Cross-Border Payment Processors for Marketplaces: 2026

The best cross-border payment processors for marketplaces in 2026 are Ryft, Stripe Connect, and Airwallex. These platforms handle currency conversion, split payments, and international compliance. Your choice affects transaction costs, settlement speed, and regulatory oversight.

International marketplace payments involve currency conversion, compliance checks, and settlement coordination. Cross-border payment processors handle these complexities whilst enabling split payments between platform, sellers, and service providers. Choosing the right processor affects your costs, settlement speed, and regulatory compliance.

This guide compares three cross-border payment processors for UK and European marketplaces in 2026. You'll find pricing structures, compliance credentials, and marketplace-specific features including split payment capabilities and seller onboarding.

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How cross-border payment processing works for marketplaces

A cross-border payment processor enables marketplaces to accept and distribute payments internationally. The processor converts currencies, runs compliance checks, and settles funds across different banking systems.

Here's the transaction flow:

1. Customer pays in their local currency
2. Processor converts currency at current exchange rates
3. System runs AML and KYC compliance checks
4. Funds settle to platform account
5. Platform distributes payments to sellers according to split terms

For marketplaces, this process compounds in complexity. You're splitting a single payment between platform fees, seller earnings, and potentially third parties. You're managing currency conversion and international banking regulations simultaneously. Not all processors handle multiparty splits efficiently across borders. Some require custom development. Others charge additional fees per recipient.

Settlement timing varies significantly. Standard cross-border transactions can take three to five business days. Real-time payment systems, now adopted by over 70 countries in 2025, reduce this to minutes for supported currency corridors. However, exotic currency pairs still face longer delays due to correspondent banking requirements.

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Top 3 cross-border payment processors for marketplaces

1. Ryft: FCA-licensed marketplace specialist for UK and Europe

Best for: UK and European marketplaces requiring split payments with regulatory oversight

Ryft is an FCA-regulated payment service provider  built specifically for marketplace payment distribution. The platform handles cross-border transactions with full PSD2 compliance and automated split payments across multiple currencies.

For cross-border marketplace operations, Ryft's FCA licensing provides regulatory certainty for UK and European businesses. The platform manages compliance requirements including KYC, AML, and PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication across jurisdictions. The system supports automated split payments with transparent fee breakdowns.

The platform includes built-in escrow functionality for marketplaces requiring payment holds until delivery confirmation.

Volume-based pricing means costs decrease as transaction volume increases. Tuft, a UK marketplace, reduced payment processing costs by 62% after switching to Ryft from their previous processor.

Key features:

• FCA licensing for UK regulatory compliance
• Automated split payments to 50+ sellers per transaction
• Built-in escrow and delayed payment capabilities
• 24/7 UK-based support team

Learn more about Ryft's marketplace payment solutions

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2. Stripe Connect: Global reach with developer resources

Best for: SaaS platforms and global marketplaces with engineering teams

Stripe supports 135+ currencies with extensive API documentation and developer tools. The platform processes payments in 195 countries, offering the broadest geographic coverage among major processors.

Stripe's strength lies in global reach. If your marketplace requires presence across 100+ countries with custom payment workflows, Stripe's infrastructure supports that scale. The platform offers comprehensive developer documentation with code examples in eight programming languages.

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Key features:

• 135+ currency support across 195 countries
• Extensive API documentation and developer tools
• Integration with major ecommerce platforms

Compare Stripe with Ryft

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3. Airwallex: Multicurrency accounts for global operations

Best for: Technology companies with distributed teams and multicurrency requirements

Airwallex operates in 130+ countries with 50+ currency support. The platform combines payment processing with multicurrency business accounts. Businesses can hold and convert funds without forced settlement.

The multicurrency account structure suits marketplaces with international sellers paid in their local currencies. Rather than converting all funds to a single currency, platforms can maintain balances in multiple currencies.

For marketplaces with global seller networks requiring currency management, Airwallex's account structure provides useful treasury capabilities alongside payment processing.

Key features:

• 50+ currency support across 130+ countries
• Multicurrency business accounts with FX management
• Treasury capabilities for global operations

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Comparison table: Cross-border payment processors

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Marketplace cross-border considerations

Split payment currency management

Distributing a single customer payment across multiple recipients in different currencies requires careful handling. Some processors convert all funds to a base currency before splitting. This creates FX exposure for sellers. Others enable native currency payouts, preserving seller margins but requiring more complex reconciliation.

