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I didn’t know how to pay my local partner in Matanzas — not because I didn’t have the money, but because I didn’t know if the transfer would ever arrive.

I also didn’t know if registering a company there would even matter, if the electricity went out for three days next week, or if the bank I’d been told was “reliable” would suddenly freeze accounts without warning. I thought I was preparing for business. I was actually preparing for uncertainty.

I spent three months in Matanzas last year, managing a small contract for cat scratchers — 12,000 units shipped from China, sold through local distributors. My goal wasn’t to build a brand. It was to test whether a niche product could survive in a market where logistics are unpredictable, and where the concept of “payment terms” feels more like a hope than a contract.

I also almost misunderstood the entire point of being there.

I thought “overseas listing compliance” meant filing paperwork with some international exchange. I thought it meant preparing financial statements in USD, hiring a CFO, or doing a roadshow. I didn’t realize — until I saw how many local entrepreneurs quietly closed their shops last year — that compliance in places like Matanzas often means something quieter: surviving the day without a fuel truck, without a bank transfer, without a phone signal.

Later, I realized the process was far more complex than any checklist I’d found online.

🌍 The Real Environment: Matanzas in Early 2026

Matanzas is not Havana. It’s not the tourist coast, not the capital’s political noise. It’s a working port city, where the docks still carry sugar and rum, and where the streets are quieter, but the tension is heavier.

According to recent reports, fuel shortages have disrupted transportation, halted waste collection, and slowed commercial activity across the island. The U.S. oil blockade — now extended to include secondary sanctions on third-country suppliers — has made even basic imports of diesel and gasoline extremely difficult. Local businesses report that delivery windows have stretched from 3 days to 2–3 weeks, if they arrive at all.

I spoke with a local distributor who’d been selling my cat scratchers — made from recycled bamboo, sourced from Guangdong — through a small retail kiosk near the Matanzas River. He told me his supplier in Cienfuegos hadn’t received fuel for two weeks. “I can’t move stock,” he said. “I can’t even get the lights on long enough to scan the barcode.”

This isn’t theoretical. This is daily reality.

And yet — he kept the kiosk open. He still paid his part-time assistant. He still waited for the bank to credit his account.

Why?

Because there’s no alternative.

💸 Payment Realities: What “Payment Method” Really Means Here

I used to think payment methods were about PayPal, Stripe, SWIFT, or even crypto.

In Matanzas, payment methods are about trust, timing, and tolerance.

Here’s what I learned:

  1. Bank transfers from abroad? Possible — but unpredictable. Some banks in Havana process them in 7–10 days. In Matanzas, local branches may not even have access to the central system. I once sent $8,000 via Western Union. It took 18 days. The recipient had to travel to Havana to collect it.
  2. Cash in USD? Technically allowed — but risky. Many businesses now avoid holding large sums. Banks have limits. ATMs are often empty.
  3. Crypto? I saw one shop with a QR code for Bitcoin. The owner said, “It works — if the internet works.”
  4. Barter? Increasingly common. One distributor offered me 500 kg of coffee in exchange for 2,000 scratchers. I didn’t know what to do with the coffee. But I took it. It was better than nothing.

I once sent a payment via a third-party intermediary in Mexico. It was approved by their bank. But the Cuban side never received it. The intermediary said, “We don’t know why. It was processed.” No explanation. No refund.

I stopped trusting “payment processors.” I started trusting people.

Now, I only work with partners I’ve met in person. I pay in installments — 30% upfront, 40% when goods clear customs, 30% after 15 days of confirmed sales. I keep receipts. I record dates. I don’t rely on emails. I rely on handwritten notes signed in front of a witness.

I also stopped asking for “official contracts.” In Matanzas, a signed piece of paper doesn’t guarantee anything. But a handshake with a local mayor’s nephew? That might.

📈 “Overseas Listing Compliance” — A Misleading Phrase

I came here thinking about IPOs. About raising capital. About listing on NASDAQ or HKEX.

I left thinking about survival.

There is no “overseas listing” pathway for a small business in Matanzas. There is no legal framework for foreign-owned SMEs to list on international exchanges. The Cuban state does not permit private companies to issue shares. The concept of “public equity” is almost nonexistent outside state enterprises.

What I was actually doing — without realizing — was building a de facto export channel. I was not seeking compliance with securities law. I was seeking compliance with logistics, currency, and human relationships.

The only “compliance” that matters here:

  • Are you paying taxes in Cuban pesos (CUP) or convertible pesos (CUC)?
  • Do you have a registered local contact?
  • Are you visible in the municipal registry?
  • Do you have a phone number that works?

