Global Businesses Grapple with Complex Payment Challenges
Companies operating across multiple countries and serving a diverse international customer base often encounter payment hurdles that traditional banking systems are ill-equipped to handle. These challenges can manifest as lengthy wire transfer clearing times, fees levied by correspondent banks at each stage, and significant delays for contractors in locations like Buenos Aires, Singapore, or Lagos, who may wait longer for payment than the duration of their work. While stablecoins offer some improvements by streamlining certain payment routes, they are not a universally perfect solution.
This guide explores some of the leading payment platforms available to businesses today, detailing their fees, supported destinations, and regulatory oversight. Our evaluation considered published pricing, regulatory standing, the range of currencies and countries each platform serves, and the ease with which businesses could verify this information without needing to schedule a sales call. This last criterion proved to be a significant differentiator, with several established providers offering only a contact form, a fact we have noted where applicable.
Here are five platforms and their primary use cases:
Performa: Digital Asset Payment Infrastructure
Performa provides payment infrastructure for companies that manage digital assets and require bidirectional movement of these funds. The platform enables businesses to accept payments via links and invoices, execute bulk payouts from CSV files, convert between cryptocurrency and fiat through vetted over-the-counter (OTC) partners, and monitor all wallet activity from a centralized treasury dashboard.
For payroll, finance teams can upload a contractor list and process all payments in a single run, eliminating the per-transfer bank charges that can make small international payments uneconomical. Onboarding is offered in two tiers: simplified verification for basic account access, and full Know Your Business (KYB) verification to lift limits and unlock additional benefits. The platform supports both custodial and self-custodial wallets, allowing companies to retain control of their private keys if desired.
In a nutshell:
- Pros: Facilitates digital asset management and cross-border payments, streamlines payroll, offers flexible wallet options.
- Cons: Specific details on fees and limitations require direct inquiry.
BVNK: Global Stablecoin and Fiat Solutions
BVNK, a London-based company, specializes in accepting stablecoins, holding balances, and converting them to fiat, with the added capability of API integration. The company processes approximately $30 billion annually across more than 200 markets. Mastercard acquired BVNK earlier in 2026 for $1.5 billion, with an additional $300 million tied to performance milestones, a deal that closed on August 3, ahead of its original December target. This acquisition was one of the largest stablecoin deals on record, following earlier acquisition talks by Coinbase valued at around $2 billion.
BVNK boasts an extensive regulatory footprint, holding over 40 licenses and registrations across the UK, EU, and US, including an electronic money institution authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority. The platform operates on enterprise terms, with one significant restriction: [details not provided in source text].
In a nutshell:
- Pros: Extensive global reach, strong regulatory compliance, significant transaction volume, Mastercard backing.
- Cons: Primarily enterprise-focused, specific restrictions apply.
NOWPayments: Versatile Crypto Payment Gateway
Launched by ChangeNOW in 2019, NOWPayments is a cryptocurrency payment gateway that supports over 300 cryptocurrencies and 75 fiat currencies, settling funds to a merchant-controlled wallet. Payments are routed through a one-time deposit address. Merchants can opt to convert received assets into different cryptocurrencies, with payouts automatically sent to their designated wallet. An optional Custody product allows for pooling funds within the platform, enabling merchants to make a single withdrawal rather than incurring network fees for each individual payment.
The platform supports mass payouts of up to 1,000 transactions at a time, suitable for contractor payroll, refunds, and affiliate payments. The service fee is 0.5% for mono-currency payments (where the customer and merchant use the same coin). This fee increases to 1% for payments involving currency conversion, or when a fixed exchange rate or the fee-paid-by-user option is activated. Network fees are additional, with the company’s documentation indicating three per payment: one paid by the customer and two deducted from the deposit.
In a nutshell:
- Pros: Wide range of supported cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, flexible settlement options, mass payout capabilities.
- Cons: Network fees are additional to service fees, potential for multiple network fees per transaction.
BitPay: Established Crypto Payment Processor
BitPay has been processing cryptocurrency payments since 2011 and is recognized as one of the leading payment service providers and digital wallet applications. The New York Department of Financial Services licenses BitPay for virtual currency business activity under NMLS ID 1496848.
The platform supports a broad array of assets, including BTC, BCH, ETH, XRP, LTC, DOGE, USDC, DAI, and EURC, among others. Fiat settlement is available in seven currencies, including the US dollar, euro, and British pound. Merchants can choose to receive payments in fiat, crypto, or a combination of both, with fiat funds typically arriving in their bank account daily. Fee structures are tiered: 2% plus 25 cents for transactions below $500,000; 1.5% plus 25 cents for transactions between $500,000 and $999,999; and 1% plus 25 cents for transactions of $1 million or more.
