Getting paid in Lebanon: how B2B sellers price, invoice and collect in fresh dollars

In Lebanon, B2B prices are usually quoted in US dollars, and getting paid means getting fresh dollars: banknotes, or money from an account funded since the 2019 crisis, sent by transfer, cheque, Whish Money or OMT. Put the currency, the payment methods and the due date on every quote, take a deposit before you deliver, and chase late payment with short, friendly WhatsApp messages that name the amount and the date.

Here is how it works in practice, checked against official and provider pages in November 2026, with a payment clause and reminder messages you can copy.

Why "fresh" belongs on every quote

A dollar in Lebanon is not always a dollar. The US Commercial Service's country guide for Lebanon, last published in February 2026, says that after the 2019 crisis banks imposed withdrawal restrictions on US-dollar accounts from before October 2019, and that money deposited before then cannot be transferred abroad. It adds that the economy has largely dollarised, that cash remains the primary payment method, and that "fresh dollar" cards linked to accounts have worked again since 2022.

Lebanese business shorthand calls those restricted deposits "lollars" or "bank dollars". Fresh dollars are banknotes, or money in accounts funded since the crisis, which the restrictions do not cover.

For a seller, the difference is the whole invoice. A quote that says "USD 4,000" without the word "fresh" leaves room for a cheque or transfer drawn on a restricted account, which you cannot withdraw or move freely. Write "fresh USD" beside every price and list the ways you accept payment, so the question never comes up at the end.

Which currency should you quote in?

Quote in US dollars unless the client has a reason to need Lebanese pounds. The same guide notes that businesses in Lebanon commonly accept payment in dollars, and a dollar price stays fixed between the quote and the payment.

If a client needs an invoice in pounds, write the rate and its date on it. The guide gives the official rate set by Banque du Liban as 89,500 pounds to the dollar as of March 2024, roughly where it stayed through 2024. The central bank posts its rate daily on its website, so check it on the day you invoice rather than reusing an old figure, and ask your accountant how VAT and any amounts in pounds should appear.

Every quote should say:

• the price, marked "fresh USD"
• the methods you accept: cash, a transfer or cheque from a fresh account, Whish, OMT
• the deposit and the balance, each with a date
• who pays any transfer fee
• how long the quote is valid

How do B2B clients in Lebanon pay today?

Here are the usual options, and the one check each needs:

Method	Works well for	Check before you accept
US dollar banknotes	Deposits and smaller invoices	Count it together and sign a receipt
Transfer or cheque from a fresh account	Larger invoices and regular clients	That it comes from a fresh account
Whish Money	Clients who already use the app	That the amount reached your account
OMT transfer	Clients who prefer to pay at a branch	The reference number, and the cap per transfer

Whish Money. Whish's corporate solutions page, checked in November 2026, offers companies a collection service: the client pays from the Whish app, and the amount is deducted from their balance and credited to your account. The same page lists checkout and payroll services and states that Whish is licensed by Banque du Liban.

OMT. With OMT's local money transfer, a client pays Lebanese pounds or US dollars at an OMT location, and you collect the same currency in cash at any OMT location within minutes. The sender passes you a 12-digit reference number, both of you show a valid ID or passport, and neither of you needs a bank account. As of November 2026, one transfer is capped at USD 5,000, so a larger invoice needs a bank transfer or several payments.

Cash. Cash still settles a great many invoices. Count it together, sign a receipt that carries the invoice number, and record the payment the same day. For large amounts, a transfer from a fresh account is safer than carrying banknotes between meetings.

Whichever method you accept, check the provider's current fees and agree in writing who pays them, so a USD 2,000 invoice does not arrive as slightly less. If you are new to the market, our page on selling in Lebanon explains why so much of it runs on relationships and WhatsApp.

Payment terms and deposits that hold up

Clear terms protect the relationship as well as the cash: a client who agreed in writing to pay half with the order is not offended when you ask for it.

