Payoneer raised its withdrawal fee for Pakistani users from 2 percent to 3 percent, and made transfers to a different bank account, once free, cost 3 percent too. If Payoneer is how you get paid from Upwork, Fiverr, or a direct client, that change has quietly been taking a bigger bite out of every payment since 2025.
Here is what changed, and what you can do about the part you control.
What actually changed with Payoneer’s fees
Withdrawing to a bank account in a different currency than the one you were paid in now costs 3 percent, up from 2 percent before. Sending money to someone else’s bank account through Payoneer, once free, now costs 3 percent too. Converting your balance to Pakistani rupees carries its own separate exchange fee on top. Internal transfers above 500 units now cost 0.60 percent, and smaller ones get a flat fee instead of nothing.
None of this is a one time charge. It applies every time you move money, so it adds up fastest for freelancers who get paid often in smaller amounts, which describes a large share of Pakistani freelancers on Upwork and Fiverr.
Why Pakistani freelancers feel this more than most
Payoneer is not one option among many for a lot of freelancers here. PayPal and Stripe still do not work for Pakistani residents, and Upwork and Fiverr pay directly into Payoneer by default, so dropping it entirely is not realistic for marketplace income. You are not choosing to pay more for a service you could easily swap out. You are paying more for the one option that already felt mandatory.
Where you do have a real choice is with direct clients, the ones who are not paying you through a marketplace at all.
A way to get paid by direct clients without the Payoneer fees
If a client is paying you directly rather than through Upwork or Fiverr, Payoneer does not need to sit in the middle of that payment at all.
Send a professional invoice or a payment link with your service and amount. With Payxem, your client pays by card, PayPal, or crypto directly, the money lands in your Payxem wallet in USD, and pricing stays a flat, visible platform fee shown before you send the invoice, not a percentage that can quietly go up later. Withdrawals from Payxem to your Pakistani bank account are free, and the currency conversion to rupees carries only a 0.5 percent fee from Payxem’s payout partner, well below what Payoneer now charges to move the same money. You can also take your payout in USDT if you would rather hold dollars and convert on your own schedule. Track every invoice from your dashboard.
Keep Payoneer for marketplaces, skip it for everything else
You will likely still need Payoneer for Upwork and Fiverr payouts, since that is how those platforms pay by default. But every direct client, every one off project, and every retainer that does not come through a marketplace is a chance to route the payment somewhere that does not eat 3 percent for the simple act of moving your own money.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Payoneer’s withdrawal fee for Pakistani users increase by? Payoneer raised the fee for withdrawing to a bank account in a different currency from 2 percent to 3 percent, and also began charging 3 percent on third party bank transfers that used to be free.
Can I avoid Payoneer entirely as a Pakistani freelancer? Not for marketplace income, since Upwork and Fiverr pay into Payoneer by default. For direct clients, you can send an invoice or payment link through a platform like Payxem instead, so the payment never has to pass through Payoneer.
Do I need a PayPal or Stripe account to use Payxem in Pakistan? No. Your client pays through Payxem’s own checkout by card, PayPal, or crypto, and you receive it in your Payxem wallet without needing your own merchant account.
How much does Payxem charge to convert USD to Pakistani rupees? Withdrawals from Payxem to your Pakistani bank account are free, and Payxem’s payout partner charges only a 0.5 percent currency conversion fee, well below Payoneer’s current withdrawal and transfer fees.
Final thought
A fee that quietly climbed from 2 percent to 3 percent, plus a new charge on third party transfers, is a real cut out of money you already earned. For direct clients at least, you do not have to accept it.
Start now: Create a free Payxem account and send your first invoice in under 60 seconds.
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