What's changed
Mercury's policy changes have removed several non-resident-friendly options. Brex has pulled back from international onboarding for many countries. Major banks (Chase, BofA, Wells) generally require in-person visits by an officer. The remaining options are narrower than they were two years ago.
What still works in 2026
Wise Business (limited geography, good for cross-border payments), Relay (US-resident officer required), Mercury (case-by-case for selected jurisdictions), and certain regional banks with international banking desks. The available options shift frequently — we maintain an updated reference internally.
- Have the entity formation documents apostilled if your home jurisdiction requires
- Prepare beneficial-ownership documentation aligned to FinCEN's reporting standards
- Establish a U.S. resident officer or U.S. CFO before applying where possible
- Have a credible U.S. business address (registered agent address often isn't enough)
How AION helps
AION coordinates the bank application package and supports the documentation work the bank will ask for. We do not promise approvals; we make the application as strong as the facts allow, and signal early when a particular profile is unlikely to succeed.