Payment gateways play a significant role in eCommerce worldwide, and eCommerce entrepreneurs and businesses can only operate effectively with payment gateways. This also applies to Pakistan, where many international payment providers have remained reluctant to provide their services. The reluctance is there for several reasons, including malicious practices by merchants and customers, lack of regulation, low-quality cyber security, and trade restrictions. Pakistani entrepreneurs and businesses need help with receiving and sending payments. With a smooth flow of funds, businesses and service companies can survive.
Let us look at some of the payment gateways available in Pakistan and answer some basic questions.
What is a Payment Gateway?
Payment gateways provide “merchant services” such as debit/credit card payments to both offline (brick & mortar) and online (online retailers, service providers) businesses. These merchant services include credit/debit card devices and other points of sale. Payment gateways facilitate transactions by transferring information between payment portals and the acquiring bank.
These gateways may or may not be directly involved in the money flow. Most of them are web servers connected to a merchant’s POS system. Payment gateways may connect several payment methods and acquire banks under one system.
Top Payment Gateways Operating in Pakistan – Banks
When credit and debit cards were first introduced, there was no concept of third-party payment gateways. Banks themselves did the honours. They were already experts at handling transactions, so by identifying the point of sales and using IT/Telecom installations, banks became the payment gateways.
HBL – Habib Bank Limited- eCommerce Checkout Solution
One such bank in Pakistan, which is not only a pioneer of Pakistani banking but also provides online payment services, is HBL. HBL has recently introduced an eCommerce checkout solution that enables eCommerce PSPs/PSOs/Aggregators/Merchants to accept payments online from their clients on their mobile apps and their websites. “eCommerce Checkout Solution” also offers apps and plugins for renowned eCommerce platforms such as Woocomerce and Magneto. The platform allows card-based payments (MasterCard, VISA, and PayPal Union Pay International), account-based payments (API-based services), and wallet-based payments.
Features
- 3D Secure
- Multiple Currencies (AED, PKR, USD, GBP)
- Comprehensive portal provides search options, transaction history, reports, and refunds.
- Provides Apps for platforms such as Magneto and WOO Commerce.
- Easy Integration
- Easy Reversal/refunds from merchants to client accounts.
- Merchant Discount Rate(MDR) – is charged on every transition and may vary from client to client.
- Setup Charges of Ecommerce checkout solution: PKR 100,000
- Maintenance Charges per annum: PKR 100,000
- Transaction charges: PKR 50 for each transaction
- These charges do not include applicable taxes. Moreover, these charges may vary at the bank’s discretion for different clients.
UBL – Go-Green Internet Merchant Acquiring
UBL is one of Pakistan’s oldest banks and has a customer base of over 4 million. The bank has over 1400 branches and above 44,000 touchpoints. To facilitate eCommerce businesses, the bank has launched its online payment gateway services called the “Go-Green Internet Merchant Acquiring”.
Features
- 3D Secure
- Multiple Currencies
- Master and Visa Card Enabled
- Setup Fee PKR 40,000
- Maintenance Fee Per Annum: PKR 50,000
- No Transaction Fee
- MDR- Merchant Discount Rate is 3.5%
- Settlement Period is Ten Days (Business Days)
MCB Bank- MCB eGate
MCB Bank Limited is one of the most popular and largest private-sector banks in Pakistan. It has over 1200 branches. The bank has issued over 2.5 million cards (smart, prepaid, credit, and debit cards) and has a merchant base of over 10,000. The bank has launched its payment gateway services under MCB eGate.
Features
- Visa/ MasterCard/ China Union Pay debit & credit cards
- Secure and safe card processing services
- 3D secure through MasterCard Internet Gateway Services (MIG)
- Merchant portal available, which can let you view your history and transaction details.
- Setup fee: PKR 50,000
- Maintenance fee: PKR 48,000 per annum
- Transaction fee: PKR 15.0 per transaction
- MDR: 2.8 %
Best Fintech companies
Payoneer
The company has its headquarters in NYC. The company employs over 1,200 people and is currently serving more than 4 million people in 21 brick & mortar offices worldwide. Payoneer had a value of more than $1 billion in 2019.
