How to receive payments in US dollars in Colombia
Acest articol a fost scris în engleză și tradus cu ajutorul inteligenței artificiale. Unele nuanțe pot diferi față de original.
Getting paid in US dollars can sound complicated, but it really doesn't have to be.
I've worked remotely since the pandemic started in 2020. Since then I've used different platforms, cards and banks to receive payments from the United States. After almost seven years of trying different options, I learned something important: it's not just about how much you get paid, but how much money actually ends up in your account.
And there's one decision that can make a considerable difference: how you receive your salary and when you convert it to Colombian pesos.
How do you receive payments in US dollars in Colombia?
To receive payments in US dollars from Colombia, you can use platforms that accept international transfers, such as Wise, Global66 or Morse, depending on your eligibility and how your employer pays you.
My recommendation is Morse, especially if you work remotely and want to receive your salary in dollars, keep part of your money in USD and withdraw pesos to your Colombian account via Bre-B, with no extra fee for withdrawing to your own account, according to the terms of the service.
Before choosing, compare three things: how much it costs to receive the payment, what exchange rate you're offered and how much money finally reaches your account in Colombia.
Before getting paid directly in pesos, check how much money will actually reach you
When you receive an international payment into a Colombian bank account in pesos, the institution may convert the dollars to COP using its own exchange rate.
That rate won't necessarily match the TRM (Tasa Representativa del Mercado, Colombia's official reference exchange rate).
The TRM, certified by Colombia's Financial Superintendence, is a reference rate. It doesn't mean banks and platforms are required to give you exactly that value. Each provider can set its own conversion terms and fees.
That's why, before choosing how to receive your salary, what matters is comparing how much money really reaches your account after all costs.
Let me show you with numbers.
How much can you lose when receiving USD 1,000 in Colombia?
Let's say you earn USD 1,000 a month and the reference rate for the day is 3,194.44 COP per dollar.
If we multiply USD 1,000 by that rate, we get 3,194,440 COP. That's our reference point before any fees, not necessarily the amount a bank or platform is required to pay you.
Now imagine the provider receiving your money offers you a rate 2% lower:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reference rate | 3,194.44 COP/USD |
| Rate offered (2% lower) | 3,130.55 COP/USD |
| Value of USD 1,000 at that rate | 3,130,550 COP |
| Conversion difference | 63,890 COP |
And that's before considering other possible costs.
For example, if you also pay a USD 5 fee to receive the money, and that fee is deducted before converting it to pesos, the calculation would be:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Payment sent | USD 1,000 |
| Hypothetical fee | USD 5 |
| Amount converted | USD 995 |
| Rate offered | 3,130.55 COP/USD |
| Total received in pesos | 3,114,897 COP |
| Difference from the reference value | 79,543 COP |
In this example, you'd end up receiving about 80,000 pesos less than the value calculated at the reference rate.
And if you get paid every month, that difference adds up.
Important: this is an illustrative scenario, not a quote from a specific bank. The rate of 3,194.44 COP/USD is used as an assumption to explain the calculation and not as the verified official TRM for October 12, 2026. Actual rates and fees depend on the institution, the transfer method and the timing of the transaction.
So is it better to get paid in dollars?
In my experience, it's worth considering an option that lets you receive and keep your payment in dollars, instead of having it converted automatically to Colombian pesos.
Why?
Because that way you can decide how much money you need to convert to COP and when to do it.
For example, if you receive USD 2,000 but your monthly expenses come to USD 1,200, you may not need to convert your entire salary right away. You could convert what you need for your expenses and keep the rest in dollars, as long as the service you use allows it.
This doesn't mean holding dollars guarantees your money will keep its value. The exchange rate can go up or down, and some platforms charge to receive, hold, convert or withdraw funds.
But it does give you an option you don't have when your entire payment is converted to pesos automatically: deciding when and how much to convert.
Where can you receive payments in US dollars from Colombia?
There are different services that let you receive international payments. Some provide US account details, others make international transfers easier and others let you hold dollar-denominated balances.
Three options worth comparing are Wise, Global66 and Morse.
Exchange rate comparison: USD 1,000
Let's take a USD 1,000 payment as an example and compare each platform's conversion rate.
| Platform | USD/COP rate | Gross value of USD 1,000 in COP |
|---|---|---|
| Wise | 3,195.00 | 3,195,000 |
| Global66 | 3,187.42 | 3,187,420 |
| Morse | 3,195.00 | 3,195,000 |
Quotes provided for October 12, 2026. Values don't include possible receiving, conversion or withdrawal fees. Rates can change throughout the day and should be checked before making a transaction.
In this example, Wise and Morse offer the same rate, while Global66 offers a slightly lower one.
The difference between Global66 and Morse is 7,580 COP for every USD 1,000 converted, before fees.
But the exchange rate isn't the only thing you should compare.
Receiving dollars isn't enough: how you can use your money in Colombia matters too
For a long time I focused on finding the platform that offered me the best exchange rate and the lowest fee.
But over the years I realized there was another question that was just as important:
How easy is it to move that money to my Colombian account when I need it, and how much will it cost me?
Because receiving your salary in dollars is one thing, and being able to use it is another.
You can find a platform with a good exchange rate, keep your money in USD and avoid converting it to pesos right away. But when it's time to pay rent, make a transfer or cover your expenses in Colombia, you need a simple, affordable way to get that money into your bank account.
And that's where Bre-B comes in, the instant payment system from Banco de la República.
