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For medium to large businesses handling high volumes of transactions every month, payment gateway fees can significantly impact profitability. While these fees are an essential cost of doing business in the digital economy, understanding their structure and selecting the right payment gateway can save your company thousands—or even millions—of dollars annually.

Understanding the intricacies of foreign exchange can be a daunting task for any business. It is, however, important for any business that engages in international transactions. The exchange rate can significantly impact your profitability, especially for businesses dealing with large volumes of foreign currency.

We are thrilled to introduce you to our upgraded Global Account platform. We've made significant improvements to offer you a more streamlined, intuitive and powerful experience. Let's explore the changes and enhancements.

The payment processing landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer preferences, and a push for greater security and convenience. As we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, several key trends are emerging that will shape how businesses and consumers transact. Let’s explore the most significant payment processing trends to watch.

Amazon is back on July 16-17, celebrating its tenth year with a 48-hour bonanza of steep discounts for Prime members. Last year, over 375 million items were sold globally, and this year promises to be even bigger.

Long-term eCommerce success means optimising customer journeys and experiences before and while users visit your website and purchase your products. Below, we look at increasing traffic, and improving conversion and customer experience, providing you with a pipeline of new and returning customers to make your business thrive.

Are you aiming to enhance profits in 2024 while dealing with international clients and exploring new markets? Here are some tips on how to make this year your most successful yet.

In a previous article, we covered how production, inventorying, warehousing and currency exchange can be optimised by your business. But what else can you do to make the most out of Q4’s seasonal eCommerce opportunities?

With the holiday season soon upon us, how can you optimise your supply chain to get the most out of potential sales?

Payment gateways enable websites to accept debit or credit card purchases, serving as a link between customers, businesses and payment processors. They simplify payments for businesses, and are able to handle multiple currencies and adapt to different local payment methods.

Amazon Prime Day 2023 has officially been announced. Get ready to save big on Tuesday, 11 July and Wednesday, 12 July.

In today’s global economy, cross-border payments have become an integral part of doing business. With the rise of eCommerce and the need for businesses to expand their operations globally, companies are now dealing with customers and suppliers from all over the world.

Note: this article does not constitute business advice. Please seek a certified consultant and exercise judgement for professional guidance.

Dealing with foreign exchange, or FX, comes with the territory of being an international business, which is why it is critical to understand how FX rates work if you want to get the most out of your cross-border transfers. 

If you are looking to scale your business globally in the modern economy, you need to ensure that your organisation has the infrastructure to accommodate growth.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned eCommerce retailer or an aspiring online entrepreneur, dropshipping is likely a term you’ve heard in passing. It’s more than just another buzzword, however. It’s a fulfilment method well known for its flexibility and cost-effectiveness and is increasingly popular worldwide. In fact, dropshipping could be your stepping stone to a successful online retail business. 

Individuals and businesses alike are transferring money in different currencies to foreign bank accounts at an increasing rate. Global businesses, the rise of eCommerce, and the interconnectedness of the modern economy have made this a great convenience for many, and a necessity for some.

While the 2022 holiday shopping season is showing promise, eCommerce forecasts for 2023 are bracing for a slowdown during non-peak seasons and casting doubts on the future of online retail.

When selling products online, the first thing that comes to mind may be setting up an online store. Long gone are the days when you have to pay for expensive website developers. Instead, merchants now have a plethora of website-building platforms at their disposal to save them the time, money and the hassle of building an eCommerce store from scratch. 

The Japanese yen has recently rebounded from historic lows against the US dollar. While economists and experts have raised concerns about the consequences if it continues to fall, there is a silver lining for businesses and importers. With the world slowly returning to post-pandemic normality, the weakened yen could be a welcome pretext for entering the Japanese market or importing goods from the region. 

There’s been a seismic surge in eCommerce sales since the COVID-19 pandemic forced consumers and businesses to shift their spending and selling habits online. As a result, the market has become increasingly more competitive. And, while online sales continue to soar, so does the rise of returns.

As one of the world’s largest payment platforms, PayPal has helped millions of retailers and consumers worldwide with cross-border payments. Its compatibility with various payment options and devices makes the platform highly popular in today’s highly-diverse online business world.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the eCommerce landscape. Consumer adoption of digital products and services, as well as online shopping, have exploded - leading to an increase of online sellers jumping to meet the demand. The Payment Service Provider (PSP) Program is part of Amazon’s continued efforts to be the safest and the most trusted store in the world for customers and sellers.  Participating PSPs must have appropriate risk and compliance controls in place and work with Amazon to reduce the potential for fraud and abuse.

