Guide to opening a business bank account in the Netherlands
- International business
If you want to start a business in the Netherlands, opening a business bank account is part of the process.
As a foreigner, there are several ways of obtaining a Dutch bank account:
- “Quick Scan Dutch Business Bank Account”
- Regular process of obtaining a business bank account
The following sections give you a bird’s eye perspective for opening a business bank account in the Netherlands.
Quick Scan Dutch Business Bank Account
Are you already in the process of opening your business inside the Netherlands? You might be delighted to hear that there are options available that allow you to speed the process of opening a Dutch bank account in the Netherlands.
The “Quick Scan Dutch Business Bank Account” is a streamlined process to quickly assess whether a business is eligible to open a bank account. If one of the following points apply to you, you might be eligible for the Quick Scan Dutch Business Bank Account.
- Has the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) been actively involved in your location decision for the Netherlands since the beginning?
- Are you as a startup working together with a facilitator, which is formally recognised by the RVO, the Dutch enterprise agency?
The Quick Scan is designed for entrepreneurs who are in the midst of the registration process with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) and are in the process of acquiring a residence permit.
The Quick Scan is available at the Dutch banks Rabobank, ABN AMRO and ING.
How it works1:
- Download the Quick Scan “Dutch Business Bank Account” document
- Answer all the questions and attach the requested documents
- Mail the completed Quick Scan and the related documents to the bank of your choice
Benefits of opening a business bank account in the Netherlands
A business bank account in the Netherlands is not only required for business owners, but also comes with a lot of benefits. Besides being able to serve all local business partners within the Netherlands in their home currency, you will notice how much cheaper and faster it becomes to conduct international transactions within the European Union through the SEPA network.
SEPA stands for “Single Euro Payments Area” and allows bank account holders from the entire EU to conduct international business payments at local conditions. If you previously used the SWIFT network when paying your European suppliers or receiving money from Europe, a bank account in the Netherlands is a true game changer that helps you facilitate and cheapen your foreign transactions, as well the transactions of your business partners.
Moreover, a business bank account in the Netherlands may come with additional benefits such as interest payments on your balances, physical and virtual debit or credit cards, accounting system integrations and tools to mitigate foreign exchange risks.
Can non-resident foreigners open a business bank account in the Netherlands?
If you intend to commence business activities in the Netherlands and establish a presence here, you will need a business (IBAN) account. However, if you already hold a business bank account within the SEPA Zone, there is no need to establish a new one.
In case you are not eligible for receiving a Quick Scan, because you are not receiving assistance from NFIA or from another facilitator, you can directly turn to a bank of your choice and check if you are eligible to apply for a business account.
Be prepared that this process may take some time, as strict legislation and individual acceptance policy require the banks to look very carefully at each application before they can make a final decision. For this process, it is crucial that you have already obtained your citizen service number (BSN)2.
As an expat in the Netherlands, you have two options for opening an account: you can do so either in person at a branch or online through the bank’s website. It’s advisable to choose a Dutch bank that offers services in English.
Which Dutch banks offer bank accounts for foreigners?
While you can open a bank account at virtually all banks once the company setup is finished, the Quick Scan is only available at Rabobank, ABN AMRO as well as ING.
Rabobank
Rabobank is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services company and one of the largest and most prominent banks in the Netherlands. It operates as a cooperative bank, which means it is owned by its customers, who are also its members.
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO provides a wide range of banking and financial services to individuals, businesses, and institutions. These services include retail and corporate banking, asset management and various types of insurance. The bank has a significant presence in the Netherlands and also operates internationally, with offices and branches in various countries around the world.
ING
ING is one of the largest and most prominent banks in the Netherlands. It is known for its emphasis on innovation and digital banking solutions. The bank has been at the forefront of utilising technology to improve customer experience and streamline banking processes.
Alternatives of a business bank account in the Netherlands
As a Dutch business owner, you will sooner or later need a Dutch business bank account to conduct business in the Netherlands. However, you can already prepare yourself to keep your banking costs at a minimum by using viable alternatives.
Create a foreign currency account at your local bank
One way to keep your foreign exchange costs in check is to open a foreign currency account at your local bank. A foreign currency account allows you to hold and receive foreign currencies from your countries of choice. Additionally, your provider may allow you to hedge against FX rate risk and to reduce exposure to currency risk.
However, even if you open a foreign currency account, you are still bound to the expensive SWIFT network when making foreign transactions. If you frequently engage in international trade, a foreign currency account might help you with reducing exchange rate fees, however, international transaction fees still apply, which take the lion’s share of the costs. Further, a foreign currency account leads to increased handling fees and paperwork, which might outweigh the advantages.
Note: In some cases, Dutch banks charge 3 times more FX fees than amnis.
Create a EUR account with amnis
When opening a EUR account with amnis, you can profit from all the advantages a foreign currency bank account offers and cut out all of its disadvantages. amnis has the ability to open business accounts in your name to send and receive money like a local.
This means, you can profit from local payment networks such as ACH, Faster Payments, SIC or SEPA whenever you:
- Receive or send money to the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany or any other EU country
- Send or receive money from the US
- Send or receive money from Great Britain
You are also free to use SWIFT if no local payment methods are available for your foreign transaction.
Clever automations further facilitate your cash management process, so that you can automatically convert the incoming currency to your home currency and send it to your house bank account. You can even automatically exchange your home currency to Euros at a certain amount of time, so that you never run out of Euros and simultaneously mitigate currency fluctuation risks.
On top of that, amnis uses transparent transaction fees as low as 0.20%, depending on your subscription plan. Creating an amnis account for your business takes less than 48 hours, no paperwork involved.
The best: The amnis EUR account comes with a free physical multi-currency debit card plus unlimited virtual debit cards, so that you can start scaling your business from day 1.
Improve your international payments today
No matter, whether you are already located in the Netherlands or still abroad, fine-tuning your business plan, amnis is the first step to streamline your financial operations and cut down business expenses. Open a free demo account today and find out how much money you can save when paying like a local in the European Union and beyond.
Sources:
1 NVB. Opening a Dutch business bank account. https://www.nvb.nl/themas/ondernemen/opening-a-business-account-in-the-netherlands/
2 Business.gov.nl. Citizen service number (BSN) in the Netherlands. https://business.gov.nl/regulation/citizen-service-number/