Corridor · China · CNY and USD
Pay a supplier in China with USDT: CNY or USD bank transfer
Arkipo pays Chinese factories and trading companies by SWIFT transfer in CNY or USD, funded in USDT, within 1–2 business days. Arkipo fee 2.5% up to $10,000, 2% up to $50,000, 1.5% up to $100,000 and 1% from $100,000, plus a payment order fee of $80, from $1,000. The beneficiary's bank sees a transfer from a registered company with your invoice number and the contract reference.
- CNY · USDpayout currencies
- 1–2 business daysmedian, SWIFT
- 1–2.5% + $80Arkipo fee + payment order
- company accountsbeneficiaries, with a contract
Indicative quote at the rates of October 21, 2026. Your quote shows the live rate before you confirm.
What are the terms for the China corridor?
| Condition | CNY | USD |
|---|---|---|
| Rail | SWIFT to the supplier's bank in mainland China | SWIFT, often via a Hong Kong or Singapore correspondent |
| Median time to credit | 1–2 business days; 3 if the receiving bank asks for the contract | 1–2 business days |
| Arkipo fee | 2.5% up to $10,000 · 2% up to $50,000 · 1.5% up to $100,000 · 1% from $100,000 (same as on the pricing page) | |
| Payment order | $80 per transfer, any amount | |
| Exchange rate | market CNY rate, no mark-up; the quote is in USD for USD invoices | none: the quote is in USD |
| Minimum · maximum | $1,000 · $500,000 per payment online; larger amounts quoted by the desk | |
| Cut-off | before the bank cut-off on business days (confirmed in your quote); payments funded before it are sent the same day | |
| Beneficiaries | Companies only, on a corporate account; personal accounts in China are not served | |
| Status | Enhanced checks contract and the supplier's registration on first payment | |
What documents does the receiving bank ask for?
Chinese banks verify incoming foreign-currency transfers against trade documents before crediting a corporate account. We collect the same set before sending, so the supplier's bank has nothing to query.
- Invoice or pro-forma invoice from the supplier with the bank details and the goods described; the amount must match the transfer.
- Contract or purchase order for payments above $10,000 equivalent or for the first payment to a new supplier; a signed PI with terms is accepted as the contract.
- Purpose of payment in the transfer reference: invoice number, goods, and the words “payment for goods” in English; we fill it from the invoice and show it to you before sending.
- Name match: the beneficiary name must match the account exactly, including “Co., Ltd.”; mismatches are the most common reason for a return.
How does the payment move?
- Quote locked. You choose CNY or USD, SHA or OUR; the rate and fees are fixed for 15 minutes.
- Awaiting USDT, then USDT received. You send USDT to your personal settlement address; we see it after one confirmation.
- Compliance check. Invoice, contract, supplier registration and sanctions screening. First payments to a new supplier wait up to 48 hours in “Documents required” if anything is missing.
- Converted and transfer sent. Before the cut-off, the same business day. You receive the MT103 with the UETR.
- Awaiting credit, then credited. We track the UETR; after two business days we ask the supplier's bank for a credit confirmation.
Why do payments to China get returned?
- Beneficiary name does not match the account (missing “Co., Ltd.”, trading name instead of legal name).
- The receiving bank could not match the transfer to a contract or customs declaration.
- The supplier's account is not enabled for foreign-currency receipts.
- The purpose field names a service when the contract is for goods, or vice versa.
- Correspondent compliance hold on USD, usually resolved by the contract we already hold.
A returned payment is resent with corrected details at no extra service fee, or refunded in USDT at the locked rate minus the bank's return charge.
What we check and what we decline
We pay for goods and services we can identify from the invoice and contract. We decline dual-use goods and anything that needs an export licence we cannot verify, payments to shell companies without a trading record, and payments to parties on sanctions lists.
Worked example: a $10,000 invoice in USD
indicative figures as of Oct 21, 2026 · live rates load in a moment
The supplier receives $10,000 minus correspondent deductions with SHA; with OUR you send $30 more and the supplier receives exactly $10,000.
Questions importers ask
Can I pay a 1688 or Alibaba supplier with USDT?
Yes, if the supplier issues an invoice or pro-forma with a corporate bank account. Platform escrow (Trade Assurance) is a card or wire payment to the platform; we do not pay into it.
CNY or USD, which is better?
Ask the supplier. Many factories prefer USD on a foreign-currency account; CNY avoids their conversion. The price is the same: CNY is converted at the market rate with no mark-up.
Does the supplier see that the payment came from USDT?
No. The supplier's bank sees a transfer from PT Global Payment Gateway with your invoice number and your name in the reference, plus a payment-on-behalf-of letter on request.
What if the supplier has a Hong Kong account?
Hong Kong is a separate corridor: USD by SWIFT; HKD on request through our partners. No contract is required below $25,000. Use the Hong Kong row on the countries page.
Can I pay a deposit before the contract is signed?
Yes, on a signed pro-forma invoice with payment terms, up to $10,000 equivalent. The balance payment needs the contract or the final commercial invoice.
Which documents do I receive for my own accounting?
The payment order under the agent agreement, our fee invoice, the MT103 with UETR, the agent report with the transaction hash and rate, and on request the payment-on-behalf-of letter.
Related corridors
Corridor pages for these countries are planned; until then the countries page holds the rails and timings.
Quote with the CNY preset