PAYMENT RISK · October 21, 2026
Supplier Requests a Currency Change: Reconcile the Payment Instruction
A request to pay in another currency requires an agreed invoice and payment instruction. Reconcile the amount, conversion basis, charges and recipient before arranging the transfer.
Preserve the original basis
Collect the accepted quotation, order, invoice and payments already made. Ask whether the supplier proposes replacing the invoice or issuing a separate adjustment. Record the original currency and amount so that two versions cannot both be treated as outstanding.
Request the proposed new amount, conversion basis, quotation time, validity and treatment of transfer charges. The parties should agree any change to their commercial terms; a market headline does not automatically amend an invoice.
Check the recipient independently
Confirm that the beneficiary is the authorised recipient for the transaction through an established contact channel. A new currency may arrive with different account details, but the explanation alone does not verify the account. Escalate inconsistencies before payment.
Ask the payment provider for the transaction-specific conversion and charge information. Keep its quote separate from the supplier’s conversion proposal. This workflow is for reconciliation, not a recommendation about currencies or payment timing.
Illustrative arithmetic only
Suppose an unpaid USD 10,000 invoice is proposed to become CNY 70,000 using an agreed illustrative rate of 7.00 CNY per USD. The arithmetic is 10,000 × 7.00 = 70,000. This is not a current exchange rate or a suggested deal.
If a deposit was already paid, reconcile that deposit first rather than converting the original total again. Document which invoice is superseded, the remaining balance and how any separate bank charges are handled.
Leave one clear payable record
Obtain the approved revised document and archive the superseded version with an explicit cross-reference. After payment, record the currency, amount, transfer reference and supplier acknowledgement. If the supplier’s credited amount differs, investigate the difference before sending a second payment.
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chinese supplier changed bank account before payment →