Accepting credit and debit cards can make a major difference for businesses in St Helena. For years, card acceptance on the island has been more limited than in many larger markets. Today, however, the payment landscape is changing, with local businesses gaining greater access to Visa and Mastercard acceptance.
The St Helena Government has worked with UK-based payment services provider Webpays to expand Visa and Mastercard merchant services for local businesses. Approved businesses can have transaction funds deposited into a Bank of St Helena account or a UK bank account.
At the same time, businesses that sell online or serve customers outside the island may need payment infrastructure that goes beyond local point-of-sale transactions. International cards, multiple currencies, online checkout, fraud protection, payment gateways, and reliable settlement can all become important.
This guide looks at seven payment providers that businesses may consider when researching credit card processing in St Helena.
Important: Availability, underwriting, supported business types, and local acquiring arrangements can vary. Businesses should confirm directly with each provider whether services are available to their St Helena business and payment model.
1. WebPays
WebPays is a payment processing option to consider for businesses that need international credit card acceptance and more specialized payment infrastructure.
For businesses operating in industries that banks or mainstream processors may classify as higher risk, finding a suitable merchant account can be more difficult. A payment provider needs to understand the company business model, expected transaction volume, customer locations, products or services, and risk profile.
WebPays focuses on payment solutions for international and higher-risk businesses, making it a potential option for merchants that need more than a conventional card-processing setup.
Depending on eligibility and the merchant’s requirements, businesses may look for capabilities such as:
- Credit and debit card processing
- International payment acceptance
- Multi-currency transactions
- Online payment gateways
- Fraud and transaction monitoring
- 3D Secure
- Chargeback management
- Alternative payment methods
- Payment gateway integration
- International settlement options
For a St Helena business selling products or services to customers overseas, international processing can be particularly important.
The key question is not simply how much a processor charges per transaction. Merchants should also consider approval requirements, settlement arrangements, supported currencies, reserves, dispute management, and the countries where customers are located.
Best suited for: Businesses seeking international or specialized payment-processing solutions.
2. inquid
inquid is another provider that businesses can investigate when comparing international and higher-risk credit card processing options.
Modern merchants increasingly need payment infrastructure that can handle customers from multiple countries. A business based in St Helena may have local customers while also selling to tourists, international clients, or customers through an online store.
That can create additional payment requirements.
inquid payment infrastructure is positioned around international and higher-risk businesses, with areas such as merchant accounts, payment gateways, multi-currency processing, risk management, and transaction routing being relevant when evaluating a provider.
For merchants, the goal should be to build a payment setup that balances convenience with security.
Important features to investigate include:
- Visa and Mastercard acceptance
- International acquiring
- Multi-currency processing
- Fraud prevention
- 3D Secure authentication
- Chargeback controls
- Payment routing
- Online checkout integration
- Settlement options
Businesses in St Helena should confirm whether their particular business type and location are supported before beginning an application.
Best suited for: International merchants looking for specialized payment infrastructure.
3. Paycly
Paycly can also be included in a comparison of credit card processing providers for businesses that need international payment capabilities.
Credit card processing is not simply the moment a customer enters their card number. Behind the checkout experience are several stages involving authorization, payment networks, acquiring institutions, fraud checks, and settlement.
For a small island economy such as St Helena, international payment connectivity can be particularly important for businesses serving overseas customers.
When evaluating Paycly or a similar processor, merchants should ask about:
- Supported card networks
- Accepted countries
- Supported currencies
- Merchant account requirements
- Settlement currencies
- Processing limits
- Reserve policies
- Chargeback procedures
- Fraud-prevention tools
- Gateway integration
The right provider will depend on the merchant’s location, business category, transaction profile, and target customers.
Best suited for: Businesses comparing international merchant-account and credit-card-processing solutions.
4. Amald
Amald is another name that can be considered when researching international payment-processing options.
Every business has a different payment profile. A hotel serving tourists, an online retailer selling internationally, a professional-services company, and a higher-risk digital business will not necessarily require the same merchant account.
That is why businesses should evaluate Amald based on their actual requirements rather than choosing a provider solely because of its advertised transaction rate.
For a St Helena business, some of the most important questions include:
- Can the business be onboarded from St Helena?
- Which card networks are supported?
- Can international customers make payments?
- Which currencies can be processed?
- Where are funds settled?
- Are reserves required?
- How are chargebacks handled?
- What fraud controls are included?
- Can the payment gateway integrate with the website?
These questions can help reveal the real cost and practicality of a payment solution.
Best suited for: Merchants comparing specialized and international payment-processing services.
5. BoxChrge
BoxChrge is another provider that can be evaluated when researching credit card processing for businesses with international payment requirements.
For merchants, the checkout screen is only one part of the payment process. Behind it, the payment provider needs to handle authorization, transaction security, settlement, and potentially disputes or fraud alerts.
This becomes especially important when a business accepts payments from customers outside its home market.
A St Helena merchant considering BoxChrge should check whether the provider supports its business location, industry, currencies, expected processing volume, and preferred settlement method.
Businesses should also compare:
- Processing fees
- Gateway fees
- International transaction costs
- Settlement time
- Currency-conversion costs
- Chargeback fees
- Reserve requirements
- Fraud tools
- Integration options
A low advertised processing rate does not necessarily mean a payment solution will be the cheapest overall.
