1. What are the legal channels for profit payment in import and export agency business?

According to the latest foreign exchange regulations in 2025, profit payments between agency companies and clients must be conducted through the following four compliant channels:

• Foreign exchange settlement under trade items: By means ofCustoms declarationSettlement of the difference in the amount of import and export contracts
• Service expensesTransboundary Payments: Convert profits into agency service fees for declaration and payment.
• Investment Dividend Method: Applicable to domestic and foreign enterprises with equity affiliations
• Cross-border currency settlement：Within the free trade zone, priority can be given to piloting inter-enterprise adoption.

2. What are the new changes in foreign exchange controls for cross-border payments in 2025?

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange released in December 2024"Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Business in Current Account (2025 Edition)"Clearly defined requirements:

• For single payments exceeding USD 50,000, complete trade background supporting documents must be provided.
• The service fee payment shall not exceed 15% of the total contract amount.
• Cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone enterprises can enjoy simplified declaration procedures.
• A new "Intelligent Review" system has been added, allowing enterprises with complete documents to receive real-time payments.

3. How to distinguish and handle agency service fees and profit distribution?

In practical operations, three key points need to be noted:

• As stipulated in the contract: The fee structure must be clearly specified in the agency agreement.
  • Basic service fee (recommended proportion: 60%-70%)
  • Risk assumption fee (recommended not to exceed 20%)
  • Profit sharing (must be linked to the trade contract amount)
• Differences in tax treatment: The service fee is subject to a 6% value-added tax, and profit distribution involves corporate income tax.
• Requirements for payment vouchers:: Profit distribution requires the submission of a board resolution and tax payment certificate.

IV. What taxes and fees are required for cross-border payment profits?

Taking the case where the client is an overseas company as an example, typical tax costs include:

• Value-added tax: Domestic services are subject to a 6% levy.
• Corporate Income Tax: 25% of actual profits (high-tech enterprises may enjoy a 15% rate).
• Withholding Income Tax: A 10% withholding tax is levied on cross-border payments.
• Additional taxes and fees: 12% of the VAT amount

V. How to Prevent Financial Risks in Agency Payments?

It is recommended to adopt a "three-separation" risk control mechanism:

• Account segregation: The loan account and the expense account are physically segregated.
• Payment voucher dual signature: Joint approval by the financial officer and business supervisor
• third-party fund supervision: Sign a co-management agreement with the bank
• Typical case: An auto parts company utilized CITIC Bank's "Cross-border e-Settlement" system to achieve automatic verification of payment instructions with customs data.

VI. What should small and medium-sized enterprises pay attention to when choosing agency services?

It is recommended to focus on evaluating the following four qualifications of the agency:

• Customs AEO certification level (at least reaching General Certification)
• Foreign Exchange Income and Expenditure Directory Registration Status
• Does it have cross-border RMB settlement qualification?
• No major compliance violations in the past three years (can be verified through the Customs Enterprise Credit Publicity System).

7. What are the compliance risks of emerging payment methods in 2025?

Special attention should be paid to emerging settlement methods such as digital currency payments:

• The People's Bank of China and four other ministries jointly issued a document in January 2025, clearly stating:The use of virtual currencies for cross-border trade settlement is prohibited.
• The cross-border payment pilot of the digital yuan is currently limited to whitelisted enterprises.
• The single transaction limit for third-party payment platforms has been adjusted to 500,000 RMB.
• It is recommended to prioritize the CIPS (Cross-border Interbank Payment System) standard transceiver.

(Note: The policies mentioned in this article are valid until June 2025. For specific operations, please refer to the latest notice from the competent authority. For case-specific operational advice, it is recommended to consult a professional trade compliance consultant.)