider cash-flow needs before grouping.
Check the actual exchange-rate information and timing against current instructions rather than assuming the dashboard always displays it at a particular step. For the partner-network route, distinguish conversion to USD from conversion for domestic VND payout.
Documentation required at withdrawal
Understanding records in advance helps avoid additional requests when creating a withdrawal.
Declare a purpose consistent with the transaction. For each source, the system may require the sender’s country and bank, invoice reference and details, order lists or product names, prices and quantities. A purpose appearing in an interface is not proof that every industry or transaction type is accepted.
Prepare records for verification and reconciliation. Documents supplied by users differ from confirmations provided after processing. Do not assume each receipt automatically comes with documentation sufficient for all tax-filing purposes.
What to prepare before switching channels
Four things worth doing in advance, rather than handling them once money has already arrived.
- Check eligibility. Prepare identity, business and supporting information under the current instructions; not every freelancer or industry is automatically accepted.
- Connect records to receipts. Use consistent references across contracts, orders, invoices where applicable and transactions. Keep original records and fee and exchange-rate information.
- Agree on sending details. Confirm country, currency, sender type, beneficiary name and supported route with FinFan before sharing details. Use of a marketplace does not establish compatibility with IRID.
- Plan withdrawals. Weigh minimum fees against cash needs. Group sources only where permitted, and confirm timing, the linked domestic account and any additional documentation steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I compare for small receipts?
Calculate the minimum fee against the actual amount, then add relevant conversion and other costs. On IRID’s 0.7% route with a USD 25 minimum, a USD 1,000 withdrawal costs USD 25 in the example, not USD 7. No option is cheapest for every freelancer.
Can I use IRID to receive from my existing marketplace?
No external marketplace or platform has yet been confirmed for receipt through IRID. Ask FinFan about the specific case before changing details on a platform. Do not enter an IRID code into an IBAN or account-number field without instructions.
Can I withdraw in the foreign currency received?
The confirmed process is a withdrawal request for VND payout to a linked domestic bank account. Support for 30+ currencies via partners or six currencies outside that route does not establish domestic withdrawal in each foreign currency.
Conclusion
Compare total cost, time to usable funds, records and client experience for the same typical receipt. A percentage is meaningful only with its minimum, route, rate and actual deductions.
For IRID, distinguish the identifier from a bank account, receiving currencies from VND payout, and route-specific withdrawal pricing from the cost of the full journey. Preparing records assists reconciliation but does not replace tax or accounting obligations or guarantee approval.
If you regularly receive foreign currency from overseas clients, contact FinFan to confirm available currencies, routes, fees and registration requirements. Prepare the expected amount, sender country and VND withdrawal needs for a specific discussion.
- Website: https://finfan.io
- Email: support.iban@finfan.vn
- Phone: +84 2866.853.317
Disclaimer
IRID is developed by FinFan, the brand of Nhat Phuong Joint Stock Company (Best Way Corporation), to support foreign-currency receipts and transaction management. Users request withdrawals for VND payout to a linked domestic bank account. FinFan is not a bank and does not provide deposit services.
IThis article is general information, not a quotation or tax or legal advice. Confirm scope, records, fees, exchange rates and timing against current instructions for the specific case. Seek professional advice when determining applicable obligations.
References
Dr. Tuyen Nguyen
Money Beyond Borders
