Hello! My name is Wei Zhang, and I live in Shanghai, China. I’m the founder of a digital education platform that teaches coding and design to international students. For years, my business was registered locally in China, but as I expanded globally, I quickly ran into challenges that pushed me to form a U.S. LLC — all from my desk in Shanghai.
Here’s how I did it — and why it changed everything.
The Challenge of Doing Global Business from China
As my platform grew, I started attracting users from the U.S., UK, and Canada. But I ran into problems:
- Stripe and PayPal were not available for Chinese business entities.
- U.S. customers wanted invoices from a U.S. company for tax and legal reasons.
- Some U.S. ad platforms and partners required a W-9 form.
- My domain registrar, ad tools, and cloud services often asked for U.S. payment methods.
I realized: If I want to run a global online business, I need a legal presence in the U.S.
Why I Chose to Form a U.S. LLC (Instead of Opening a U.S. Branch)
I considered several options:
- Opening a branch of my Chinese company in the U.S. — too complicated and expensive.
- Registering a new Chinese company focused on exports — not suitable for digital services.
Forming a U.S. Limited Liability Company (LLC) was:
- Legal for non-residents (no need to live in the U.S.).
- Simple, fast, and inexpensive to set up.
- Ideal for freelancers, solo entrepreneurs, and SaaS founders.
- Perfect for using U.S. banks and payment processors.
Choosing the Right State: Delaware vs. Wyoming
After reading many comparisons, I selected Wyoming because:
- It has no state income tax.
- Offers privacy — ownership isn’t shown publicly.
- Annual fee is only $60.
- It’s very friendly to foreign founders.
- I found several reliable agents who speak fluent English and serve Chinese clients.
Step-by-Step: How I Formed My U.S. LLC from China
- Registered Agent: I hired a Wyoming agent for $99/year. They provided a business address and mail forwarding.
- LLC Formation: I filled out an online form and received my Articles of Organization in less than 24 hours.
- EIN Application: The agent helped me apply for an EIN from the IRS. It arrived in 7 business days.
- Operating Agreement: I drafted one to define the structure of my LLC (not required, but useful).
Total cost to form the LLC: around $250.
Opening a U.S. Bank Account from China
This was my biggest concern — but I successfully opened an account with Mercury (a U.S. fintech bank for startups).
I submitted:
- LLC formation documents
- EIN confirmation letter
- My Chinese passport and national ID
- Proof of my address in China
- A description of my business
After two days, I was approved!
Mercury gave me:
- A U.S. checking account
- ACH and wire transfers
- A virtual debit card for online purchases
- No monthly fees
I also use Wise Business to receive international payments and convert currencies with low fees.
Connecting My U.S. LLC to Stripe and PayPal
Once I had my U.S. company and bank account:
- I created a Stripe U.S. account and linked it to Mercury.
- I registered for PayPal Business USA and connected it to the same account.
- Now I can accept payments from all over the world without restrictions.
This allowed me to sell online courses, offer SaaS subscriptions, and work with U.S. clients — as if I were based in New York.
The Results: My Business Went Global
Since forming my U.S. LLC:
- My monthly revenue doubled within 4 months.
- My website now displays a U.S. business address — more trust for American users.
- I started running Facebook and Google Ads with a U.S. billing profile.
- I got accepted into more affiliate and ad networks that require U.S. verification.
- I became eligible to open U.S. merchant accounts and business credit services.
And I did it all from my apartment in Shanghai.
Summary: How to Start a U.S. LLC from China
- ✅ Choose a state (Wyoming is best for privacy and low cost)
- ✅ Hire a registered agent that serves international clients
- ✅ File your LLC formation online
- ✅ Apply for an EIN from the IRS
- ✅ Open a U.S. bank account (Mercury or Wise)
- ✅ Connect Stripe, PayPal, and other payment processors
- ✅ Start selling worldwide
Final Thoughts: If You’re in China, You Can Still Go Global
As a Chinese entrepreneur, you don’t have to be limited by borders or regulations. With a U.S. LLC, you gain access to the tools, trust, and infrastructure needed to build a truly international business.
If I could do it from Shanghai, so can you.