Our world is more online and connected than ever before. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that eCommerce has become a crucial part of consumer behaviour. As the world’s largest eCommerce platform, Amazon is at the forefront of this global transformation. 

If you’ve sent funds abroad or work in an industry that executes international payments, you know that most of these international transfers are carried out via the SWIFT network. And, while this process sounds fast, the acronym is proving to be a misnomer — SWIFT transfers tend to be anything but and often incur high costs.Spending time to educate yourself on the basics of SWIFT will not only help you (and your business) navigate the international payment ecosystem, but it will help lay the foundation in understanding how solutions like Currenxie are creating a better alternative for cross-border payments, awarding your businesses with more affordable options without you having to sacrifice security.

Our most requested and anticipated new product has launched!

Being a successful Seller on Amazon is somewhat of a Catch-22 situation: the better you sell, the more products you need to purchase. However, the key issue remains — you don’t have the cash on hand when you need it the most.

Hong Kong boasts one of the most comprehensive, simplest and cheapest tax payment systems in the world. Value-added tax, withholding tax, estate tax, dividend tax, sales tax, inheritance tax, tax on interest and capital gains tax are non-existent which makes the special administrative region an ideal shopping hub and financial base for companies and workers alike.

It’s no secret that the pandemic-filled boom of online businesses and eCommerce start-ups has completely transformed the global retail landscape. COVID-19 has accelerated eCommerce’s growth, with total online spending hitting US$82.5 billion in 2020, a 77% increase year-over-year. This trend is set to continue well into 2021, with January seeing online sales accounting for more than a third of total retail spend – the highest proportion ever.

Even if you have the funding, capital, and ideas necessary to start an online business, you will still run into a few difficulties along the way — a primary one being that every market is highly competitive these days. Therefore, starting an online business comes with competitors from all across the world — not just in your locale. Conversely, this also implies that your customers belong to a global market which means there is a real potential for rapid, unlimited growth.

In the age of globalisation, eCommerce is everywhere and online businesses belong to a global market. Unfortunately, for newer and smaller businesses, this means competition is incredibly steep and success requires more hard work and growth strategies than ever before.

As we begin the journey towards a new normal, financial services are looking to the future. Markets are adapting to a post-COVID world and financial technology companies are evolving to meet these needs.

Global travel is still at an all-time low due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however, the demand for cross-border trade and global eCommerce has never been higher. Yet, one of the main factors plaguing most of the big and small businesses that make trillions of dollars in cross-border payments annually remains the expensive, restrictive and cumbersome traditional payment solutions.

It’s safe to say that we’ve entered the age of eCommerce. New brands are popping up from all corners of the world, and many of our old favourites are making the transition from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping - and that’s not including eCommerce behemoths like Amazon, which have fundamentally changed the way we shop forever.

What is the Minimum Wage Policy In Hong Kong?

Digital banking solutions are revolutionising the way businesses operate. By offering global entrepreneurs and brands access to an affordable, efficient, and streamlined banking solution, digital business accounts are nurturing a new era of global commerce.

The massive impact of the pandemic has upended most industries for better or worse. While many business owners were forced to respond to the unprecedented demands of COVID-19 by ramping up their digital capabilities, no one could have predicted the acceleration of certain trends in the payments space.

It took COVID-19 just a few months to transform the world. And while the globe breathes a sigh of relief as a potential vaccine promises to bring some semblance of normality back into our lives, we’re still grappling with what the pandemic’s impact will ultimately be. However, if one thing is certain it’s that COVID-19 accelerated a digital transformation shift that was expected to take years.

Amazon is one of the most effective ways for merchants to reach a large, motivated audience by giving them the perfect platform to showcase their products. However, while it’s easy to sign up to the online marketplace, one section that’s often overlooked in the Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement is insurance.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are primary catalysts for economic development, representing up to 90% of businesses and responsible for 70% of employment worldwide. And while a recent study found that small businesses that acquire external capital are more likely to grow and scale their businesses, access to finance is a major struggle for most SMEs, despite loans being essential to fund them.

eSellers understand the importance of providing a seamless user experience in their website or app, as well as the fact that a large part of customer satisfaction lies in eliminating barriers at checkout. In fact, according to a recent survey, with online payments fast becoming ubiquitous, customer experience is becoming the prime competitive differentiator.