In a nutshell:
- Pros: Long-standing reputation, broad asset support, flexible settlement options, tiered fee structure.
- Cons: Fiat settlement limited to seven currencies, transaction fees can be significant for smaller amounts.
Revolut: European Payment Giant with Crypto Integration
Revolut stands as Europe’s largest payment processor, offering multi-currency balances, local account details, cards, expense management, and API access across markets including the UK, US, EEA, Singapore, Australia, and the UAE. Cryptocurrency is integrated as an investable asset within the Revolut Business app, allowing businesses to buy, hold, and sell over 220 tokens. The majority of funds are kept in cold storage, with permissions governing team member trading activities.
However, it is crucial to understand Revolut’s limitations: businesses cannot receive cryptocurrencies from external accounts, nor can they send cryptocurrencies from their Revolut Business account. Funds originating from crypto dealing or trading are also prohibited under the terms. The crypto functionality primarily serves as treasury exposure, with payments still processed through traditional banking rails.
Published pricing is available in a legal fee schedule: UK plans include Basic at £10 per month, Grow at £35 per month or £360 annually, Scale at £125 per month or £1,080 annually, and Enterprise with custom pricing.
In a nutshell:
- Pros: Comprehensive financial services, extensive market reach, integrated crypto investment for treasury.
- Cons: Crypto functionality is limited to holding and trading within the platform; cannot send or receive crypto externally.
Key Considerations for Choosing a Payment Platform
When selecting a payment platform, businesses should consider the following steps:
Step 1: Define Your Needs: Prioritize providers based on your primary requirements, whether it’s collecting payments, making payouts, holding balances, or currency conversion. Few platforms excel in all four areas.
Step 2: Scrutinize Fees: Look beyond advertised transaction fees to include subscription, payout, and foreign exchange (FX) costs. Compare exchange rates against the mid-market rate, as FX spreads are often a significant hidden expense.
Step 3: Verify Recipient Payouts: Confirm that recipients can receive local currency in local bank accounts if necessary, and assess whether bank transfers or stablecoin payouts are more suitable for your target markets.
Step 4: Inquire About Settlement Times: Understand real-world settlement times, accounting for weekends, holidays, and compliance reviews, not just the best-case scenarios.
Step 5: Assess Regulatory Status: Verify the provider’s registration and licensing. Different levels of oversight and protection are offered by various licenses and banking arrangements; confirm what applies and request license numbers.
Step 6: Ensure Business Compatibility: Many providers impose restrictions on crypto-related activities. Thoroughly review the terms and conditions before integration to ensure your business operations are fully supported.
Additional Factors for Payment Platform Evaluation
Several factors warrant careful consideration when evaluating payment platforms:
- Stablecoin Risk: A dollar held in USDC represents a claim on Circle’s reserves, while USDT is a claim on Tether’s. Neither is a bank deposit with insurance. This risk is amplified as two issuers dominate business stablecoin flows, meaning issues at either could impact most platforms in this guide, excluding those that do not accept stablecoins.
- Key Management: Determine whether the platform holds your private keys or if you do, and understand the implications for your balance in the event of the company’s failure.
- Irreversible Crypto Payments: While crypto payments shield merchants from chargeback fraud, they leave buyers without recourse. This characteristic shapes the types of businesses that can sensibly accept them.
- Regulatory Landscape: Licensing regimes for digital asset payments vary significantly across jurisdictions like Singapore, the EU, and the US. A platform available in one market this year may not be in another next year.
- Destination Matters: For well-served corridors like SEPA, a mid-market rate transfer through services like Wise may be more cost-effective than a stablecoin payout when conversion costs at both ends are factored in. Conversely, for markets with slow banking or restricted dollar access, USDC or USDT payouts are typically cheaper and faster.
- Problem Solved: The value of crypto payments is highest when they address a specific problem. Businesses with customers paying by card and staff in well-banked countries may see little benefit. However, companies paying contributors across numerous countries or those whose customers prefer settling in stablecoins stand to gain significantly.
- Tax Implications: In most jurisdictions, crypto is treated as property for tax purposes, meaning a transaction can result in a gain or loss between receipt and spending. Platforms that produce audit-grade records, such as Request Finance, are therefore more valuable than their feature lists might suggest. Seek local tax advice before running payroll this way.
- Recipient Value: The recipient may end up with less value than the sender intended due to fees. Platforms that settle merchants in fiat absorb this risk in exchange for their fee. Those paying out in stablecoins pass this risk to the recipient, making it crucial for contracts to specify who bears this responsibility.
