Selling online from Sri Lanka: Shopify, Stripe and a US LLC
A Shopify store registered to a Sri Lankan business can’t use Shopify Payments or Stripe, so it can’t take card payments from customers abroad the usual way. A US LLC with an EIN and a Mercury account can register the store as a US business and apply for Shopify Payments or Stripe. Local gateways still work for customers in Sri Lanka.
Written by Kaveesha Mallawaarachchi, founder of Entryly. Facts checked .
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The problem with selling abroad from Sri Lanka
Shopify Payments is only available to stores whose business and bank account are in a supported country, and Sri Lanka isn’t one. Stripe doesn’t support Sri Lankan businesses either. Local gateways work well for customers paying in rupees, but customers in the US, UK or Australia expect to pay by card in their own currency, with the checkout they know.
One of our clients put it simply in her Google review: we registered the business for her online clothing brand and helped her connect Stripe to her Shopify store.
What a US LLC changes
Your US company can run the store as a US business:
- Shopify Payments or Stripe at checkout, taking cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay from customers abroad.
- Payouts to Mercury in US dollars.
- Prices in dollars, with Shopify handling currency display for customers in other countries.
You still run everything from Sri Lanka. Stock, suppliers and fulfilment don’t have to be in the US.
Before you apply
Payment processors check online stores carefully. Get these right first:
- A finished store. Real products, prices, shipping information and delivery times. No “coming soon” pages.
- Store policies. A refund policy, terms of service, a privacy policy and a contact page, all public.
- Matching details. The business name and address on your store, your LLC documents, Mercury and Stripe should match.
- An allowed product. Check Stripe’s restricted businesses list. Some categories, such as certain supplements or replicas, are restricted or prohibited.
What a sale costs
Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ for a US card, plus 1.5% for cards from outside the US and 1% if currency conversion is needed. Shopify Payments has its own rates, set by your Shopify plan. Then Wise charges about 0.46% plus $1.36 to send dollars home as rupees.
| Stop | What happens | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Your client | Pays your invoice by US card | $250.00 |
| Stripe | Card fee, 2.9% + 30¢ | −$7.55 |
| Mercury | Receives the payout, sends it to Wise by ACH for free | $242.45 |
| Wise | Converts to rupees and sends (0.46% + $1.36) | −$2.48 |
| Your Sri Lankan bank | At 1 USD = 332.55 LKR | LKR 79,802 |
Fees checked 2026-11-04. International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1% at Stripe. Sri Lankan income tax isn’t included.
Tax
Profit from selling to customers abroad is income in Sri Lanka. Talk to an accountant about how to report store income through a US LLC, and keep your Shopify, Stripe, Mercury and Wise records.
Want us to set this up for you?
We file your US LLC, get your EIN and help you apply for Mercury and Stripe. From $160, paid in rupees with Dialog Genie or a bank transfer. Your price is locked when you pay.
Sources
- Stripe: supported countries
- Shopify Help Center: Shopify Payments requirements
- Stripe: restricted businesses
Published . This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.