Bre-B lets you transfer money between participating institutions using keys, without depending on traditional banking hours. Fees depend on each institution.
With Morse, for example, you can receive payments in dollars and withdraw funds in pesos to your own Colombian account linked via a Bre-B key. According to the terms of the service, the conversion is done at the current TRM and withdrawals to your own account have no extra fee.
You can read about how to add and withdraw money via Bre-B on Morse.
This means you don't have to convert your whole salary to pesos as soon as you receive it. You can keep part of it in dollars and withdraw only what you need for your expenses.
For me, that's the difference: it's not just about receiving dollars at a good rate, but about having control over when to convert them, how much to withdraw and how to use your money in Colombia.
Wise vs. Global66 vs. Morse: what does each platform offer?
Besides the exchange rate, there are other features that can make a difference depending on how you receive and use your money.
| Feature | Wise | Global66 | Morse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receive payments in USD | Depending on eligibility | Yes | Yes |
| Hold a USD balance | Depending on eligibility | Yes | Yes |
| Withdraw COP via Bre-B key | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Yield on USD balance | Not confirmed for Colombia | Yes | Yes |
| Investing in US stocks | Not confirmed | Not identified | Yes |
| International card | Depending on eligibility | Yes, depending on availability | Yes |
Indicative comparison for users in Colombia. Features may vary depending on eligibility, country and each product's terms. "Not confirmed" doesn't mean the feature doesn't exist. Investment and yield products have specific terms and risks.
You can review each platform's terms on their official pages:
- Wise: pricing and fees in Colombia
- Global66: how to receive money in USD, EUR and GBP
- Morse: fees and limits for receiving payments
What's interesting about this comparison is that a platform for receiving international payments can offer much more than a place for your salary to land.
If you receive dollars every month, it can be useful to keep part of that money in USD, earn yield, invest or use an international card.
But if you live in Colombia, you also need to be able to move money to your peso account easily.
That's why, before choosing, I'd look at both the international features and the options for moving money locally.
Why do I recommend Morse for receiving payments in US dollars in Colombia?
After trying different options, for me Morse brings together several of the things I consider most important when receiving a salary from the United States:
- Receive payments in dollars without having to convert them to pesos right away.
- Keep part of your money in USD and decide when to convert it.
- Convert to pesos at the current TRM, according to the terms of the service.
- Withdraw directly to a Colombian account via a Bre-B key, with no extra fee for withdrawing to your own account.
- Access other features, such as yield on your USD balance, an international card and investment options.
What I value most is that I don't have to choose between receiving dollars and being able to use my money in Colombia. I can keep part of it in USD and withdraw what I need for my expenses to my peso account.
That's why, if you work remotely, receive your salary in dollars and live in Colombia, Morse is the option I recommend considering first.
Not because everyone needs the same thing, but because it combines something I consider essential: a way to receive dollars and a practical way to convert them and move them to my Colombian account when I need them.
You can find the receiving and withdrawal terms in the Morse help center.
What should you compare before choosing where to receive your salary?
Before deciding where to receive your payments in dollars, I'd check five things.
1. How your employer can pay you
Receiving an ACH transfer from the United States is not the same as a wire transfer or a payment from platforms like Deel or Payoneer.
Before opening an account, check which methods it accepts and whether they're compatible with the way your employer sends money.
2. How much it costs to receive the payment
Some platforms charge a flat fee, others a percentage and others have different fees depending on the receiving method.
Don't assume receiving dollars is free just because a platform advertises an account with no opening cost.
3. What exchange rate you're offered
A low fee can look attractive, but if the conversion rate is considerably lower than the market reference, the total cost can end up being higher.
Always compare how much you'd receive in COP for the same amount in USD.
4. How easy it is to withdraw the money in Colombia
If you receive your salary in dollars, you'll probably need to convert at least part of it to cover your local expenses.
Check whether you can withdraw directly to your bank, whether the platform lets you use a Bre-B key, how much the withdrawal costs and how long it takes to arrive.
5. What you can do with the dollars you don't need to convert
If you don't need to spend your entire salary in pesos, it's also worth checking what options you have for keeping part of your money in dollars.
Some platforms offer yield, international cards or investment options.
Always review the terms, risks and protections that apply to each product. Not all dollar-denominated balances work like a traditional bank deposit.
What's the best platform for receiving dollars in Colombia?
I don't think there's a single answer for everyone.
If your priority is to convert your entire salary to pesos right away, you'll probably want to find the best combination of exchange rate and fees.
If you want to keep part of your income in dollars, you'll need a platform that lets you hold that balance and decide when to convert it.
And if you also want to move money easily to your Colombian account, being able to withdraw via Bre-B can be an important factor.
For someone who works remotely, receives payments from the United States and needs to use part of that money in Colombia, my recommendation is Morse.
I find it an especially practical option because of its combination of receiving in USD, converting to pesos and withdrawing via Bre-B, plus its features for managing your dollar balance.
That doesn't remove the need to compare costs and terms. But it does explain why, for this use case, I'd choose it over a platform that only handles receiving the payment.
My takeaway after years of getting paid in dollars
After trying different options, I stopped looking only at how much a platform charged to receive my salary.
Now I ask myself a more useful question:
How much money will I have available in the end, and how much control do I have over when to convert it?
For me, receiving dollars directly, being able to decide when to move them to pesos and having a simple way to move them in Colombia is a combination worth looking for.
That's why I recommend Morse for people who, like me, get paid in dollars and need to manage part of that money in Colombia.
Because earning in dollars is one thing. Making the most of what you earn is another.