Local payment methods (APM)

Local payment methods (APM)

In many markets cards are a minority of online payments. Customers in Brazil pay with PIX, in India with UPI, in Mexico with SPEI and OXXO, in Bangladesh with bKash and Nagad, in Indonesia with QRIS, in Thailand with PromptPay. An APM payment provider gives a merchant one integration to accept these local payment methods and, often, to pay out through them.

Why merchants add APMs

• Conversion: a familiar local method usually converts better than an international card in emerging markets.
• Lower dispute risk: most account-to-account and wallet payments have no card-style chargebacks.
• Coverage: in some GEOs local rails are the only realistic way to reach the customer.
• Payouts: the same rails often support instant withdrawals, important for iGaming, forex and marketplaces.

Typical APMs by region

• LATAM: PIX, SPEI, PSE, cash vouchers — see Brazil, Mexico, Colombia.
• South Asia: UPI, bKash, Nagad — see India, Bangladesh, Pakistan.
• Southeast Asia: QR payments and e-wallets — see Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam.
• CIS: SBP and card-to-card — see Russia, Kazakhstan.
• Africa: mobile money — see Kenya, Nigeria.

Choosing an APM provider

• Direct connection to the scheme or bank vs reselling another aggregator.
• Methods actually live in your GEO, not "coming soon".
• Settlement time, currency and whether USD/USDT settlement is possible.
• Refund flow, payout support on the same method, KYB and vertical restrictions.

Related hubs

The full list of methods is in payment methods. Closely related: mobile money, e-wallets, open banking and, where formal APM acquiring is thin, P2P processing. {count} providers are on this page; check Offers for rates or post a request.