In April 2025, developer André Elias opened a US LLC for SaaS to run paid traffic in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His stack: Stripe Atlas for incorporation, iPostal1 for an American address, and a paid US phone-number app. Here is the full process and its caveats.
How to OpenAI US LLC for SaaS From Brazil
You OpenAI US LLC for SaaS by incorporating through a service like Stripe Atlas, registering a US address and phone number, and paying the state's formation and annual fees. Brazilian developer André Elias described doing exactly this in a video published in April 2025, and the process he followed still reflects how these services work.
An LLC, or limited liability company, is the standard US entity for solo software founders. It separates personal liability from the business, lets you OpenAI US bank account, and gives foreign marketplaces and ad platforms a US-registered counterparty. This article reconstructs Elias's setup step by step, adds the fee and state details he left out, and flags the tax questions only an accountant can answer.
Why a US Company Helps Sell SaaS Abroad
The main reason Elias gave for incorporating in the United States was paid traffic. Ad platforms let some advertisers geo-target audiences in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, but TikTok does not offer that targeting for accounts registered with a Brazilian CNPJ. With a US entity, he could run campaigns in the three markets he considers the best for SaaS.
The secondary benefits are practical rather than glamorous. A US company means no Brazilian nota fiscal (invoice) bureaucracy for international sales, a US bank account where revenue can stay in dollars, and more credibility with foreign customers and potential investors. Elias also noted that a US LLC makes an investment round possible if he ever wants one, though he presented that as a future option, not a completed step.
He was explicit about timing: this is a step for founders who already sell and want to expand internationally, not a prerequisite for starting out.
Step-by-Step Setup With Stripe Atlas
Stripe Atlas is the incorporation product from Stripe, the payment processing platform for internet businesses. It files the paperwork, registers the company in Delaware by default, and wires the resulting entity into Stripe's payment and banking ecosystem.
The process Elias followed breaks down into these ordered steps:
- Create an account on Stripe Atlas and choose to form an LLC, accepting the default state of Delaware.
- Pay the one-time formation fee. Elias described it as a high fee, and Stripe Atlas has historically charged around US$500, though pricing can change, so check the current fee on the Atlas page before filing.
- Register a US street address (see the next section) and use it as the company's business address.
- Get a US phone number that receives SMS and calls in an app.
- After formation, use the LLC's EIN, the US tax identification number, to OpenAI US business bank account and start invoicing customers in dollars.
One benefit Elias highlighted: Atlas promotions have included a year of zero Stripe transaction fees up to a stated volume, which he reasoned pays back the formation fee quickly for anyone doing real revenue. Treat that as a time-limited offer and verify the current terms on the official page.
US Address and Phone Number Requirements
Forming the LLC requires a US business address and, in practice, a US phone number for verification messages. Elias used iPostal1, a commercial mail receiving service that sells real US street addresses with mail scanning and forwarding. A street address is preferable to a bare PO box because formation forms and banks typically expect a physical street address.
For the phone number, he subscribed to a paid app-based US number service: he pays a monthly fee, receives SMS codes and calls directly in the app, and uses it for verifications. The transcript does not confirm the exact provider's name, so if you need this step, evaluate current options for virtual US numbers rather than trusting one app by reputation.
Both items serve a credibility purpose too. A US address and phone number signal to customers and platforms that the company exists in the market it sells to.
Delaware vs New Mexico: Choosing the State
The state you pick determines your annual costs and filing obligations, and the differences are material. Elias incorporated in Delaware because it is Stripe Atlas's default, and he is still learning the state rules himself.
| State | Annual cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Franchise tax due each year (Elias did not state the amount on camera; check the Delaware Division of Corporations for current LLC fees) | Default choice in Stripe Atlas; well-established legal precedent |
| New Mexico | No state income tax; no annual report requirement commonly cited | Elias believed there is effectively no state tax, but verify with a professional |
| Other states | Varies by state law | Atlas mainly supports Delaware; other states usually require a separate filing service |
His advice matches standard guidance: research the state before choosing, because each state has its own legislation. If you go through Stripe Atlas, Delaware is essentially the built-in path, and deviating from it means working with a different formation provider.
Banking, Taxes and Compliance Caveats
A US LLC gives you the ability to OpenAI US business bank account, which Elias treats as the biggest operational win: revenue from sales lands in a dollar account and does not need to be transferred to Brazil immediately. The account itself comes after formation and depends on the bank's onboarding for foreign owners.
On taxation, Elias was deliberately cautious. He is not an accountant and said so. His understanding is that Brazil will tax the profit he distributes to himself, and that US taxation depends heavily on the chosen state, but he deferred the whole subject to a specialist. That is the correct posture: an LLC owned by a non-resident alien usually has specific federal filing duties in the United States, and getting this wrong is expensive. Budget for an accountant who handles both Brazilian and US obligations before your first sale.
One caution on scope: forming an LLC and keeping money in a US account is not itself a compliance or privacy guarantee. What it gives you is a legal entity and a dollar account; the tax and regulatory work still belongs to you and your advisors.
Is an American Company Worth It for You?
Elias's own criterion is useful: a US entity makes sense for a founder with existing products who wants to pivot toward international sales. His stated goal is to move roughly 90% of his focus to markets outside Brazil, selling in dollars, and the LLC is the infrastructure for that pivot.
If you are pre-revenue, the formation fee plus address and phone subscriptions may be premature. If you already earn in reais and want US ad targeting, dollar pricing, and a US bank account, the same path applies to you. Alternatives to Stripe Atlas exist and can file in other states, which Elias considered before choosing Stripe for its track record; he believed the alternative would also work fine.
FAQ
- How much does it cost to OpenAI US LLC for SaaS? The main cost is the formation fee. Elias described Stripe Atlas's fee as high, historically around US$500, and there are ongoing state obligations such as Delaware's annual franchise tax. Address and phone-number services add small recurring monthly costs.
- Can a Brazilian run paid ads in the US with a CNPJ? Elias reported that TikTok does not allow targeting US audiences from a CNPJ-registered account, which was his core motivation for incorporating in the United States. Some other platforms do allow geo-targeting, so check your specific ad platform.
- Which state should I choose for the LLC? Delaware is the Stripe Atlas default and the simplest path if you use that service. New Mexico is often cited for lower annual obligations, but state rules change and Elias himself recommended researching the state and confirming with an accountant.
- Do I need a US address and phone number? Yes, in practice. Elias used iPostal1 for a street address and a paid app-based US number for SMS and call verification. Both are needed for formation forms and ongoing account verifications.
- How are the profits taxed? That depends on the US state and on Brazilian rules for income you bring home, and Elias explicitly deferred to accountants. Plan for taxation on profit received in Brazil and confirm US federal and state duties with a cross-border specialist.
From a Video Explainer to a Written Guide
Everything useful in this guide started as a five-minute YouTube video by André Elias, the kind of first-hand walkthrough that creators like Gustavo Dev Doido publish regularly through his Bootcamp do Dev Doido and the Crazystack Typescript template at crazystack.com.br. That knowledge tends to stay locked inside a video timeline, searchable by nobody.
If you have setup processes, lessons, or opinions sitting in your own videos, Skala Blog turns them into written articles: paste the YouTube URL, the video gets transcribed, and you get a structured article draft ready to review and publish. The steps you explain once on camera become a page that search engines and readers can actually find.
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