The Philippines has one of the largest online workforces in the world, from independent freelancers to full BPO teams serving US and European clients. The recurring blocker is billing in USD and getting approved on Stripe, which local accounts struggle with. A US LLC gives you a real US entity, a USD business account and Stripe access, opened remotely from Manila, Cebu or anywhere in the Philippines.
Why Filipino entrepreneurs open a US LLC
- Get paid in USD from clients worldwide, straight into a US business account.
- Unlock Stripe and PayPal with a real US entity, the single biggest blocker for Filipino online workers.
- Project trust to US and European clients who prefer to contract with a US company.
Philippine tax and the US treaty
The Philippines taxes residents on their income and the BIR expects you to report it, so the LLC does not remove your local filing. The helpful part is that a US-Philippines income tax treaty exists to prevent the same income being taxed twice, and a local accountant can apply it to your case. Treat the LLC as a compliance topic rather than a way out: keep clean records and declare your income where it is due.
On the US side, a Philippines-based owner whose US LLC has no US office, staff or dependent agent is generally not engaged in a US trade or business, so the LLC pays 0% US federal income tax on its profits. The recurring US filing is the annual mandatory IRS filings, which we file for you.
Your LLC in four steps
- Choose your state (Wyoming or New Mexico for most online businesses).
- We file your formation and obtain your EIN without an SSN.
- Open your US bank account and Stripe remotely.
- Stay compliant with mandatory IRS filings and the annual report, handled for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can my BPO or agency team bill through the LLC?
Yes. Many Filipino agencies invoice global clients through a US LLC and collect on Stripe, then handle payroll and local reporting at home.
Does the US-Philippines treaty help me?
It exists to avoid double taxation on the same income, and a local accountant can apply it. For a small online LLC, US federal income tax typically lands at 0% regardless.
Form your US LLC from the Philippines with everything included from the first payment: formation, EIN, US bank account and compliance.