I registered my business under a Cuban partner’s name — a common workaround. We called it a “distribution agreement.” No equity transfer. No legal entity in Cuba. Just a signed letter, stamped by the local chamber of commerce (if we could get the printer to work).

I didn’t hire a lawyer. I didn’t file with the SEC. I didn’t prepare a prospectus.

I made sure the person holding the goods could get paid — even if it took six months.

🔍 How to Judge Information Reliability in This Context

After three failed payments and two canceled shipments, I learned to ask different questions:

  • ❌ “Can I use PayPal?”
    ✅ “Who here has received money from abroad in the last 30 days? How?”

  • ❌ “Is there a legal entity for foreign investors?”
    ✅ “Which bank branch in Matanzas has processed a foreign transfer in the last week?”

  • ❌ “What’s the process for listing?”
    ✅ “What’s the last time your supplier got diesel? What did you do?”

I stopped reading articles from Silicon Valley blogs. I started listening to Cuban entrepreneurs on Telegram channels — not the ones with flashy profiles, but the ones who posted photos of empty fuel tanks with captions like: “Still here. Still selling.”

I found a group of five small exporters — all selling to Canada or Spain — who meet weekly in a café that still has power on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They don’t talk about fundraising. They talk about which phone carrier has the best signal. Which customs agent is slow but honest. Which courier will deliver a box of batteries before the next blackout.

That’s the real network.

❓ FAQ: Practical Questions from My Experience

Q1: Can a foreigner register a company in Matanzas?

A:

  • Step 1: Partner with a Cuban national who holds a valid cédula de identidad.
  • Step 2: Register as a “distribuidor independiente” (independent distributor) under their name at the Oficina Municipal de la Industria y el Comercio.
  • Step 3: Obtain a Número de Identificación Tributaria (NIT) — this may take 4–8 weeks, depending on local office hours.
  • Key Points:
    • No foreign ownership structure is recognized.
    • You cannot be listed as the legal owner.
    • Tax obligations are handled by the Cuban partner.
    • Always get a notarized letter of authorization — even if it’s not legally binding, it’s your only record.

Q2: What are viable payment methods from overseas?

A:

  • Path 1: Western Union → Havana → local pickup (slow, but traceable).
  • Path 2: Transfer via third-country intermediary (e.g., Mexico, Spain) with a local contact who can receive and convert.
  • Path 3: Barter (goods for goods) — often the only reliable method.
  • Key Points:
    • Avoid direct bank transfers unless you have a trusted local contact who can confirm receipt.
    • Never send more than $5,000 in a single transaction.
    • Keep a paper trail: screenshots, signed receipts, witness signatures.

Q3: Is “overseas listing” possible for a Cuban-based business?

A:

  • Step 1: Accept that no Cuban SME can legally list on any international exchange.
  • Step 2: Structure your business as an export operation — your legal entity remains outside Cuba (e.g., in Canada, Singapore, or Estonia).
  • Step 3: Treat your Cuban partner as a supplier, not a subsidiary.
  • Key Points:
    • No IPO, no equity issuance, no public filings.
    • Compliance = documentation of trade flows, not corporate structure.
    • If you’re told otherwise — it’s likely a scam or misunderstanding.

✅ Final Advice: Three Actions to Take Today

  1. Stop chasing “compliance frameworks.” Focus on “connection frameworks.” Build relationships with people who are still working — not those who post LinkedIn posts about “global expansion.”
  2. Use cash or barter as your primary backup. If you can’t trust the system, trust what you can hold.
  3. Document everything — even if it’s handwritten. In places like Matanzas, paper is the only blockchain.

If you’re also considering business in Matanzas — or anywhere where the rules are unclear, the infrastructure is fragile, and the headlines say “failed nation” — know this: you’re not alone.

I’m still here. Still shipping scratchers. Still waiting for payments. Still learning.

If you’re also in this space — whether you’re selling cat products, medical supplies, or solar chargers — and you just want to talk about what’s actually happening — you’re welcome to reach out.

You don’t need to have answers.
You just need to be honest.

If you’re in the same boat, you can start by adding JingJing on WeChat: lvga2015. We’re not offering services. We’re just sharing what we’ve seen.

🔸 Donald Trump Calls Cuba ‘Failed Nation’ Amid Oil Blockade, Says US Talks With Havana Humanitarian Priority
🗞️ 来源: Benzinga – 📅 2026-02-17
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Cuba in crisis: No fuel, no cash and no food as US blockade mounts pressure
🗞️ 来源: Hindustan Times – 📅 2026-02-17
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Espanha vai enviar alimentos e bens de saúde para Cuba devido à crise de combustível
🗞️ 来源: Euronews – 📅 2026-02-17
🔗 阅读原文

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