A visitor to Santa Cruz reported sending $300 to themselves via MoneyGram at a first-time special rate of 9.36 BOB/USD with no fee, yielding 2,808 BOB. The transfer was instant using a US debit card. However, subsequent transfers would incur a $1.99 fee and a lower rate of 8.86 BOB/USD. Funds could be picked up at one of 5 partner bank branches with 180 days to cancel.

A user recommended Fassil as the easiest bank for USD account opening in Bolivia, noting that balances under $1,000 avoided per-transaction fees. However, Fassil collapsed and went bankrupt in May 2023 — this record is a historical reference to illustrate the pre-crisis landscape. The bank's failure contributed to the subsequent severe dollar shortage.

A Bolivian freelancer reported using Meru for 2 years to receive USD payments from abroad. The app charges no maintenance fee, no fee for receiving money, and no fee for spending directly from the card. It provides a US account, European IBAN, and Mexican account for receiving transfers. QR payments in Bolivia use the parallel exchange rate. Cashout to bank account costs 1%+$1. Multiple other users corroborated using Meru for remote work payments with no issues.

A user recommended Banexcoin Bolivia for foreigners wanting to pay rent and other expenses via QR. The app accepts registration with a passport and foreign address — no Bolivian ID needed. QR payments are common for rent and everyday purchases in Santa Cruz.

A user reported using Takenos to receive both USD from the US and EUR from Europe with no failures. They noted the service works reliably for moderate amounts and recommended it alongside Meru for receiving foreign income in Bolivia.

A foreigner with Cédula de Identidad de Extranjero (residency) tried to open an account at BCP. The first branch told him he needed an employment reference in Bolivia (he works remotely for a US company). A second, larger BCP branch said he needed 2 personal references and 2 institutional references from Bolivia, with institutional references being any type of business (even a cafe). USD accounts required $100,000 minimum. BOB basic savings was described as quick and straightforward with just the CIE card.

A Dutch resident with formal residency in Bolivia visited BISA's office and was told he could not open a USD account under any deposit. However, a coworker opened a USD account at BISA the same week with $5,000–$10,000 in cash, suggesting branch-level discretion. The applicant was advised to use the mesa de dinero (treasury desk) for international SWIFT transfers into BOB accounts to get a rate better than the official 6.96, and to negotiate each transfer individually.

A foreigner on a work permit reported needing both their ID card and proof of income to open an account at BNB. Local residents recommended BNB and Bisa for basic savings accounts with no maintenance fees. In a separate thread, a traveler reported withdrawing $900 USD from a BNB ATM with no fees (before the severe dollar shortage).

A Bolivian remote worker receiving monthly USD payments from the US reported using Vita Wallet for 1 year with 0% commission. They found it better than alternatives like Airtm, Bitwage, and Meru which charge 1.5–2%. However, another user noted the website returned a 403 Forbidden error on some pages, suggesting reliability concerns.

A traveler reported finding that some Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz ATMs in the Sopocachi neighborhood of La Paz dispense US dollars directly without exchange rate markup. The correct amount appeared on their US bank statement. An $8 ATM fee applied but was reimbursed by their Charles Schwab checking account. Another user corroborated withdrawing $900 USD from a BNB ATM downtown with no fees, though a later withdrawal incurred the $8 fee.