A strategic guide to using Stripe’s 125+ payment methods for international sales — and where a merchant account saves you money on domestic transactions.
If you sell internationally, you already know that credit cards alone won’t cut it. In the Netherlands, over 70% of online transactions go through iDEAL. In Brazil, PIX dominates. In India, UPI processes billions of transactions every month. Customers who don’t see their preferred payment method at checkout leave — and they don’t come back.
Stripe now supports over 125 payment methods across dozens of countries, making it one of the most versatile platforms for reaching global customers. That breadth is genuinely valuable for international sales. But it’s important to understand that Stripe isn’t a merchant account — it’s a payment service provider (PSP) that lets you process through their infrastructure. That distinction matters when it comes to fees, account stability, and long-term scalability.
Here’s what most guides won’t tell you: using Stripe for everything — including your domestic transactions — means overpaying on processing fees where you don’t need to. The smartest approach is a hybrid strategy: Stripe for international payment methods and currency conversion, paired with a dedicated merchant account for your domestic volume where you can negotiate better rates.
This guide breaks down exactly which Stripe payment methods matter for global sales, how to choose the right mix for your markets, and where a merchant account fits into the picture.
Why Local Payment Methods Matter for International Sales
Around 13% of online shoppers abandon their cart when their preferred payment method isn’t available. In many markets outside North America, cards aren’t even the primary way people pay online. Offering only Visa and Mastercard to a global audience is like opening a store and locking the front door for half your customers.
Local payment methods solve this by meeting customers where they are. They also tend to carry lower fraud rates because many require direct bank authentication, which means fewer chargebacks and disputes for your business. If you’re already dealing with fraud concerns on Stripe, make sure you’ve optimized your Stripe fraud prevention settings before expanding into new markets.
Supporting the right local payment methods for each market you serve directly impacts three things: conversion rates, customer trust, and your bottom line.
Stripe Payment Methods by Category
Stripe organizes its 125+ supported payment methods into several categories. Understanding these categories helps you decide which methods to activate based on how your international customers prefer to pay.
Cards (Global)
Stripe supports all major global card networks — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover — as well as regional networks like JCB (Japan), Cartes Bancaires (France), China UnionPay, and Interac (Canada). Cards remain the default for most North American and UK transactions, but they’re just one piece of the global puzzle.
Digital Wallets
Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link (Stripe’s own accelerated checkout) reduce friction on mobile devices, where traditional card entry causes significant drop-off. Digital wallets accounted for roughly half of global e-commerce transactions in 2024 and continue growing. For mobile-heavy international markets, wallets are essential.
Bank Redirects
Bank redirects are the backbone of online payments in much of Europe and parts of Asia. Customers authorize payment directly through their bank’s online portal, which provides strong authentication and reduces fraud. Key methods include:
- iDEAL — Netherlands (70%+ of Dutch e-commerce)
- Bancontact — Belgium
- EPS — Austria
- Przelewy24 (P24) — Poland
- BLIK — Poland (dominant mobile payment method)
Bank Debits and Transfers
Direct bank debits pull funds directly from a customer’s bank account, typically at lower processing costs than cards. These work especially well for subscriptions and recurring payments:
- ACH Direct Debit — United States
- SEPA Direct Debit — Eurozone (36 countries)
- BACS Direct Debit — United Kingdom
- BECS Direct Debit — Australia
- Interac e-Transfer — Canada
Real-Time Payments
Real-time payment systems are government-backed or bank-consortium networks that process transactions instantly. They’re rapidly becoming the preferred way to pay in Asia and Latin America:
- PIX — Brazil (instant, 24/7, used by 150+ million Brazilians)
- UPI — India (billions of monthly transactions)
- PromptPay — Thailand
- PayNow — Singapore
- FPX — Malaysia
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
BNPL methods let customers split purchases into installments while you receive the full payment upfront. These are popular in markets where credit card penetration is lower or where consumers prefer flexible payment terms:
- Klarna — Europe, US, Australia
- Afterpay/Clearpay — US, UK, Australia, New Zealand
- Affirm — United States, Canada
Cash-Based Vouchers
In markets where a significant portion of the population is unbanked or underbanked, voucher-based payments let customers complete online purchases by paying at physical locations like convenience stores:
- Boleto Bancário — Brazil
- OXXO — Mexico
- Konbini — Japan
These methods don’t offer instant payment confirmation, which can complicate fulfillment. But ignoring them means losing access to a large customer base in these regions.