Best suited for: Merchants exploring international credit-card-processing alternatives.
6. Wise
Wise is well known for international money transfers and multi-currency financial services. It can therefore be relevant to businesses that regularly deal with international currencies and cross-border payments.
However, merchants should make an important distinction between international money management and credit card processing.
A business accepting customer card payments generally needs a merchant-acquiring or payment-processing arrangement capable of handling card authorization and transaction flows. A multi-currency account by itself is not necessarily a replacement for a merchant account.
Wise may be useful for certain international business and currency-management requirements, but businesses should carefully check its current eligibility requirements and terms for their particular activities.
For a St Helena business, useful questions include:
- Can the account be opened from St Helena?
- Which currencies are supported?
- Can the service receive business payments?
- What payment activities are permitted?
- How are funds converted and transferred?
- Are there restrictions on particular industries?
Best suited for: International transfers and currency management, where the service is available and appropriate for the business.
7. Payoneer
Payoneer is another established provider in the international payments space and is commonly associated with cross-border business payments and receiving funds from international customers or platforms.
For a St Helena business working with overseas clients, international payment access can be valuable. However, businesses should distinguish between receiving business funds and operating a full credit-card merchant-processing solution.
A merchant that wants customers to pay by Visa or Mastercard may require a dedicated payment gateway or acquiring arrangement in addition to its business payment account.
Before choosing Payoneer, merchants should verify:
- Availability for St Helena residents or businesses
- Supported business activities
- Available currencies
- Receiving-account options
- Conversion fees
- Withdrawal options
- Transaction limits
- Compliance requirements
Best suited for: Cross-border business payments and international fund management, subject to eligibility and provider terms.
Why Credit Card Processing Matters in St Helena
St Helena has a unique payment environment. The island uses the St Helena pound (SHP), which is equivalent to the British pound, and GBP is also accepted locally. However, international card acceptance has historically been limited. The St Helena Government currently says acceptance of international Visa and Mastercard cards is growing, but it is not yet universal.
This makes payment infrastructure an important consideration for businesses.
For example, a hotel or tour operator may have customers arriving from the UK, Europe, South Africa, or elsewhere. An online business may receive orders from customers who have never visited the island.
In both cases, customers increasingly expect convenient electronic payment options.
Local Payment Infrastructure vs International Card Processing
Businesses should also understand the difference between St Helena Pay and international card processing.
Bank of St Helena operates the St Helena Pay service, which supports local debit cards, Start Smart Cards, and Tourist Cards. Participating businesses can accept payments through the service, with features including sales, refunds, pre-authorisation, gratuity, and daily settlement.
The Bank of St Helena also offers a Tourist Card that can be loaded with GBP and used at participating St Helena Pay merchants.
For businesses serving international customers, however, a separate Visa/Mastercard processing arrangement may be necessary.
The St Helena Government’s investment information confirms that approved local businesses can access Visa and Mastercard merchant services through Ryft Pay, with transaction funds capable of being deposited into a Bank of St Helena account or UK bank account.
This means merchants should decide whether they need:
Local payment acceptance, international card acceptance, or both.
How to Choose the Right Credit Card Processor
Choosing a payment provider should start with the business rather than the provider’s headline pricing.
1. Check availability
First confirm that the provider can onboard businesses located in St Helena.
This is especially important because St Helena has a small and geographically remote market.
2. Look at supported cards
Visa and Mastercard are particularly relevant for international customers. Businesses should confirm exactly which card networks and payment methods are supported.
3. Compare currencies
If your customers pay in GBP, EUR, USD, ZAR, or another currency, understand how conversion works and what fees may apply.
4. Understand settlement
Ask when funds will reach your business bank account and in which currency.
Settlement timing can have a direct impact on cash flow.
5. Review fraud protection
Online merchants should consider tools such as 3D Secure, transaction monitoring, velocity checks, and other fraud-prevention measures.
6. Don’t ignore chargebacks
A payment processor should provide a clear process for handling disputes and chargebacks.
7. Check integration
For online businesses, the processor should integrate smoothly with the website, shopping cart, invoicing system, or other payment technology.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best credit card processing provider in St Helena requires a slightly different approach from choosing a processor in a large mainland market.
The island has its own local payment infrastructure, including St Helena Pay, while international Visa and Mastercard acceptance is continuing to expand.
For businesses that need international payment capabilities, providers such as WebPays, inquid, PayCly, Amald, BoxChrge, Wise, and Payoneer can be included in the comparison, but they should not be assumed to offer identical services or guaranteed availability in St Helena.
The best option depends on what your business actually needs.
A local retailer may prioritize reliable point-of-sale card acceptance. A hotel may need international cards and pre-authorisation. An online store may need a payment gateway and multiple currencies. A business selling internationally may care more about cross-border settlement and currency conversion.
Before signing up, compare availability, card networks, transaction fees, currency support, settlement terms, fraud protection, chargeback handling, integration, and compliance requirements.
For St Helena businesses, the goal is simple: choose payment infrastructure that makes it easier for customers to pay while keeping transactions secure, manageable, and financially predictable.