Features
- It provides payment gateway services to freelancing platforms as well as eCommerce marketplaces.
- The most popular names include Fiverr, Upwork, Amazon, Shopee, Google, Airbnb, etc.
- Payoneer provides wallet services, prepaid cards, and virtual bank accounts.
- Account balance can be withdrawn directly to your bank or used online with the help of the Payoneer debit card.
- It provides international transactions in over 200 countries and over 150 currencies
- Low cost.
JazzCash
After realizing the potential of eCommerce and the need for payment solutions, the telecommunication sector stepped into providing money transfer facilities. Mobilink introduced JazzCash, a mobile phone money-transfer service which you can use almost anywhere in Pakistan.
Features
- All you need is a simple smartphone and an internet connection.
- You can transfer money from JazzCash to JazzCash and bank accounts with just a click.
- JazzCash also acts as a payment gateway online at numerous Pakistani websites.
- The app can be found on the google store, and you need to sign up to use it.
- JazzCash can be integrated with other payment gateways, including Payoneer.
- Despite limitations on the number and value of transactions, it is a quick and easy way of transferring money.
EasyPaisa by Telenor
Another leading FINCA in Pakistan is Telenor’s EasyPaisa. Telenor provides widespread coverage and has a considerable customer base.
Features
- The first mobile payment service in Pakistan.
- It has over 7.4 million users.
- You can transfer money from EasyPaisa to EasyPaisa, bank accounts, etc.
- It can be integrated into eCommerce websites and used as a payment gateway.
- Money can be transferred easily in an instant.
- There are restrictions on the amount and number of transactions.
FonePay
Fonepay Payment Service Limited is of Nepalese origin. It is licensed by Nepal’s central bank and is categorized as a Payment System Operator.
Features
- It has over 63 partners, 17Million customers, and more than 900K merchants in Just Nepal.
- It has alliances with international network partners, including Master, VISA and Union Pay International.
- Use your smartphone and pay at hundreds of stores by scanning QR Codes.
- Fonepay digital wallets allow you to pay for flights, tickets, utility bills, retail stores, etc.
- Merchant services are also available; download & install the FonePay Merchant App, sign-up, and link your account.
- All you need is to sign-up, link your bank account with the FonePay Merchant App and you can start accepting payment from your customers. You will get paid every time your customers scan the QR Code.
- In Pakistan, FonePay has partnered with numerous banks, such as Meezan bank, JS Bank, JazzCash, and Summit bank.
- Some of the companies using merchant services include Jalalsons, CSH Pharma, Howdy, and ZIC.
Keenu Wallet
Keenu has been providing wallet and payment integration to millions of customers and more than 7000 merchants worldwide.
Features
- Keenu allows plugins, reliable integration, and wallet services.
- Services include in-store payments, digital payments, and loyalty programs.
- Keenu also provides merchant services to names like Rado, Movenpick, Cinepax, TISSOT, and countless others.
- It has partnered with local banks such as Askari, HabibMetro, Meezan Ban, Bank Islami, and Bank AL Habib.
Conclusion
The decision to choose a payment gateway should take into account the following factors:
- Nature of the business
- Operating market (local/international or both)
- Network security
- Ease of payment integration
- Availability of reports such as weekly/monthly sales, reversals/refunds, etc.
- Simple and easy payment and checkout procedure.
- Transaction fees/charges, annual fees, etc.
Finding the right payment gateway can be challenging, especially in Pakistan.
As far as local businesses and service providers are concerned, they have countless options. However, real problems start to emerge when you try to go cross border. The most significant hurdle online Pakistani businesses face includes a lack of international payment providers and restrictions. There is a need for the Pakistani Government to start taking these issues seriously and do its part in creating international collaborations by providing security. For instance, PayPal does not operate in Pakistan because of problems with cyber and trade protection. Regulations are required to make sure that both merchants and customers are accountable. PayPal is absolutely necessary if a business wants to target markets like the USA and the UK.