Stripe Payment Methods by Region: What to Enable Where
Activating every available payment method creates reporting clutter and may trigger unnecessary processing fees. A smarter approach is to enable only the methods that matter most in each region you serve. Here’s a market-by-market breakdown:
Europe
Enable iDEAL (Netherlands), Bancontact (Belgium), EPS (Austria), SEPA Direct Debit (eurozone-wide), Klarna (widespread), and Cartes Bancaires (France). European regulations under PSD2 require 3D Secure (3DS) authentication on card transactions — Stripe handles this automatically, which is a significant advantage over processors that require you to configure 3DS yourself. SEPA debit is particularly valuable for subscription-based businesses selling across the eurozone.
United Kingdom
The UK is the most card-centric market in Europe, so cards plus Apple Pay and Google Pay cover most transactions. Add BACS Direct Debit for subscriptions and Clearpay for BNPL. Stripe’s automatic 3DS compliance is a meaningful advantage here.
Brazil
PIX is now the dominant payment method, processing instantly and available 24/7. Boleto remains important for customers without bank accounts. Ignoring these two methods effectively locks you out of Brazil’s e-commerce market.
Mexico
OXXO vouchers are essential. Mexico has a large unbanked population that relies on cash-based payment at convenience stores to complete online purchases. Cards cover the rest, but without OXXO support, you’re missing a significant segment.
India
UPI is everywhere — it handles billions of transactions monthly and is the most common way Indians pay online. Supporting UPI alongside cards is non-negotiable for the Indian market.
Southeast Asia
Enable PromptPay (Thailand), PayNow (Singapore), FPX (Malaysia), and GrabPay where available. Card penetration varies widely across the region, so real-time payments and wallets often outperform cards in conversion.
Japan
Support JCB (Japan’s domestic card network with 150+ million cardholders worldwide) and Konbini for cash-based voucher payments. Japan has unique payment preferences that don’t map neatly to Western patterns.
China
Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate, accounting for over 54% of Chinese online transactions. Stripe supports accepting payments from Chinese customers through these wallets, though you cannot open a Stripe merchant account in mainland China.
Australia & New Zealand
Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Afterpay cover the market. BECS Direct Debit works well for recurring Australian payments. BNPL adoption is among the highest globally in this region.
How Stripe Handles Multi-Currency and International Pricing
Beyond payment methods, Stripe offers tools that simplify selling in multiple currencies — one of its strongest advantages for international sales.
Dynamic Currency Conversion and Adaptive Pricing
Stripe’s approach to dynamic currency conversion (DCC) is built into its Adaptive Pricing feature. Using machine learning, Stripe detects a customer’s location and automatically converts your prices into their local currency at checkout. It works with Checkout, Payment Links, and Hosted Invoice Pages, covering over 150 markets.
The exchange rate shown to customers includes a 2–4% conversion fee built into the rate, which the customer pays — not your business. This means you receive your settlement currency amount without additional Stripe fees for the dynamic currency conversion.
Adaptive Pricing also enables local payment methods by presenting prices in the correct currency. For example, iDEAL only works with EUR. Without euro-denominated pricing, Dutch customers can’t use their preferred payment method even if you’ve enabled it. Dynamic currency conversion removes this barrier automatically.
Static Multi-Currency Pricing
For more control, you can set fixed prices in specific currencies. This is useful when you want to test different price points in different markets or when exchange rate fluctuations would disrupt your pricing strategy. Static pricing lets you charge €49 in Europe and $59 in the US regardless of the current exchange rate.
Settlement Currencies
Stripe supports processing in 135+ currencies, but settlement (the currency deposited into your bank account) depends on your Stripe account’s country and configured bank accounts. When the presentment currency differs from your settlement currency, Stripe applies a conversion fee of 1–2% depending on your region.
This is where understanding total cost matters. Between the base transaction fee (2.9% + $0.30 for US-based businesses), the additional 0.5–1.5% for international cards, and potential currency conversion fees, your total cost on an international transaction through Stripe can reach 4–5%.
The Smarter Strategy: Stripe for International, Merchant Account for Domestic
Stripe’s strength is clear: no other single platform makes it as easy to accept 125+ payment methods, convert currencies automatically, and handle compliance across dozens of countries. For international sales, that convenience is hard to beat.