• Take a deposit before you order stock, start work or book production time. Say a supplier asks for 50% with the order and 50% on delivery: the deposit covers its costs, and the balance gives the client a reason to check the delivery promptly.
• Give credit only after a track record. Offer 30-day terms to clients who have already paid you on time, and cap how much any one client can owe at once.
• Write due dates as dates, such as "Thursday 3 December", not "next week".
• Bill monthly services in advance, at the start of each month.

A payment clause you can paste into quotes and invoices:

Prices are in US dollars (fresh USD). Payment: [50%] with the order and the balance on delivery, in cash, by transfer from a fresh USD account, by Whish or by OMT. Transfer fees are paid by [the client]. The balance is due by [Thursday 3 December 2026]. This quote is valid for [14] days.

How do you chase late payment politely on WhatsApp?

Treat a late payment as a cash-flow problem until you know otherwise. In a market where people know each other, how you chase matters as much as whether you are paid.

Use WhatsApp only with clients who have agreed to it. On the WhatsApp Business Platform, a reminder sent more than 24 hours after the client last wrote must be an approved template; our guide to WhatsApp follow-up messages covers Meta's rules. A rhythm that stays polite:

1. Three days before the due date: a friendly heads-up.
2. On the due date: a short reminder with the amount.
3. Three working days late: ask when to expect payment.
4. Ten days late: call, then confirm in writing what you agreed.

Before the due date:

Hi [name], a quick heads-up that invoice [number] for USD [amount], fresh, is due on [Thursday]. Let me know if you need anything from our side.

On the day:

Hi [name], invoice [number] for USD [amount] is due today. Transfer, Whish or OMT, whichever is easiest for you. Thank you!

When it is late:

Hi [name], just checking on invoice [number] for USD [amount], due on [date]. Could you let me know when we can expect it?

After the call:

Thanks for your time today, [name]. As agreed: USD [amount] by [Friday] and the balance by [date]. I've noted it on our side.

The same heads-up in Lebanese Arabic, for clients who write in Arabic:

مرحبا [الاسم]، بس حبّيت ذكّرك إنو الفاتورة رقم [الرقم] بقيمة [المبلغ] دولار فريش مستحقة [نهار الخميس]. إذا بدّك شي من عنّا، خبّرني.

Three habits keep it friendly. Keep each message to one invoice and one question. Keep it private: never chase in a group chat. And match the client's language: many Lebanese clients mix Arabic, French and English, and a voice note is a fine reply as long as amounts and dates are also in writing.

Keep every promise to pay where the team can see it

A promise to pay "on Thursday", made in a chat on one salesperson's phone, is invisible to everyone else. Log it on the client's deal with a date to check, so whoever follows up next knows what was agreed, and go through open balances every week.

In LeadsMind, the WhatsApp inbox runs on your workspace's own WhatsApp Business number, replies land in the deal's thread, and a task can hold the date the client promised, so a payment promise does not leave with the person who heard it.

FAQ

What is the difference between fresh dollars and lollars?

Fresh dollars are banknotes, or money in accounts funded since the 2019 crisis. Lollars, or bank dollars, are US-dollar deposits from before October 2019, which banks restrict: they cannot be withdrawn or transferred abroad freely. Write "fresh USD" on quotes and invoices so nobody has to ask.

Can a business collect payments through Whish or OMT?

Yes. Whish offers companies a collection service in which clients pay from the Whish app, and OMT lets a client send dollars or pounds from any OMT location for you to collect in cash, up to USD 5,000 per transfer as of November 2026. Check the current fees and agree who pays them.

Should I invoice in dollars or Lebanese pounds?

Dollars, in most B2B sales, because the price stays fixed between the quote and the payment. If a client needs pounds, use Banque du Liban's rate on the day of the invoice, write the rate and its date on it, and ask your accountant how VAT should appear.

How do I chase a late payment without damaging the relationship?

Send a heads-up before the due date, a short reminder on the day and a polite question a few days later, then call. Keep messages short and private, and confirm in writing whatever you agree on the phone.

To find more companies in Lebanon worth quoting, type your website at leadsmind.ai/start and see the companies LeadsMind would suggest.