How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Malaysia

Malaysian founders and entrepreneurs expanding into the US market frequently encounter the "invisible-credit" barrier. When attempting to secure business credit cards, office leases, commercial loans, or software financing in the United States, traditional credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion return an empty file. In Malaysia, credit health is tracked domestically through the Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) managed by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), alongside credit reporting agencies such as CTOS and Credit Bureau Malaysia (CBM) [2] [3]. However, Malaysian credit history does not automatically cross the Pacific. Building a robust US credit profile is an essential milestone for establishing financial credibility and securing non-dilutive capital.

Why US credit matters

A US credit file changes what a US company can do. Without one, financing means cash collateral or a personal guarantee, corporate cards come with a deposit, and commercial leases ask for six months up front.

With one, the same company borrows at a normal rate. That is the whole difference, and it is why the sequence below is worth the months it takes.

No part of this is guaranteed. Credit decisions belong to lenders, and nobody — including us — can promise you a score or a limit.

The Amex Global Transfer route

American Express runs a programme — Global Transfer, sometimes called the Global Card Relationship — that lets an existing Amex cardholder apply for a US card using their established relationship with Amex rather than starting from nothing.

Your credit history does not transfer. This is the most common misunderstanding about the programme. What transfers is the relationship — Amex's own record of how you have handled your account with them. Your local bureau file, your repayment record with other lenders and your local credit score do not cross the border. Amex US underwrites you as a new customer who happens to be a known quantity to Amex.

That is still a considerable advantage over building a US file from zero. It is not the same as arriving with a credit history.

Four conditions apply, and all four must be met:

1. The card you already hold must be issued by American Express itself, not by a local bank operating under an American Express licence.
2. You must be the primary cardholder, not an additional or supplementary cardholder.
3. You must have held the card for at least three months.
4. The account must be open and in good standing when you apply.

Corporate cards are excluded separately from all four.

Condition one eliminates more applicants than the other three combined. In many markets American Express operates through Global Network Services, where a local bank licenses the Amex brand and issues its own cards under it. Those cards carry the Amex logo, but the account relationship belongs to the bank — so there is nothing to transfer. A local partnership is not an alternative route to eligibility; it is the thing that removes it.

How to check your own card: read the cardholder agreement, not the card. The agreement names the legal entity that issued it. If that name is a local bank, the card will not qualify. If it is an American Express entity, it may. If you cannot find the agreement, call the number on the back and ask which legal entity issued the card.

We maintain a country-by-country reference for this, including which markets are confirmed and which are not: Amex Global Transfer country eligibility [blocked]

Check before you rely on this: American Express sets these terms and can change them. Confirm current conditions with American Express directly.

The ITIN path

For founders who cannot use Amex Global Transfer or need broader banking access, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the foundational step:

1. Form W-7 Application: Complete IRS Form W-7 along with your federal tax return or qualifying treaty exemption document.
2. Identity Verification: Submit certified copies of your Malaysian passport (certified by the issuing agency or a certifying acceptance agent) or visit a designated IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.
3. Receive ITIN Assignment: Upon approval, the IRS issues an ITIN letter, which functions as your tax processing number in lieu of an SSN.
4. Open US Business Bank Account: Use your LLC or C-Corp documentation and your new ITIN to open business bank accounts with digital-forward institutions (such as Mercury, Relay Financial, or traditional banks like Silicon Valley Bank / JPMorgan Chase).
5. Apply for Secured Cards & ITIN-Friendly Cards: Apply for secured business credit cards or credit builder accounts that report to major US credit bureaus using your ITIN.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit is a cross-border credit bureau analytics company that bridges international credit history to the United States [7]. While Nova Credit has established extensive partnerships globally to ingest credit bureau data from countries such as Canada, India, the UK, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico [7], its direct integration with Malaysia's CCRIS and CTOS credit bureaus is subject to ongoing network expansion. Malaysian founders should check Nova Credit's current live country list when applying for partner financial products (such as select US credit cards or tenant screening services) to determine if their Malaysian credit profile can be queried directly [7].

Business credit: the faster lane

Building corporate credit in the United States does not strictly require a personal SSN or ITIN if your US entity (LLC or C-Corp) is properly established with an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

• Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) D-U-N-S Number: Register your US company for a free D-U-N-S number.
• Establish Trade Lines: Open vendor accounts with US suppliers, software vendors, and office services that report payment history to commercial credit bureaus (D&B, Experian Business, Equifax Business).
• D&B Paydex Score: Maintain prompt payment habits (paying invoices within or before terms) to build a strong Paydex score ranging from 0 to 100, which enables your company to qualify for commercial loans, fleet cards, and vendor financing without personal guarantees.

Recommended sequence

1. Step 1: Leverage an existing Maybank-issued American Express card to execute an Amex Global Transfer to a US American Express card [4] [5].
2. Step 2: Apply for an ITIN via IRS Form W-7 to establish your official US tax identification status.
3. Step 3: Establish a US business bank account (e.g., Mercury or Relay) using your US company formation documents and EIN/ITIN.
4. Step 4: Obtain a D&B D-U-N-S number for your US corporate entity and establish business trade lines with vendors reporting to commercial credit bureaus.
5. Step 5: Monitor your emerging US credit reports regularly through major credit monitoring services and maintain pristine payment discipline across all active tradelines.

What Keystone Bridge does

We handle the US side for founders based outside the United States: entity formation, EIN, ITIN, US business banking access, and business credit.

The price of every stage is published on this site, so a first conversation is about whether we fit — not a pitch. If the answer is that you can do this yourself, we will tell you so.

References

[2] Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS). https://www.bnm.gov.my/ccris [3] Credit Bureau Malaysia (CBM). Credit Bureau Malaysia Overview. https://creditbureau.com.my/ [4] Wise. Review of best American Express (Amex) credit cards in Malaysia. https://wise.com/my/blog/amex-credit-card-malaysia [5] American Express. Moving Abroad - Global Card Transfer - United States. https://www.en-us.company/about-us/moving-abroad/ [6] Taxsym. Amex Global Transfer 2026: Get a US Card With No SSN. https://www.taxsym.com/blog/global-transfer-amex [7] Nova Credit. Credit Passport - Cross-border Credit. https://www.novacredit.com/credit-passport

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified adviser for your specific situation.