But for your domestic transactions — which for most businesses represent 70–80% of total volume — Stripe’s flat-rate pricing means you’re leaving money on the table. Understanding the differences between Stripe, merchant of record, and merchant account models helps clarify why this matters.
Why Domestic Sales Deserve a Merchant Account
A dedicated merchant account offers several advantages over Stripe for your home-market transactions:
- Negotiable rates. Unlike Stripe’s flat 2.9% + $0.30, merchant account processors negotiate rates based on your volume, industry, and chargeback history. High-volume businesses routinely secure rates well below Stripe’s standard pricing. Stripe only begins negotiating when you hit $8–10 million in annual sales.
- Account stability. When a merchant account provider underwrites your business, they review your model, your products, and your risk profile upfront. This means no surprise holds, no sudden risk reserves, and no account shutdowns because your sales spiked during a promotional period.
- High-ticket support. Stripe places holds quickly on transactions over $3,000, especially if you receive even one high-value chargeback. Is Stripe safe for high-risk merchants? Often not. Merchant account providers build high-ticket processing into your risk profile from the start.
- Seasonal flexibility. If your sales fluctuate more than 25% month to month, Stripe may flag your account. Merchant account providers who understand seasonal businesses build variability into their underwriting.
How the Hybrid Model Works
The setup is straightforward. Route your domestic transactions through your merchant account, where you benefit from lower negotiated rates and predictable processing. Route your international transactions through Stripe, where you benefit from Adaptive Pricing, local payment methods, and built-in currency conversion.
You can configure your payment backend to split traffic by geographic region, currency, or even transaction amount. Many businesses also keep Stripe as a backup processor for domestic sales, providing redundancy in case of any disruption with their primary merchant account.
This hybrid approach gives you the best of both worlds: Stripe’s unmatched international payment method coverage and a merchant account’s cost efficiency and stability for your core domestic revenue.
How to Choose the Right Stripe Payment Methods for Your Business
Enabling every payment method Stripe offers sounds appealing but creates real operational complexity. Each method has its own fee structure, settlement timeline, refund process, and reporting format. A more deliberate approach pays off.
Start with Your Sales Data
Look at where your international customers are coming from. Your analytics should tell you which countries generate the most traffic and revenue. Prioritize enabling payment methods for your top 3–5 international markets first, then expand as you grow into new regions.
Match Methods to Your Business Model
- Subscriptions and recurring billing: Prioritize SEPA Direct Debit (Europe), BACS (UK), ACH (US), and BECS (Australia). These methods reduce churn and processing costs compared to cards for recurring charges.
- One-time purchases: Focus on the dominant one-time payment methods in each market — iDEAL, PIX, UPI, bank redirects, and wallets.
- High-ticket items: Bank transfers and direct debits work well for large purchases where card limits might cause declines. Consider BNPL options like Klarna and Affirm for high-value consumer goods.
- Digital products and services: Wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) and real-time payments (PIX, UPI) offer instant confirmation, which matters for immediate-delivery products.
Consider the Operational Impact
Some payment methods don’t offer instant confirmation (like Boleto and OXXO vouchers), which affects your fulfillment workflow. Others don’t support native refunds, requiring manual processes. Factor these operational realities into your decision before enabling a method just because it exists.
Understanding the True Cost of International Transactions on Stripe
Stripe’s flat-rate pricing is simple, but the total cost of an international transaction adds up quickly. Here’s how the fees stack for a US-based business selling globally:
- Base rate: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card transaction
- International card surcharge: +1.5% for cards issued outside the US
- Currency conversion fee: +1% when the charge currency differs from your settlement currency
That means a single international card transaction can cost you 5.4% + $0.30 in total fees. On a $100 sale, that’s $5.70 going to processing.
Some alternative payment methods on Stripe carry different fee structures. Bank debits like SEPA and ACH typically cost less than card transactions. Real-time payments and bank redirects vary by method and region.
This is another reason the hybrid approach makes sense. By processing your domestic card transactions through a merchant account with negotiated interchange-plus pricing, you save on the majority of your volume. Stripe’s international fees become easier to absorb when they only apply to your cross-border sales.
When Stripe Alone Makes Sense for Global Sales
A hybrid strategy isn’t always necessary from day one. Stripe on its own works well when:
- You’re a new business with no processing history and want to start selling internationally without waiting for merchant account underwriting.
