An NGO runs programs in five countries with evaluators, translators and trainers on short contracts. Each payment means a separate bank transfer, fees on both ends, delays of several days and a scramble for invoices and tax forms when auditors ask.
Short answer: Rise Works is a global payroll, onboarding and compliance platform for paying contractors and employees worldwide. It handles self-service onboarding, generates contractor agreements, and pays in local currency, stablecoins such as USDC and USDT, or a mix of both.
What is Rise Works?
Rise says it supports payments in 90+ local currencies and onboarding of contractors in 190+ countries through a self-service flow, with identity checks and tax documentation managed by the contractor. It also offers Employer of Record and Agent of Record services, invoices and expenses, and access to health and travel insurance for contractors through partners. It states it is SOC 2 certified and GDPR compliant.
The problems it solves
- Slow, costly cross-border transfers to consultants and field staff.
- Missing paperwork: agreements, invoices and tax documents spread across inboxes.
- Hiring without a local entity in each country where you work.
How to use it carefully
- Start with your contractor roster and the currencies each person needs.
- Use generated agreements as a starting point, and have your legal adviser review them for each country.
- Treat stablecoin payouts as optional. Offer them only where contractors want them and local rules allow it.
- Export payment records for your finance team and donors at each reporting period.
Who it is for, and who it is not for
A good fit for organizations paying many international contractors or remote staff. Not necessary if your team is in one country with a local payroll provider. Some users have reported that features familiar from traditional payroll systems are still evolving, so test it with a few contractors first.
Frequently asked questions
Can Rise pay contractors in local currency?
Yes. Rise says it supports 90+ local currencies as well as stablecoins.
Do we need to use crypto?
No. Rise supports fiat payouts, stablecoins or a mix, so crypto is optional.
Does Rise help with compliance?
Rise automates onboarding checks, generates contractor agreements and manages tax documentation, and offers EOR services.
Disclosure: Impact DOTS may earn a commission if you sign up or buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It does not affect which tools we cover or what we write about them.
