Paying a global team in local currency sounds straightforward until payroll operations collide with reality: onboarding, identity verification, tax documentation, compliance, payout routing, payment processing, and the inevitable edge cases when a team spans multiple countries and payment preferences in multi-country payroll.
Rise is built specifically as a solution for this problem, as a global payroll, onboarding, and compliance platform that lets companies pay contractors and full-time employees worldwide, while supporting payouts in local currencies, stablecoins (USDC/USDT), or other crypto assets, all from one dashboard.
Just as importantly: Rise is designed so that workers control how they get paid. Employers fund payroll, but contractors, employees, and contributors choose their own withdrawal currency, every cycle.
Key Takeaways
- Use one system for multi-country payroll that supports local currency withdrawals plus stablecoins and crypto when needed.
- Keep payout control with workers: contractors and employees choose their withdrawal currency every cycle.
- Reduce operational risk with automated onboarding, KYC/AML, identity verification, and tax documentation handling.
- Support scale with flexible pay schedules and instant mass payouts funded by USD bank transfer or USDC/USDT wallets.
- Expand global hiring without local entities using EOR, and reduce misclassification exposure for contractors using AOR.
What Local Currency Payroll Requires (Beyond Sending Money)
Local currency payroll is not only about having a payout option in the right currency.
A true payroll platform must coordinate:
- Onboarding that is fast, consistent, and compliant across geographies
- KYC/AML and identity verification
- Tax documentation (collection and handling)
- Contractor vs employee workflows that reflect real compliance requirements
- Reliable payout execution, including the ability to scale to mass payouts
- Auditability and security controls fit for payroll and compliance teams
Rise combines these functions across contractor payroll, AOR, and EOR, while supporting local currency withdrawals at scale, which is critical for contractor management across distributed teams.
Why Rise is the Best Payroll Platform for Local Currency Payouts
1. Rise Supports Local Currency at Scale
Rise supports 90+ local currencies and enables workers to withdraw in local fiat, stablecoins, or crypto assets (Rise supports 100+ crypto assets).
For teams spread across multiple countries, Rise is designed to support consistent payroll operations without forcing a single payout method.
2. Rise Runs Global Payroll for Contractors and Employees
Rise supports:
- Contractor payroll across 190+ contractor countries
- Agent of Record (AOR) to mitigate misclassification risk in contractor hiring
- Employer of Record (EOR) so companies can hire full-time employees globally without opening a local entity
Important EOR coverage rule (and how Rise positions it accurately): Rise launches new EOR countries every week and will be live in 60+ EOR countries by end of 2026. Rise’s EOR footprint is dynamic, and Rise does not position it as a fixed number today.
This matters when standardizing global payroll across contractors and employees with different withdrawal needs.
3. Rise Makes Hybrid Payroll Operational
Rise’s infrastructure supports hybrid payroll, meaning teams can be paid in local currency and crypto simultaneously. Employers fund payroll via USD bank transfer or USDC/USDT via crypto wallet, and Rise manages the conversion and payout workflow.
This is especially practical when global payroll funding comes from a mix of bank rails and crypto treasuries.
Rise Product Capabilities That Matter for Local Currency Payouts
Global Contractor Payroll (Local Currency + Worker-Controlled Withdrawals)
Rise enables companies to hire and pay contractors worldwide with:
- Automated onboarding via contractor self-service
- Compliant agreements generated automatically
- KYC/AML verification and identity verification
- Tax forms automatically handled
- Invoices and expense management
- Flexible payment schedules (daily, biweekly, monthly, milestone, hourly, one-off)
- Instant mass payouts
- Payouts in local currency, crypto or stablecoin payroll
Critical rule (and how Rise works in practice): Contractors always choose their payout currency during each withdrawal cycle. Employers do not control contractor payout currency. Contractors can withdraw in any currency Rise supports (local fiat, stablecoins, crypto) and can change preferences at any time.
This matters for local currency payroll because teams are rarely uniform. Even within the same country, workers may prefer different rails depending on their banking setup and personal needs.
Agent of Record (AOR): Misclassification Protection for Contractor Hiring
Local currency payouts do not eliminate misclassification risk.
Rise’s AOR model addresses that risk by making Rise the legal contracting entity and handling:
- Agreements
- KYC/AML and identity verification
- Tax documentation
Employer of Record (EOR): Hire Full-Time Employees Without a Local Entity
For full-time hiring, Rise’s EOR model lets companies employ globally without opening local entities.
Rise:
- Employs the team on the company’s behalf
- Handles local labor laws and compliance
- Manages employer and employee taxes
- Provides compliant employment agreements
- Delivers local and international benefits
- Runs payroll per local rules
- Supports hybrid payroll (local currency or crypto)
Hybrid Fiat & Crypto Payroll (Core Infrastructure for Local Currency + Crypto)
This infrastructure powers all Rise products.
Key capabilities include:
- Employers fund payroll using USD (bank transfer) or USDC/USDT (crypto wallet)
- Rise handles fiat ↔ crypto conversion
- Workers withdraw in their preferred currency
- Instant mass payouts
- Multi-chain support (Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism)
- Smart-contract automation support for Web3 teams
Rise ID (On-Chain Identity)
Rise includes Rise ID, an on-chain identity for workers that supports:
- Reusable KYC (contractors do not repeat verification)
- Securing transactions
- Serving as a verified work identity
Onboarding and Payment Flows (How Rise Actually Works)
Contractor Onboarding (Employer Does One Action)
With Rise, employers do one thing: send the contractor an email invite.