- Your total volume is under $25,000 per month, which typically isn’t enough to negotiate meaningfully better rates with a merchant account provider.
- You sell in currencies outside the major ones (USD, EUR, GBP) where merchant account pricing for exotic currencies can be higher than Stripe’s.
- You’re a low-risk business with a single product, no subscriptions, and no upsells — the category where Stripe’s flat-rate model is least disadvantageous.
Even in these cases, plan your transition. As your international sales grow, the savings from moving domestic volume to a merchant account become significant. When you’re ready, explore the best Stripe alternatives for your domestic processing needs.
How to Set Up Stripe Payment Methods for International Sales
Getting started with Stripe’s global payment methods is straightforward:
- Enable dynamic payment methods in your Stripe Dashboard. Stripe will automatically show the most relevant payment methods based on each customer’s location and currency.
- Activate Adaptive Pricing to automatically convert your prices into local currencies for customers in 150+ markets.
- Review and enable specific methods for your target markets. Don’t activate everything — focus on the dominant methods in your top international markets.
- Set up a merchant account for your domestic transactions. Apply with a provider like DirectPayNet that understands your business model and can offer rates that beat Stripe’s flat pricing.
- Configure your payment routing to direct domestic transactions to your merchant account and international transactions to Stripe.
If you’re currently running everything through Stripe, transition gradually. Move 10–20% of your domestic volume to your new merchant account initially, then increase over 3–4 months. This avoids triggering any risk flags on your Stripe account.
Key Takeaways: Stripe Payment Methods for Global Sales
Stripe’s 125+ payment methods give you the ability to accept payments from customers worldwide, including cards, digital wallets, bank redirects, real-time payments, BNPL, and cash-based vouchers. Enabling the right mix of local payment methods in each market increases conversion rates, reduces cart abandonment, and builds customer trust.
Stripe’s Adaptive Pricing and multi-currency tools handle the complexity of presenting local prices and converting currencies, making it an excellent platform for international transactions.
However, for domestic transactions — typically the majority of your volume — a dedicated merchant account offers negotiable rates, greater account stability, and better support for high-ticket and seasonal businesses. The optimal strategy for most growing businesses is a hybrid approach: Stripe for international sales and currency conversion, paired with a merchant account for domestic processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What payment methods does Stripe support for international sales?
Stripe supports over 125 payment methods globally, including major card networks (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), bank redirects (iDEAL, Bancontact, EPS), real-time payments (PIX, UPI, PromptPay), buy now pay later options (Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm), bank debits (SEPA, ACH, BACS), and cash-based vouchers (Boleto, OXXO, Konbini).
How does Stripe handle currency conversion for global sales?
Stripe offers Adaptive Pricing, which automatically detects a customer’s location and converts your prices to their local currency using machine learning. The exchange rate includes a 2–4% conversion fee paid by the customer, not the merchant. You can also set static multi-currency prices for more control over your international pricing strategy.
How much does Stripe charge for international transactions?
For US-based businesses, Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per domestic card transaction, plus an additional 1.5% for international cards and 1% for currency conversion. Total fees on an international card transaction can reach 5.4% + $0.30. Alternative payment methods like bank debits and real-time payments may carry different fee structures. Learn more about the key differences between Stripe and merchant accounts.
How do I accept local payment methods in different countries?
Stripe lets you enable region-specific payment methods through your Dashboard. Turn on dynamic payment methods and Stripe will automatically surface the most relevant options based on each customer’s location. For example, customers in the Netherlands will see iDEAL, customers in Brazil will see PIX, and customers in India will see UPI — all without you building separate integrations for each.
How can I reduce Stripe processing fees on international sales?
The most effective way to reduce overall processing costs is to move your domestic transactions to a dedicated merchant account with negotiated interchange-plus pricing, and keep Stripe for international sales where its currency conversion and local payment methods add the most value. This hybrid approach means you only pay Stripe’s international surcharges on cross-border volume rather than your entire sales base.
What is Stripe Adaptive Pricing and how does it work?
Stripe Adaptive Pricing automatically detects a customer’s location and converts your prices into their local currency at checkout. It covers 150+ markets and works with Checkout, Payment Links, and Hosted Invoice Pages. The exchange rate includes a 2–4% conversion fee that the customer pays, not the merchant. This feature also enables local payment methods that require specific currencies, like iDEAL which only works with EUR.
