Business services
Open Banking and SEPA payments: how they work together at checkout
Open Banking in Europe was established under PSD2 and is evolving from a regulatory requirement into something much bigger. It is reported that Europe now accounts for 31.30% of the global Open Banking market. Meanwhile, the EU has around 64 million Open Banking users, and Europe represents 46% of global API offerings. What does it mean to merchants specifically? If you’ve been running an online business in Europe for any length of time, you already know how frustrating card payments can be, and so do your customers. The fees that chip away at every transaction, and then more fees. A
Business services
Why card payments fail at checkout and how merchants can prevent them
Every year, merchants watch as a significant percentage of customers drop off at the final stage of checkout. And it is not always because shoppers changed their minds, but because something went wrong at the payment step. Failed card payments are a problem, and there are many reasons for the phenomenon. Recently, Mastercard noted in its checkout research that 8 out of 10 online shoppers abandon their shopping cart. On average, among every 100 customers, around 80 abandon the purchase after adding an item to the cart. At the same time, the Baymard Institute calculated that the US and EU
Business services
SEPA vs. SEPA Instant: What merchants need to know
Fast and reliable payments are no longer a competitive advantage, at least in the EU. It is a surface-level expectation because they directly impact conversion rates, liquidity, and customer trust. Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, a fintech platform, or a subscription-based business – it doesn’t matter – the ability to move money efficiently across borders is a must-have these days. In Europe, we rely heavily on the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). It is designed to standardize euro-denominated transactions across the region. However, do you know the difference between SEPA vs. SEPA Instant? While both systems are widely used,
Business services
Benefits of a multi-currency merchant account: why global merchants need it
The global e-commerce market is expected to exceed US$5 trillion in revenue this year, with ECDB forecasting US$5.31 trillion in 2026, and current forecasts suggest that US$5.00 trillion by 2030 is too low. Speaking of, 8 in 10 companies polled by MillTech experienced losses from unhedged currency positions in 2025, with US firms losing an average of US$9.85 million and UK firms losing an average of £6.71 million. Some companies reported losses exceeding $25 million. On one hand, there’s a rapidly growing e-commerce market, and on the other hand, many external factors that can be harmful to it. For global
Business services
Card processing vs. Open Banking: what’s the difference?
Paying online is not just entering a credit or debit card number at checkout. Traditional card processing still dominates non-cash payments in Europe, powering billions of transactions through card networks and merchant accounts. Numbers will speak better than any words – just look at the latest official statistics from the European Central Bank. The total number of non-cash payments in the euro area in the first half of 2025 was 77.7 billion transactions. Card payments accounted for 57% of non-cash payments, totaling 44 billion, with a value of 1.7 trillion euros. While this model still works well, Open Banking is
Business services
What is a host-to-host payment page? A guide for high-volume merchants
When you buy something online, how does your card info get to the bank? There are basically two ways: The first way is via a hosted payment page – you’re on a shop’s website, click “pay,” and suddenly you’re on a different website – let’s say PayPal or Google Pay – to type in your credentials. Then you are sent back to the original shopping website after paying. The host-to-host payment page, a second option, works differently: you never leave the shop’s website. The customer stays on the merchant’s website, and the payment form appears fully integrated into the checkout
Business services
How to open a merchant account for startups: the 2026 strategy guide
Here’s something nobody tells you before you launch: getting paid for your product or service is sometimes harder than getting customers. You’ve built the product. You’ve got people interested. Then you try to set up a merchant account through a traditional bank, and suddenly you’re being asked for three years of audited financials, an in-person appointment at a branch that’s only open on Tuesdays, and a six-week underwriting review – for a business that’s been live for four months. The client’s side of the story is also complicated. A 2025 survey of merchants in the UK shows that payment method
Business services
Card payment processing for merchants: the complete guide
If you go to the small business or e-commerce forums, you will see the common question threads over and over again: “My funds were frozen for 120 days with no explanation.” “I’m paying 3.5% in fees – is this normal?” “Do I really need a separate gateway and a bank account?” To the customer, hitting “Pay” is nothing special. But for you, the merchant, card payment processing is often a black box. You build a business, you make sales, and then you wait for the acquiring bank to deposit the money. The reality is that traditional banking is complex. In
Business services
What are real-time payments and how do they work?
Instant payments are real-time payments that let you send money immediately. It ensures good cash flow and avoids the problems associated with delays. We’ll be looking at how real transactions work and the benefits they offer. Real-time payments explained What are real-time payments, and how do they help your business? The emergence of real-time payments has changed the way we handle financial transactions. While it once took a long time for payments to land in a bank account, immediate payments now ensure a rapid, seamless payment process. They’re processed immediately, which is a significant change from the past. Previously, a