When I started freelancing a few years ago, “How to get paid by international clients” was one of the foremost questions on my lips. I thought I had found the perfect solution to the question with a domiciliary account (a type of bank account that allows you to hold and spend foreign currencies in Nigeria), which I opened despite the lengthy and unnecessary account opening requirements. 

Domiciliary accounts, however, only solved my international payment problems halfway. Yes, I could receive payments from my foreign employees, but the transaction fees were killing and access to foreign currencies was severely limited. Let’s not even talk about how expensive and difficult it is to transfer money from a domiciliary account, in or outside Nigeria. 

The strict and lengthy account opening policy, difficulties with transferring money, and high transaction fees eventually forced me to adopt crypto payments using Crane. They’re relatively easy to open and offer cheaper transaction fees while providing financial security. 

If, like me, you’re looking for an app to receive international payments from clients, the Crane app was built for you. And in this piece, you’ll learn the benefits of using the Crane app to accept international payments. 

Crane: The best app to get paid by international clients

Crane is a blockchain-powered app for receiving payments from foreign clients and partners. We support seven cryptocurrencies (BTC, BNB, DOGE, ETH, USDC, & USDT) for cryptocurrency payments. 

Unlike traditional banks, you don’t need guarantors to create an account on Crane. The blockchain technology that powers our infrastructure has democratised access to financial platforms with utmost security. Signing up on Crane takes five minutes or less, with a secure digital wallet made available immediately you register.

How to receive international payments on Crane

1. Bank Direct

If you’ve searched “Can I receive money from abroad with my naira bank?” online, this service is for you. Bank Direct lets you receive the naira value of your cryptocurrency into your local bank. Once you share your wallet with your client, Crane will convert it to naira and send it to your preferred local bank in seconds. 

Bank Direct works like this: send wallet address to client > receive the naira equivalent of the payment in your preferred local bank.

Bank Direct removes the perceived barrier that crypto is reserved for only blockchain experts. It’s easy to set up and doesn’t require you to monitor the cryptocurrency market for conversions. 

2. Regular Crypto Deposit

One main benefit cryptocurrencies, especially USD-backed stablecoins, have over local currencies is that their inherent value is relatively higher, making them ideal for savings and a hedge against inflation. If you prefer to receive payments in cryptocurrencies for storage, Regular Crypto Deposit is your best bet. 

It helps you receive cryptocurrency payments into a secure wallet for later withdrawal when the value is higher. While Crane doesn’t offer investment services, we provide Auto-Convert to help you maximise the funds in your digital wallet. Auto-Convert automatically converts your cryptocurrency to naira at a predetermined set price or rate. 

This means you can afford to store your cryptocurrency salary in your digital wallet and convert it at a later date when the price or rate is higher, without lifting a finger. It removes the market monitoring fatigue. It’s perfect for crypto newbies and experienced traders.

3. Request Payroll

Freelancers and remote workers understand that invoices influence the speed of payments. That’s why we created Request Payroll. It helps you send invoices to clients for swift payments and to track your revenue. 

Benefits of using Crane to accept international payments

Low transaction fees: Imagine having to pay almost 50% of the amount you sent or received as transaction fees? That’s the sort of extravagant charging to expect with traditional banking systems, as seen in the image below:

Banks charge hefty transaction fees globally. Source: Venture Capitalist

But Crane doesn’t charge a dime for incoming cryptocurrency payments. And only take 2% of the amount when you convert crypto to naira. You can, however, offset the crypto-to-naira conversion fees by using our discount cards that take away 25%–100% of the charges. 

Ability to double your income: You can get the best out of your cryptocurrency savings through Auto-Convert. It helps you set a future rate or price to convert your cryptocurrency. 

For example, if your employer paid you when USDT was $1,400/₦, you can decide to convert it to naira when it reaches $1,500/₦ using Auto-Convert. Crane will handle the auto-conversion, removing the market monitoring stress while helping you get the best value from your income. 

Fast transaction: Traditional banking is slow. Transactions take days, and that was the main reason I pivoted to crypto. Unlike banks and fintechs, blockchain transactions take seconds and minutes. That said, the best cryptocurrencies for swift remittance are USDC and USDT using TRC-20, BEP-20, and ERC-20 networks.

FAQs about how to get paid by international clients

1. Can I receive money from abroad with my naira account? 

Yes, you can through Bank Direct on Crane. It helps you receive international payments in cryptocurrency directly into your naira bank. To use Bank Direct on Crane, follow the steps below:

• Log in to the Crane app. 
• Go to “Receive” on the homepage. 
• Select Bank Direct on the “How do you want to receive” page
• Follow the instructions on the screen to set up Bank Direct by upgrading your account to KYC Tier 2 and linking your preferred bank account. 
• Share your wallet address with your clients and receive payments in your attached account balance. 

2. How do I receive international payments in Nigeria? 

You can receive international payments in Nigeria through Crane. Click the button below to create an account on Crane 👇🏾

3. Which app is best for receiving dollars in Nigeria? 

You can use Crane to receive digital dollars (USDT and/or USDC) from international clients. To receive digital dollars on Crane, follow the steps below:

• Log in to the Crane app. If you’re a new user, follow the instructions here to create an account. 
• Select “Receive” on the homepage. 
• Select any of the three methods—Bank Direct, Regular Crypto Deposit, and Request Payroll—to receive international payments. Share your USDT or USDC wallet with clients.