International seller onboarding

Onboarding sellers across multiple jurisdictions involves varying KYC and AML requirements. UK sellers need basic business verification. EU sellers require additional documentation for PSD2 compliance. Sellers outside Europe face different regulatory frameworks entirely.

Rapid seller onboarding systems reduce friction whilst maintaining compliance.

Compliance across jurisdictions

Cross-border marketplace payments involve multiple regulatory frameworks simultaneously. A UK platform selling to French customers with German sellers must navigate FCA oversight. The same transaction requires French consumer protection compliance. German business regulations also apply. All requirements must be met in a single transaction.

FCA-licensed processors handle UK regulatory requirements as standard. PSD2 compliance covers EU transactions. Processors without European licensing often require marketplaces to manage compliance independently. This creates legal risk and operational complexity.

Escrow with foreign exchange considerations

Marketplace escrow holding funds until delivery confirmation becomes more complex across currencies. Exchange rates fluctuate during the holding period. A payment captured in euros might be worth less in pounds by the time it releases to sellers.

Fees and cost structures for cross-border marketplaces

Cross-border payment fees typically include several components:

1. Transaction fees: Base percentage charged per payment
2. Currency conversion fees: Costs for converting between currencies
3. Cross-border fees: Additional charges for international cards
4. Settlement fees: Costs for transferring funds to bank accounts
5. Platform fees: Charges for marketplace-specific features

Ryft's volume-based pricing reduces costs as your marketplace grows.

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Security and regulatory compliance

Every legitimate cross-border processor maintains PCI DSS compliance. Beyond that, certifications vary by jurisdiction and specialisation.

FCA regulation (UK): FCA licensing means British regulatory oversight and mandatory client fund segregation. Regular compliance audits verify ongoing standards. Your funds stay protected even if the processor faces financial difficulties. Ryft holds FCA licence number 972895.

PSD2 compliance (EU): All major providers comply with PSD2 requirements including Strong Customer Authentication. Ryft handles PSD2 as standard for European transactions. US-based processors often require additional configuration for European compliance.

3D Secure 2.0: Modern processors implement 3DS 2.0 for fraud prevention without excessive friction. The protocol reduces false declines whilst maintaining security standards.

AML and KYC procedures: Required for all legitimate processors. For marketplaces, this means both customer verification and seller onboarding checks. Automated systems reduce onboarding time whilst maintaining compliance standards.

Fraud prevention tools: Real-time transaction monitoring, machine learning risk scoring, and chargeback alerts protect both platforms and sellers. IP geolocation, device fingerprinting, and velocity checks identify suspicious patterns. For marketplaces, fraud prevention must cover both customer payments and seller verification.

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Integration and technical requirements

API quality affects implementation speed and ongoing maintenance. Ryft, Stripe and Airwallex all offer documentation with extensive code examples. Ryft provides dedicated integration support with assigned technical contacts who understand marketplace requirements.

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Local payment methods by region

Different markets prefer different payment methods. Supporting local preferences increases conversion significantly:

• UK and Europe: Cards, bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay
• ‍China: Alipay, WeChat Pay (via partnerships)
• ‍Southeast Asia: GrabPay, GCash, Touch 'n Go
• ‍Latin America: Pix, Boleto, OXXO
• ‍Middle East: mada, Fawry, KNET

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Most processors connect with Shopify, WooCommerce, and major ecommerce platforms. For custom marketplace builds, you'll need direct API integration. Check API rate limits, webhook reliability, and error handling before committing.

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Support and reliability

Payment issues happen outside business hours. Your processor needs to respond when transactions fail at 2am on Saturday.

Ryft: 24/7 UK-based phone and chat support with dedicated account managers. Marketplace expertise means support teams understand split payment flows and seller onboarding issues.

Stripe: Email support with 24-hour response times. Smaller accounts receive slower responses. Phone support available for enterprise clients only.

Airwallex: Email and chat support. Response times vary by account size and issue urgency. No phone support for standard accounts.

For marketplaces, support quality directly affects seller satisfaction. When sellers can't access funds due to verification issues, delayed support responses compound the problem. Sellers contact the marketplace, not the processor. Your reputation suffers from processor failures.

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Why choose Ryft as your Payment Service Provider

Ryft is a leading Payment Services Provider (PSP) that specialises in marketplace payment solutions, ensuring full compliance and offering 24/7 support from humans. Using Ryft, businesses can accept payments anywhere, automate split payments, onboard sellers, set up delayed payments and recurring billing, earn commission from payment escrow, and much more.    

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