How international payment options influence conversions

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In the era of globalized consumption, consumers have never had so many choices, and their patience has never been so low.

When a customer finally finds the perfect item after browsing, but abandons the purchase at checkout because their preferred payment method isn’t available, it represents the biggest loss for the merchant.

International payment options, which may seem like a backend process, are actually a crucial step in determining the success of a sale, serving as the final key factor in whether the transaction goes through.

This article explains the necessity of offering international payment options for merchants and the impact that providing these options has on conversion rates. It also shows how Silkpay integrates international payment methods to help merchants achieve more sales.

Why is integrating international payment options a must?

The core influence of payment methods lies in trust and habit. They directly shape consumers’ payment decisions and have a significant impact on purchase completion rates.

For consumers, unfamiliar payment methods often raise security concerns. Consumers in the same region often have very different payment preferences. Forcing them to use unfamiliar methods is like putting up a wall in the conversion path. 

This is especially true in Asia, where digital payments are highly developed. For example, in many Southeast Asian countries, consumers heavily rely on e-wallets like Alipay+, WeChat Pay, GrabPay, or Boost. If merchants don’t offer these familiar options, customers are likely to abandon their purchase, directly affecting conversion rates and sales.

Research shows that over 30% of cart abandonment is caused by payment issues, with “Unable to find the preferred payment method” being one of the main reasons. For example, in China, where the population is large, WeChat Pay has a penetration rate of 94.6% in everyday transactions, while Alipay reaches 81.3%. Clearly, if merchants do not support these two payment methods, the vast majority of customers could be lost, which directly impacts business survival and growth.

How international payment methods boost conversion rates

Offering more payment options often leads to higher conversion rates, which is especially important for merchants looking to grow their business. While price and product advantages can be quickly copied, a localized and trust-based payment experience can become a strong core competitive advantage. It sends a clear message to customers: we respect and understand your needs.

Providing international payment options is no longer just a choice, it is a critical growth strategy. Investing in the right payment methods is a direct investment in higher conversion rates and a broader customer base.

For example, research by Stripe shows that every time a new payment method is added, merchants’ revenue increases by an average of 12%, and conversion rates rise by 7.4%. This means that adding more payment options is often an overlooked way to boost performance.

Merchants offering Apple Pay globally saw an average conversion rate increase of 22.3% and a revenue increase of 22.5%. Young consumers who favor mobile payments can quickly find countless shopping alternatives online or in physical stores. If their preferred payment option isn’t offered, they’ll easily turn to a competitor.

This effect is even more pronounced among Asian customers, who rely heavily on digital wallets:

• In China, offering Alipay to Chinese customers increased conversion rates by 91%.This is entirely understandable, because for Asian customers, switching stores is much easier to accept than changing their preferred payment method.

• Globally, merchants offering WeChat Pay saw an average conversion rate increase of 13% and an average revenue increase of 14%. Therefore, for merchants outside of Asia, offering payment methods preferred by Asian customers can have an immediate and significant impact on attracting their business.

Payment methods are not just tools for transactions, they’re a key factor influencing customer decisions. Offering payment options that match local preferences can directly break through the barriers of sales.

Integrate diverse international payment methods with Silkpay

In short, connecting to major payment solutions like Alipay and WeChat Pay is no longer optional, it’s a must-have for boosting conversion rates and directly increasing revenue. 

As a European payment service provider, Silkpay helps merchants access a wide range of payment methods to drive both conversions and sales.

Alipay+ and WeChat Pay: unlocking high-potential Asian markets

Silkpay offers merchants flexible ways to integrate Alipay+ and WeChat Pay, enabling precise access to Chinese and broader Asian markets. By aligning with local consumer payment habits, merchants can effectively raise their sales conversion rates.

Silkpay supports up to five integration models, so merchants of all sizes and technical capabilities can find a solution that suits them:

• API Integration: Ideal for businesses with their own websites or apps that require a highly customized payment flow.

• POS Terminal Integration: For brick-and-mortar retailers, restaurants, and supermarkets, Silkpay provides smart POS terminals (e.g., PAX A920 Pro) with built-in Alipay+ and WeChat Pay. These devices accept QR code payments, bank cards, mobile wallets, and more, which significantly reduces queues and enhances in-store checkout experiences.

• Plugin Integration: For small and medium-sized merchants on platforms like PrestaShop or WooCommerce, Silkpay offers free payment plugins.

• Mobile POS Integration: By simply installing the Silkpay app, a smartphone can function as a mobile payment terminal.

• QR Code Integration: Merchants can display a Silkpay-issued static QR code for customers to scan and pay with Alipay or WeChat.

The added advantage of Alipay+: one integration, 20+ Asian e-wallets

Integrating Alipay+ lets merchants accept not only Alipay but also over 20 other leading Asian wallets, including Korea’s KakaoPay, Singapore’s GrabPay, and Malaysia’s Touch ‘n Go eWallet and more, so merchants can reach more than two billion potential consumers across Asia.

Apple Pay, Google Pay, and beyond

Beyond Asia-focused solutions, Silkpay also enables merchants to integrate global e-wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Apple Pay primarily serves users within Apple’s ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Mac), while Google Pay is geared toward Android users and Chrome. Together, they cover hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. By supporting these wallets, merchants meet key customer preferences and boost order conversions.

These wallets are deeply integrated with users’ devices, supporting contactless payments (e.g., via NFC). Whether on an e-commerce site or in-store, they deliver smooth checkout experiences. 

Support for Visa, Mastercard and more

As the cornerstone of the global payments ecosystem, credit and debit card transactions remain an essential payment method. Silkpay enables merchants to accept major international cards such as Visa and Mastercard, as well as UnionPay, ensuring access to the broadest global customer base.

Silkpay supports integration with leading card networks including Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay. This ensures merchants can serve customers worldwide who prefer to pay by credit or debit card. For online transactions, card payments can be integrated via API, payment plugins, or Pay-by-Link solutions. For in-store sales, Silkpay’s smart POS terminals and mobile app accept swipe, chip, and contactless card payments, giving brick-and-mortar merchants flexible payment options.

Conclusion

With Silkpay, merchants can integrate more than 30 payment methods in one place — from major East Asian e-wallets (Alipay+, WeChat Pay) and globally popular wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) to leading international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay). This comprehensive payment coverage delivers significant benefits for merchants: higher conversion rates, access to new customer segments, improved user experience, and greater operational efficiency.

About the author: Silkpay

Based in Paris, Silkpay provides omnichannel and secure payment solutions to help physical stores and e-commerce in Europe and the Americas accept more than 30 of the world's most popular payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, CB, UnionPay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay as well as Asia-Pacific’s major e-wallets.

Silkpay is a winner of the LVMH Innovation Award. The company was also selected as a finalist for the "Money 20/20" Best Startup and in the "MPE Berlin” Startup Awards. Silkpay also won the "Best Fintech" awards from Capgemini and BPCE.

Silkpay helps merchants deliver the smoothest payment experience to their customers. We are a talented and international team driven by a single goal: to improve the customer experience and make payments simple and secure.