This is an increasingly important issue, especially for US citizens. Many foreign banks will not open accounts for US citizens (or residents) because of FATCA r

This is an increasingly important issue, especially for US citizens. Many foreign banks will not open accounts for US citizens (or residents) because of FATCA reporting requirements. This means that opening up a local account for local payments is problematic. Additionally, if you truly are a digital nomad, you may find that your bank inexplicably cancels or suspends your ATM or credit card because it is being: --used for the first time on an 'unknown' computer (i.e., at an Internet café) --is being used from a country that you have previously not traveled to. The bank security procedures usually require an automated telephone call to the SIM number in the US that you haven't used in months during US business hours (it doesn't matter to them if you are on the other side of the world) and if you do not answer they will reverse the charges if you were lucky to complete the transaction in the first place. There is, of course, no number to call because the lost and stolen card section is different from the funds authorization section. Worse, if you have a small community bank in the US, they may outsource card services and that company has no relationship with you at all. The only banks I am aware of that are not flummoxed by international transactions (and whose debit cards may routinely be processed as credit cards, greatly facilitating US car rentals) are Swiss banks. But good luck trying to open a Swiss bank account as an American. In SE Asia, to apply for certain types of visas you must show financial stability and this means cash in local currency in a local bank. Not being able to open a local account means further discrimination. One would think that in this day and age a bank would set up an expat desk to handle these things. I've heard that Channel Islands banks are good at this, but I really don't know. Law enforcement assumes that foreign banks=criminal activity. You would think that the US hadn't joined the WTO.