Open a US LLC from the UAE: 2026 guide

Dubai and the wider UAE are built for global business, yet collecting USD from foreign clients and getting approved on Stripe still trips up many founders. A US LLC gives you a clean US entity, a USD business account and Stripe access, all set up remotely from the Emirates while you keep living tax free.

Why Emirati 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 broadest feature set with the lowest friction.
Keep your Free Zone company for the region and use the US LLC for international, USD-first revenue.

What about the UAE 9% corporate tax

Since June 2023 the UAE applies a 9% corporate tax on business profits above AED 375,000. Owning a US LLC does not remove that: depending on where your work is actually performed, your profits may still fall under UAE corporate tax. Treat it as a filing to plan for, not a blocker, and confirm your position with a local advisor.

Is there a US tax treaty with the UAE

There is no income tax treaty between the US and the UAE, and here it rarely matters. A foreign-owned US LLC with no US office, staff or dependent agent is usually treated as not engaged in a US trade or business, so it pays 0% US federal income tax on its profits. You report where you are taxed, in the UAE.

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.