How to Send Payroll for Free with Maash Business: A Guide for Software Agencies

Running a global agency means building the best team, wherever they are. For many IT, software, and design companies incorporated outside Sri Lanka, that means tapping into Sri Lanka's talented pool of developers, designers, and digital professionals.

But here's where it gets painful: paying your Sri Lankan team shouldn't cost you $25-35 per person, every single month. Yet that's exactly what most agencies face with traditional international wire transfers.

At Maash, we built Maash Business specifically to solve this problem. Here's how you can send USD payroll to your Sri Lankan employees for free – and why this matters more than you think.

The Hidden Cost of Traditional Payroll

Let's do the math. You're a Dubai-based software agency with 20 engineers in Colombo. Using traditional bank transfers:

• Wire fee per transfer: $25-35
• Monthly cost for 10 employees: $500-750
• Annual cost: $6,000-9,000

And that's just the visible fees. You're also losing money on:

• Unfair exchange rates (typically 2-4% worse than market rates)
• Processing delays (2-5 business days)
• Minimum balance requirements or subscription fees tying up working capital
• Administrative overhead tracking multiple transfers

For a 30-person team? You're looking at over $10,000 annually in just wire fees.

How Maash Business Eliminates Payroll Costs

With Maash Business, sending payroll to Sri Lankan employees is completely free when you transfer from your Maash account to their Maash app accounts. Zero fees. Zero delays. And your employees get paid in USD – the currency they actually want.

Here's how it works:

1. Set Up Your Maash Business Account

Your company gets multi-currency virtual bank accounts (USD, EUR, AED) in your business name. No need to establish a local Sri Lankan entity just to pay your team.

Receive client payments directly into your Maash virtual bank accounts from anywhere in the world. Your funds arrive within hours, not days.

2. Your Team Downloads the Maash App

Each employee creates a free Maash personal account. They get their own digital dollar account and can receive USD payments instantly, 24/7, including weekends.

The Maash app is available for both iOS and Android, with a simple verification process that takes minutes.

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Need help getting your team onboarded? We provide a free onboarding session for your business and employees to ensure everyone's set up correctly.

3. Send Payroll in Seconds

When payday comes, you simply send USD from your Maash Business account to each employee's Maash account using their maashtag (our username system).

The transfer is:

• Instant: Employees receive USD immediately
• Free: $0 transaction fee between Maash accounts
• Unlimited: No transfer limits per employee
• Transparent: No hidden exchange rate markups
• Documented: Full audit trail for your records

4. Employees Control Their USD

Here's what makes this powerful: your team gets paid in USD and keeps full control over their money.

Many Sri Lankan professionals prefer USD salary because it protects them from local currency volatility. With the Maash app, they can:

• Hold their entire salary in USD for savings and stability
• Withdraw what they need to local Sri Lankan banks in LKR at the rate you see on Google (with just 1% fee)
• Send money to family or friends instantly
• Shop online with digital payment options

No forced conversions. No unfavorable bank rates. They decide when and how much to convert based on their needs.

Real Numbers: What You Save

Let's compare the real cost of paying a 20-person Sri Lankan engineering team with a $30K/month payroll:

Traditional Banking Route:

• Wire fees: $500-700/month ($6,000-9,000 annually)
• Processing time: 2-5 business days
• Exchange rate markup (when employees convert to LKR): 2-3%
• Annual cost to your business and employees: $15,000-18,000

With Maash Business:

• Transfer fees: $0
• Processing time: Instant
• Exchange rate markup (only for the amount employees convert to LKR): 1% on Google market rate (same rate as Central Bank Buy Rate)
• Annual cost to your business and employees: $2,500-3,600

That's $12,500-15,000 back to your business and employees every year.

Beyond Free Transfers: Why Maash Business Works for Agencies

Free USD payroll is just the beginning. Maash Business gives you complete financial infrastructure for cross-border operations:

Introducing Maash Business: Banking Without Borders

Multi-currency accounts, instant payments to 67 countries, and role-based team controls. Business banking designed for Asia’s cross-border operations.

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Flexible Approval Controls

Set up role-based permissions (Admin, Manager, Operator, Payment Processor) so your finance team can process payroll while you maintain oversight. Configure approval thresholds that match your company's workflow — from single-person approval for small businesses to multi-level approval for larger operations.

Multi-Currency Operations

Receive payments in USD, EUR, or AED from clients worldwide. Hold funds in the currency that makes sense for your business without forced conversions at unfavorable rates.

Full Audit Trail

Every transaction is documented with clear records of who initiated, approved, and executed each payment. Perfect for accounting, compliance, and year-end reviews.

No Subscription Fees or Minimum Balances

Unlike traditional business banking, Maash Business has zero monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements. Your working capital stays working for you, not locked up to satisfy bank requirements.

Competitive Yield on USD Balances

Keep your treasury in USD and earn competitive yield on your balance – launching Q1 2026. Turn your operating account into a revenue generator.

Want to learn more about Maash Business? Check out our introduction here.

How to Get Started with Free USD Payroll

Setting up free payroll through Maash Business takes less than a week:

Step 1: Sign Up for Maash Business
Complete the business verification process. You'll need standard business documents like your incorporation certificate and business bank statement.

Step 2: Receive Your Multi-Currency Accounts
Once verified, you'll get virtual bank account details for USD, EUR, GBP, and AED. Share these with your clients for incoming payments.

Step 3: Onboard Your Team
Have your Sri Lankan employees download the Maash app and complete their individual verification. We'll provide a free onboarding session to walk your entire team through the setup process.

Step 4: Process Your First Payroll
When funds arrive in your Maash Business account, initiate USD transfers to your team. Depending on your approval settings, payments can be processed and delivered within minutes.

Common Questions About USD Payroll Through Maash

Why USD Salary Matters to Your Sri Lankan Team

Here's something many agencies don't realize: offering USD salary isn't just a payment method—it's a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining top talent.

Sri Lankan professionals increasingly prefer USD compensation because:

• Protection from currency volatility: The LKR has depreciated significantly in recent years. USD salary protects their purchasing power.
• Savings stability: They can save for major purchases (property, education, relocation) without watching their savings erode.
• Global mobility: USD savings make it easier to relocate or travel internationally.
• Financial planning: They can plan long-term without currency risk.

When you pay through Maash Business, you're not just saving money on wire fees – you're offering your team genuine financial security.

The Bigger Picture: Building Better Cross-Border Operations

Free USD payroll is powerful, but it's part of a larger transformation in how agencies operate across borders.

Traditional banking was built for a world where businesses operated in single countries. But today's best agencies are global by default: founded in one country, clients in another, team distributed across multiple markets.

Maash Business is banking infrastructure designed for this reality. We aggregate licensed banking partners to give you the speed of fintech with the security of traditional banking.

Whether you're a 5-person agency or a 50-person operation, you deserve financial infrastructure that moves as fast as you do, without punishing you for building a global team.

Start Sending Free USD Payroll Today

Every month you wait is another month of unnecessary fees eating into your margins. Join the agencies already using Maash Business to eliminate payroll costs, pay employees in USD, and build better cross-border operations.

Ready to stop paying wire fees? Sign up for Maash Business and start sending free USD payroll to your Sri Lankan team.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice. Maash is a financial technology platform and is not a bank or investment adviser. Product availability and features may vary by country or region and are subject to eligibility checks, partner terms, and applicable laws and regulations. Any fees, charges, limits, or pricing examples described in this article are for information only and may change over time.