When it comes to cross-border trading, access to trade finance is a crucial component for any entrepreneur if they want to succeed. Exporters expect to be paid upon shipment, while importers require cash upfront when goods are received, creating a time gap that’s threatened by the risk of non-payment.

As engines of economic growth, drivers of innovation and social development, the world needs SMEs to thrive. Not only do they account for 60% of most countries’ GDP, according to recent reports, they also contribute to more than 90% of employment worldwide. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the globe’s SMEs hard.

From the day an entrepreneur launches their business — even before they hire their first employee — they expose themselves to certain risks. An unforeseen disaster or single lawsuit could be catastrophic enough to cripple a business before it’s had a chance to get off the ground. That’s why it’s essential that business owners ensure they have the right insurance in place.

Unemployment fraud, stolen COVID-19 relief funds, Twitter account takeovers and the hacked financial data of millions — one just needs to turn on the news to find the latest story on economic crime and fraud. With rates at record highs, fraud is affecting companies in more diverse ways than ever before.

Hong Kong is often ranked as one of the best jurisdictions in the world to open and operate a business. Over the decades, the Special Administrative Region has attracted entrepreneurs from around the world with the promise of fewer government regulations and lower business and personal taxes. However, while Hong Kong has developed an ‘entrepreneur-friendly’ reputation, the reality is that opening a business isn’t without its challenges.

Finding a banking solution for an eCommerce business can be challenging. Traditional banks are often slow, offer poor customer service, and there always seems to be a fee for something.

A recent report revealed that banks are charging UK SMEs US$6 billion per year in hidden fees for cross-border payments. As the SME sector continues to grow — particularly the eCommerce market — there is an increased need for financial services designed to overcome the challenges of cross-border payments for businesses.

The routines and values that guided consumers have been reshaped by the world-changing phenomenon that is the COVID-19 crisis. And while the world is learning to live with the reality of the virus, there is still a general sense of pessimism about the globe’s economic recovery. However, if there is one thing the pandemic can teach us, it’s a valuable lesson in how consumers behave when they’re in ‘survival mode’.

Startups and small businesses are drivers of economic growth and innovation. They are experimental, bold, and quick to react to changes in consumer demands. They are also increasingly borderless, especially those engaged in eCommerce.

A company’s cash flow is the crux of its success. However, the global economy has taken an undeniable beating thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, with smaller businesses hit particularly hard. Predating the crisis, 61% of small business owners admitted to struggling with cash flow with almost a third of them (32%) unable to pay their vendors, pay back loans, or pay themselves or employees. In light of the pandemic, it’s estimated that this number will likely surge.

While no one knows the full implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear that it’s created a massive shift in human behaviour, including changing the way people work, learn, shop and socialise. The eCommerce industry has been one of the major beneficiaries of global lockdown orders, that has seen millions of people being forced to shift most of their spending habits online out of necessity.

Before the global pandemic hit, a recent survey determined that 85% of business owners believed that expanding internationally was vital for their company’s success. Conversely, the number of SMEs who don’t generate any income abroad was expected to decrease by more than 30%. And now, in today’s post-COVID world, expanding one’s business globally has become a strategic imperative for companies who want to ensure their growth and protect themselves against the risk of decline in domestic markets.

Many of today’s entrepreneurs know that speed is the key to start-up success. And while this notion has a lot to do with being the first to market, it also applies to novice business owners having the necessary resources to take their companies off the ground — starting with a corporate bank account.

As unprecedented challenges make it inconvenient for people to travel and meet, an increasing number of entrepreneurs choose to enter the online world to source, trade and sell their products and services. Here, we briefly detail some of the most relevant aspects to consider when setting up an eCommerce business in Hong Kong, the financial hub of Asia:

The advantages of eCommerce over traditional retail has drawn new and existing businesses for well over a decade, but in the face of challenges presented by COVID-19, adaption to online selling or a hybrid model has become a necessity for many.

Why cash flow is crucial  

The launch of our new website is an exciting moment for us, but it is also only the first step in a series of upgrades and launches that will take us well into 2020, and lay the foundations for the next stage in our company’s evolution.

Hong Kong Fintech Week is the biggest show of the year for the latest and greatest in finance and technology, and for 2019 Currenxie is delighted to be a Fintech Partner and sponsor of the show.

Businesses born today belong to a global market.  

After you've received your unique collection account details in the country and currency of your choice on the Global Account platform, you're going to want to add or update these bank account details in your Amazon Seller Central account.