Old Wang, who runs a business on Amazon U.S., used to rely on third-party platforms for foreign exchange conversion, but lost over 100,000 yuan a year just in fees.

Later, he opened a U.S. bank account so he could receive payments in U.S. dollars directly from the U.S. site, thereby avoiding the markups charged by intermediaries.

After Cathay Bank suspended online account openings in 2026,Hua Mei Bank has become the top choice for cross-border sellers looking to apply for U.S. credit cards remotely.Today, we'll talk about how to set up payments through the platform.

01

What Pain Points Does It Address?

For cross-border e-commerce businesses, foreign trade companies, and overseas investors, U.S. bank cards have become a necessity rather than a nice-to-have. The key benefit is that USD payments eliminate an intermediary in the foreign exchange settlement process, resulting in faster settlement and lower costs.

In 2026, the U.S. OFAC tightened its anti-money laundering reviews, resulting in a large number of self-service applications being rejected due to non-compliant documentation. Choosing the right bank and account type is far more important than blindly applying.

East West Bank supports remote video notarization, requires no travel to the U.S. or a Social Security number, and offers Chinese-speaking customer service, making it a seller-friendly option for sellers in mainland China.

Compared to Cathay Bank, Hua Mei is more accommodating to individuals and small and micro-enterprises engaged in cross-border transactions; however, established companies with a high volume of large-value foreign trade orders may also want to consider major domestic banks such as JPMorgan Chase.

If you’re also finding that your profits from U.S. dollar payments are constantly being eaten up by foreign exchange fees—feel free to scan the QR code to contact Qicaiying’s online customer service (WeChat/Phone: 18620388671). We’ll help you compare Huamei and Digital Bank to choose the most cost-effective payment solution.

02

How to Open Huamei

Select FirstIndividual Accounts Held by U.S. Domestic Entities...It offers FDIC deposit insurance, a high risk tolerance, and the option to apply for a credit card later; Velo digital accounts are only suitable for small, short-term transitional needs and are not recommended for large amounts.

Process: Fill out the online form → Upload your passport and proof of address → Complete a video interview in Chinese → Activate the account via a cross-border wire transfer of $2,000–$2,500 from an account in the same name → Receive the card and set up online banking. The entire review process takes 15–30 business days.

The monthly fee ranges from $8 to $12, but it’s waived if your average daily balance meets the requirement; ACH transfers within the U.S. are permanently free, which is a major advantage for receiving payments from Amazon.

Reminder: The activation funds must be transferred via cross-border wire transfer from a domestic bank card in your own name. Third-party payments are strictly prohibited; otherwise, your account opening application will be rejected.

03

How to Link a Payment Gateway

Linked to Amazon US; I'm usingACH Deposit: Enter the routing number and account number for your Huamei account in Amazon's payment settings, and the payment will be deposited directly via ACH with no fees.

Non-U.S. tax residents must complete the W-8BEN form online during the account opening process to claim an exemption from U.S. withholding tax on interest—don’t skip this step, or you’ll be subject to withholding tax.

For corporate accounts, you must provide U.S. company incorporation documents or information regarding a Hong Kong or BVI company; Huamei also accepts accounts opened indirectly through a Hong Kong company, but this requires an additional layer of compliance review.

After linking the account, first test it with a small payment to confirm the ACH funds have been received before processing larger transactions. This will help prevent payment delays caused by incorrect account information.

If you're not sure how to set up ACH in the Amazon backend or how to fill out the W-8BEN form, feel free to scan the QR code to contact Qicaiying's online customer service (WeChat/Phone: 18620388671), and we'll walk you through the process of linking your payment account to the platform step by step.

04

How to Use ACH and Wire Transfers

ACH is suitable for domestic payments in the U.S.: payments to suppliers, advertising, and deposits to brokerage accounts are all free—these are common, high-frequency transactions. Wire transfers are suitable for large cross-border transactions, and a fee applies per transaction.

Digital banks (Mercury/Relay) require a U.S. company and an EIN; they are suitable for sellers with high annual turnover as a primary and backup payment method combination. Wise is available to individuals, but it is not a true U.S. bank, so some platforms do not accept it.

Practical Advice: Large sellers should use the Huamei + Mercury combination, while small and medium-sized sellers should use the Cathay + Relay combination. Choose based on your capital, and don’t sacrifice stability just to save on monthly fees.

A combination of zero-fee transfers between accounts can significantly reduce transaction costs associated with ad spending and vendor payments.

Scan the QR code to add Qicaiying’s online customer service

05

Don't Cross the Risk Control Red Lines

A Few Ironclad Rules for Huamei Risk Control: Provide original paper copies of address verification documents (electronic screenshots have a low approval rate); specify the purpose of KYC in detail (stating only “investment and wealth management” will likely result in rejection); ensure your answers during the video interview match the information on the form.

Maintenance: Log in once a month and make small, regular deposits and withdrawals to avoid the account becoming dormant; avoid large, rapid deposits and withdrawals, and do not accept unfamiliar, sporadic transfers; strictly prohibit lending or renting out your account, and do not engage in cryptocurrency or underground currency exchange.

In a nutshell: A U.S. bank card is a compliance tool; it remains stable only if you maintain it with legitimate business transactions and clean transaction history. If the account gets frozen, you won’t be able to recover your funds—and that costs far more than the transaction fees.

Scan the QR code to add Qicaiying’s online customer service

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