Why route an invoice through a US company at all?
Many US companies freeze up the moment you mention an international wire. Their accounts-payable folks don’t want to figure out withholding tax, foreign exchange, or what a SWIFT code even is. That can turn a straightforward contract into weeks of back-and-forth, or a polite “we’ll pass.” Using a US-based merchant of record removes that friction because the invoice looks completely domestic.
The trade-off is that you pay a service fee — a percentage of each invoice — and you give up the chance to keep the entire dollar amount in a bank account. If you can build that cost into your rate and you’re comfortable holding USDT, the friction on the client side disappears. If your client already wires you directly without hassle, this might not be for you.
How the flow works in practice
You agree on a scope and rate with your US client, same as always. When it’s time to bill, PANORAMA SYSTEMS issues the invoice from its Florida entity. The invoice shows a US address and a US bank account. The client pays PANORAMA SYSTEMS.
PANORAMA SYSTEMS converts the payment and sends you the settlement in USDT. That’s the only payout method available for freelancers in Ghana right now. No Wise, no SWIFT, no SEPA, no local bank transfer. You’ll need a wallet that supports USDT on one of the listed networks — TRC-20, ERC-20, BEP-20, TON, or Solana — and you’re responsible for choosing a network with fees and speed you can accept.
Fees and what you don’t get
A service fee is deducted before your USDT payout. The percentage isn’t hidden, but it’s not zero. Factor it into your rate so you don’t end up earning less than you need. The process does not make you an employee, and PANORAMA SYSTEMS offers no tax advice. You remain responsible for declaring the income in Ghana and paying whatever taxes apply.
This arrangement also does not shield you from the ups and downs of crypto. USDT is pegged to the dollar but you’ll still face network fees and the typical headaches of managing a wallet. If you’re new to self-custody, this might feel like a whole other skill to learn.
What it actually solves (and what it doesn’t)
The main problem it addresses is client-side reluctance. US businesses that won’t touch an international contractor are often fine with a US-domiciled invoice. It also spares you from chasing late international payments through a banking system that can be slow and opaque.
What it doesn’t solve: your own tax situation, the stability of the Ghanaian cedi against the dollar, or the fact that you’ll need to convert USDT into something you can spend locally. It’s a narrow tool. If all your clients are already comfortable with traditional international transfers, you might not need it.