Bluevine has launched digital onboarding for international owners of US businesses, powered by Wise Platform.
The move removes the requirement for in-person branch visits that has previously limited international entrepreneurs' access to US business banking.
Under the expansion, owners of US businesses residing in Australia, Canada, select EU countries, Israel, India, New Zealand, and the UK can now access Bluevine's banking products remotely. The digital onboarding process is powered by Wise Platform, which supports the identity and verification steps required to open an account without a physical branch visit. The service is not available to sole proprietorships or non-profit organisations, and is limited to business owners based in the countries listed above.
Historically, international owners of US businesses have faced obstacles when trying to access the US financial system, with in-person identity verification at a branch typically required to open a business account. Bluevine said it has built a technology-driven Customer Identification Program (CIP) with its partners to allow this verification to take place digitally, rather than in person.
Account features and fees
Through the expansion, eligible business owners can open a Bluevine checking account offering annual percentage yield (APY) of up to 3.00% for Premier and Plus plan holders, while Standard plan customers earn interest if they meet a separate eligibility requirement. In addition, account holders can send domestic payments via standard ACH transfers free of charge, and can manage multiple businesses through a single Bluevine account.
Standard plan accounts carry no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and include unlimited transactions and invoicing. Premier and Plus plans, which carry monthly fees of USD 95 and USD 30 respectively, provide access to the higher APY tier. Deposits are covered by FDIC insurance of up to USD 3 million through Coastal Community Bank, a member of the FDIC. Bluevine accounts can also be integrated with other business software tools, which the company said reduces the need to transfer money and data manually between separate systems.
Context for cross-border business banking
The expansion addresses a segment of the market where founders and business owners operate internationally but require US-based financial infrastructure to run US operations. Through the process of combining a US banking licence partnership with Wise Platform's cross-border payment and verification infrastructure, Bluevine is positioning its offering for entrepreneurs managing US business finances from abroad.
Eyal Lifshitz, Bluevine CEO and Co-Founder, said that the expansion reflects Bluevine's broader focus on supporting small business owners, including those managing international operations, and described it as consistent with the company's original mission to simplify business banking.
