- Two payout routes Patreon lists for Malaysia
- Ringgit bank transfer: how the conversion works
- Why you can't bill your fans in ringgit
- PayPal for Malaysian creators
- Malaysia Service Tax on Patreon's tax table
- The W-8BEN form before your first withdrawal
- Timing: holds, arrival and the once-a-day rule
- If you also use Wise or Payoneer
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, creators in Malaysia can be paid through Patreon. Malaysia appears on Patreon's list for a bank transfer that converts US dollars to ringgit, and on its PayPal country list too. The catch is that you can't bill fans in ringgit, so a conversion fee applies, and Patreon's tax table has a Malaysia Service Tax row worth reading.
Of the countries I've looked at for Patreon, Malaysia is one of the easier ones, which makes a nice change. Even so, there are a few details that decide whether your ringgit payout is smooth or annoying. Here's what Patreon's help pages say for Malaysia, with nothing added from rumour or forums.
Two payout routes Patreon lists for Malaysia
Patreon's payout guide for creators outside the US lists Malaysia, with the currency MYR, in its table for the US dollar to local currency bank transfer. Separately, Patreon's PayPal supported countries article names Malaysia among the countries and regions where you can receive earnings through PayPal. So you get a bank route and a PayPal route, which isn't true for every country.
The ringgit is issued by Bank Negara Malaysia and divided into one hundred sen, according to Wikipedia. Patreon doesn't promise any speed or amount for Malaysian creators, and I won't either.
Ringgit bank transfer: how the conversion works
Your balance builds up in a Patreon-supported currency, usually US dollars. When you withdraw by bank transfer, Patreon converts it to ringgit and sends it to your bank. Patreon says the cost is 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55% for the conversion, on each payout, with a 10 US dollar minimum.
Patreon also warns that the exchange rate can differ a little depending on when the withdrawal is processed in the hours after you start it. The payout fee doesn't appear in your earnings dashboard breakdown, so it's one to calculate yourself.
Why you can't bill your fans in ringgit
Patreon's supported currencies page lets creators price and be paid in US dollars, euros, pounds, Canadian and Australian dollars, Hong Kong and Singapore dollars, New Zealand dollars and a handful of European currencies. Ringgit isn't there. Singapore dollars are, which some Malaysian creators with fans across the border may find handy.
If a fan pays in a currency different from your payout currency, Patreon applies a 2.5% conversion fee. The practical move is to look at the currencies your members really pay in, using the transaction history Patreon lets you download, before you choose your creator currency. You can change it once every 31 days, as long as your available balance is zero.
PayPal for Malaysian creators
PayPal is the second route. Patreon says PayPal payouts for non-US creators paid in US dollars cost 1% of the amount, with a minimum of 0.25 US dollars, capped at 20 US dollars, and you need 10 US dollars to pay out. PayPal can add its own fees if you move the money on to your bank, so the full cost depends on PayPal's pricing, not just Patreon's.
If PayPal is already how you collect client money, PayPal for Malaysia covers what to check on that side.
Malaysia Service Tax on Patreon's tax table
This is the part that's different from many countries. Patreon's sales tax table lists Malaysia under Service Tax, with Sales Tax for tangible property in the same row and the rates 8% and 10% shown. Patreon says tax on fan payments is worked out from where the paying member is, not where you live, and that it collects tax on some of these supplies itself.
What that means for your own business, and whether Patreon income changes anything about how you report it in Malaysia, isn't covered by Patreon. Ask a local accountant. Patreon says itself that in some places creators have their own tax obligations.
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| What I checked | What Patreon says for Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Bank transfer to local currency | Malaysia is listed, currency MYR |
| Ringgit as a billing currency | Not on the supported currencies list |
| PayPal country list | Malaysia is listed |
| Sales tax table | Service Tax row, with 8% and 10% shown |
| Cost of the bank route | 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55% per payout |
| Hold on new payout details | Five days |
The W-8BEN form before your first withdrawal
Patreon says every creator who isn't a US citizen must submit a W-8BEN, or a W-8BEN-E for a company, in order to pay out. It's filled in online under Settings, Payouts and Taxes, then Tax settings. Do it early so it doesn't hold up your first withdrawal.
Timing: holds, arrival and the once-a-day rule
Adding or editing a payout method triggers a five-day hold on your balance. After that, Patreon says a payout typically takes one to five days to arrive and you can only start one every 24 hours. Larger requests may be split, with the maximum sent straight away and the rest kept in your balance.
You can also turn on automatic payouts, which Patreon runs on the fifth of each month for your full available balance. For a bank transfer you only need your account number and the name on the account, in letters and numbers, and no extra paperwork is usually needed.
If you also use Wise or Payoneer
Patreon's third option for creators outside the US is Payoneer Wallet, at 1.00 US dollars per payout with a 25 US dollar minimum, which Patreon describes as typically more expensive than a bank transfer. If you already hold one of those accounts for clients, my pages on Wise in Malaysia and Payoneer in Malaysia set out what each one offers.
To see what Patreon keeps before any payout, this guide to what Patreon takes from creators explains the platform side. Standard pages published after the 2025 pricing change pay 10% plus taxes and processing. This isn't financial advice, so check the details with your bank.
Frequently asked questions
Does Patreon work in Malaysia?
Yes for payouts. Patreon lists Malaysia, with the currency MYR, for a US dollar to local currency bank transfer, and also lists it for PayPal.
Can I be paid in ringgit from Patreon?
Patreon's bank transfer converts your US dollar balance to ringgit when you withdraw. The ringgit isn't on Patreon's list of billing currencies, so fans can't be billed in it.
What does Patreon charge for a Malaysian bank payout?
Patreon says it costs 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55% per payout, with a 10 US dollar minimum.
Does Patreon charge Service Tax in Malaysia?
Patreon's sales tax table lists Malaysia under Service Tax and shows the rates 8% and 10% in that row. Tax depends on where the paying member is. Ask a local accountant about your own position.
Do I need a W-8BEN in Malaysia?
Patreon says all creators who aren't US citizens must submit a W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E in order to pay out.
