Getting clients on Upwork isn’t so easy these days. The endless Connect purchases and client proposals. The interviews and the anxious wait for responses. And finally, you’re hired. While the process of landing a client on Upwork can be long and tedious for many, what shouldn’t be is getting your payments after the work is done. 

That’s where Acctual comes in! To make invoicing and online payments simple for businesses and freelancers, Acctual offers flexible fiat crypto payment options that lets you get paid on the same day. With this platform, you can receive fiat payments like USD and EUR or crypto payments via stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) directly from Upwork. You also get to retain your money’s value this way because stablecoin transactions and fees are cheaper than using fiat USD/NGN. 

Despite being relatively new, the invoicing and digital payment platform is present in over 129 countries and simplifies online payments for individuals and businesses. 

Now, let’s see how Acctual actually works and what makes it perfect for instant crypto payments via Upwork. 

What is Acctual?

Acctual is an online payment and invoicing platform that offers flexible payment options to individuals and businesses receiving payments in foreign currencies. Established in 2023, the company stepped out to make crypto companies streamline their bills, manage their payments and easily access the international markets without the hassles of traditional payments. 

With more companies introducing crypto payments and blockchain technology into their business models, Acctual allows them to simply run payments through stablecoins and incorporate such cryptocurrencies into their existing financial systems. 

At the moment, not many clients or businesses have accounting tools that process crypto payments. With Acctual, they don’t need one because they can still pay you in fiat dollars while you receive stablecoins. 

In other words, Acctual is not only driving crypto adoption among businesses. It is creating an avenue where anyone, including freelancers, can generate invoices and access smooth stablecoin payments globally — whether they want crypto-to-crypto, fiat-to-crypto, or crypto-to-fiat transactions. 

How does Acctual work?

Whether you’re a business owner or freelancer who wants to receive payments via Acctual, the process is pretty straightforward. Once you create an account, you can generate an invoice directly on the platform and request payments in your preferred currency directly into your crypto wallet or bank account. 

Overall, the end-to-end process makes payment requests and processing seamless, regardless of what method you choose. 

Tip: Acctual lets you process funds on the same day through flexible virtual USD and EUR accounts. Request your Upwork payments using any of the fiat accounts and have the funds instantly converted to stablecoins like Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Dai (DAI) or PayPal USD (PYUSD) and paid into your linked crypto wallet. 

How to receive stablecoins from Upwork using Acctual

Receiving stablecoins from Upwork using Acctual sounds like a long process at first. However, you can get it done in just a few steps. Here’s a breakdown of the process: 

Create an Acctual account 

The first thing to do is create a free account on Acctual. You can also click on the “Generate an Invoice” button at the top-right corner of the page. 

Afterward, you can create an account by entering your email address and password. Alternatively, you can log in directly using your Google account. 

Choose a service 

After creating an account, you’re expected to choose which service you want from Acctual. These include invoice generation, bill payments, funds transfer and the creation of a flexible payment option. Select “Create flexible payment option” since that’s what you need for Upwork. 

Complete KYC 

To generate a flexible payments option via Acctual, you must complete the Know Your Customer (KYC) process. From the Payments page, click "Activate" in the notice bar at the top.

Verification is a standard practice among payment service providers and you’ll need the following to successfully verify your new Acctual account:

• A government-issued ID document (passport, driver’s license, or voter’s registration card). 

• Basic information including your full name, date of birth, address and National Identification Number (if applicable). 

• Proof of address

The verification process takes less than 5 minutes and you should be verified once all the provided information and documents are valid. 

Add a flexible payment option

Now, it’s time to set up your account and get the payment options to send to your client(s). To do so, go to the Payments page. At the top right, click on "Actions" and select “Add flexible payment option” button and add the crypto wallet you want to receive Upwork payments in. 

Once you choose the crypto option, you need to connect your external wallet by entering the wallet address manually or scanning the barcode with your phone. Proceed to choose the stablecoin and network or chain you want to receive Upwork payments in. For instance, USDT (Ethereum), USDC (Arbitrum), etc.

After your crypto wallet has been added, Actual will auto-generate up to 15 virtual flexible accounts to receive payments. You’ll need the virtual USD or EUR bank account information when setting up your Upwork account to receive stablecoins.

Tip: Ensure your bank account information tallies with the personal information provided when signing up on Acctual for the bank account linking to be successful. 

Generate an invoice

Finally, create an invoice to share with your Upwork client using the “Create Invoice” button on the Invoices page. Here, you’ll need to enter the client’s details, the amount to pay and the client’s address. 

Once that’s done, add your saved payment method and complete the invoice generation process.

Share and receive payments

Now, you’re all set to share your invoice with your client. You can do this directly on the Acctual platform immediately or schedule it to be sent later. Once you send an invoice to your client, they’ll receive an email with a link to pay using any of the payment options you created on Acctual. 

If your preferred payment option has been set as a stablecoin like USDT or USDC, the received funds will be automatically converted to the selected asset when your clients pay you. 

Can you connect Acctual to your Upwork account?

While sharing your invoice and the attached payment accounts to your client is more seamless, you can also use any of the flexible fiat virtual accounts linked to your Acctual profile as a direct payment method on Upwork. To do this:

• Log in to your Upwork account 

• Go to “Account Settings” and click “Get Paid” 

• Tap “Add a Method” and click the “Set Up” button to add the direct USD bank account from Acctual.

• Enter the required information, including the account holder name, account type, routing number and account number. Click “Add Bank Account” to complete the process. 

It may take up to 3 working days for the new payment method to be activated by Upwork. However, you’ll receive an email from Acctual once you get paid into the linked account.  

Why choose Acctual to receive your Upwork funds?

Here are some reasons to consider Acctual as your payment processor for your Upwork funds:

• Get more value for your money. Acctual charges a simple 1% fee and stablecoins are not affected by external forces like inflation. That way, you keep more of your money in your pocket when you get paid in USDT instead of USD. 

• Get paid directly into your crypto wallet in 15 ways with flexible crypto payment options across different networks. 

• Global accessibility and reach with SEPA and ACH transfers, making it easy for clients to pay you from their bank accounts, while you receive crypto.

• Automated integrations with existing financial software and tools. 

• Same-day payments from Acctual once the funds are successfully processed. Acctual doesn’t hold your funds like others do. 

• No bank delays 

Final thoughts 

Acctual is a digital payment platform that simplifies payments for freelancers, especially those looking to receive stablecoins from anywhere in the world. With this solution, you don’t need to request crypto from your employer or clients because you can receive funds in your virtual USD or EUR account and convert them to stablecoins directly. 

With a same-day settlement feature, top security and a smooth transaction flow, Acctual is a great choice for every freelancer looking for a smoother way to handle invoicing and payments. 

Create your free account and start getting paid in stablecoins from Upwork today.

FAQs

Who can use Acctual?

Any business owner or freelancer can use Acctual for invoices and payments. The platform is available in 129+ countries, excluding countries under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions. US states like New York, Florida, Alaska and Louisiana are also restricted. 

Can you receive funds on the same day?

Yes, your funds are processed immediately and should arrive in your account in no time. However, if your client pays in USD via ACH, it may take up to 3 business days to process. 

What currencies are supported by Acctual?

Acctual supports both fiat currencies and digital assets. The fiat currencies include USD and EUR, while the cryptocurrencies include stablecoins like USDT, USDC, DAI and PYUSD.