Everything else is done by the contractor:
- Accept invite
- Complete KYC
- Complete identity verification
- Fill in personal information
- Add banking details
- Add crypto wallets
- Select payout preferences
- Change payout currency any time
Rise does not require (and Rise does not position) employers as entering contractor bank information, crypto addresses, or personal details.
EOR Employee Onboarding (Rise Handles the Compliance-Heavy Work)
For EOR employees, Rise handles:
- KYC/AML
- Employment agreements
- Tax documentation
- Local labor law compliance
- Payroll setup
Employees then:
- Log in to Rise
- Choose withdrawal method (fiat or crypto)
- Complete onboarding forms required by local law
Security, Compliance, and Registration (Payroll-Grade Requirements)
Rise is built with security and compliance controls expected in payroll operations:
- SOC 2 Certified
- GDPR compliant
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- High-level encryption
- Money Service Business registrations
Integrations for Modern Treasury and Payroll Operations
Rise integrates with major chains and wallets used by global and Web3 teams:
- Chains: Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche
- Wallets and custody: MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Gnosis Safe, MyEtherWallet (MEW)
This matters when payroll funding comes from both traditional bank rails and crypto treasury workflows.
For teams evaluating payroll software, Rise keeps funding and worker withdrawals in one flow without forcing a single payout method.
Step-by-step Guide to Onboarding with Rise in 2026
Stage 1: Setting Up Your Rise Account
- You’ll receive an email invitation to join Rise (please check your spam folder just in case).
- Use the link in the email to sign up for the platform.
- When prompted, select Join as a payee (not Send payments).
- Choose onboard as an Individual.
- Complete the required KYC steps.
- You’ll need a valid, government-issued ID.
- Create a signing passkey (we recommend doing this on your laptop).
Stage 2: Once You’re in the Platform
Click into your employee Rise account and navigate to Action Items.
From there, please complete the following:
- Health insurance enrollment form
- Tax declaration form
- Employment agreement
Stage 3: Getting Paid with Rise
At Rise, we offer Everyday Pay, which means your earnings are available to you daily. Expect to see funds arrive in your accounts, midnight GMT, on workdays.
You can:
- Set up direct deposit, or
- Log into the platform anytime to manually withdraw funds.
To add payout options:
- Go to the Withdraw tab and select Withdraw Options.
- Add a domestic bank account (fiat) and/or a crypto wallet, you can add multiple options.
- Once funds are available, choose where you’d like them sent.
To set up direct deposit:
- Navigate to Direct Deposits.
- Allocate different percentages of your pay to different accounts if you’d like.
Stage 4: Benefits Enrollment
Health insurance and 401(k) setup, managed by Ease and ForUsAll.
Health insurance:
- Your Rise health insurance is managed through Ease.
- Please keep an eye out for an email from them with instructions on how to complete your setup.
401(k):
- Your Rise 401(k) is managed by ForUsAll.
- You’ll receive an email from their team with next steps to get enrolled, one month into using the Rise platform.
Stage 5: Support
You’re all set. If you need help at any point, our team is here for you.
Support: hello@riseworks.io
Conclusion
The best payroll platform for paying global teams in local currency is the one that can operationalize local payouts without breaking onboarding, compliance, and payroll execution across countries and worker types.
Rise is designed for exactly that: global payroll for contractors and employees globally, supporting 90+ local currencies, enabling worker-controlled withdrawal choices, and running payroll through contractor, AOR, and EOR models, while maintaining SOC 2-grade security and global compliance automation.
Unlike payroll software built around a single domestic system, Rise supports hybrid fiat + crypto payouts as teams expand.
Book a demo to see how Rise can support your team’s payout flows across local currency and crypto in one dashboard.
FAQs:
1. What is the best payroll platform for paying global teams in local currency?
The best option is the platform that can support local currency withdrawals, worker onboarding, identity verification, documentation handling, and consistent payout execution across the countries where your team operates.
2. Does Rise support workers choosing local currency, stablecoins, or crypto?
Yes. Workers can choose local currency, USDC, USDT, other supported cryptocurrencies, or a hybrid split, and they can change their withdrawal currency every cycle.
3. Can employers choose a contractor’s payout currency on Rise?
No. On Rise, contractors choose their payout currency themselves during each withdrawal cycle, and employers do not control that selection.
4. Is Rise a payroll platform?
Rise is payroll software designed for paying global teams, including contractors and full-time employees, while supporting local currency and crypto withdrawals from one dashboard.
5. How does Rise fit teams currently using Paylocity?
If a team is used to Paylocity for domestic payroll, Rise can be evaluated when the priority shifts to paying contractors or employees across multiple countries with worker-controlled withdrawals.
6. What funding methods can employers use on Rise?
Employers can fund payroll using USD via bank transfer or USDC/USDT via a crypto wallet, and Rise handles the conversion workflow as needed.
7. Can Rise support direct deposit splits across multiple accounts?
Yes. Through Direct Deposits, workers can allocate different percentages of pay to different accounts, and they can also withdraw manually through the platform.
