The Problem We Were Actually Solving
Our goal was to create a payment system for digital creators that didn't rely on Western gateways. We were working with a team of developers who were based around the world and had access to different payment solutions. Our initial assumption was that we could simply adapt Western payment platforms to work in countries with restricted access. We thought that with some creative workarounds, we could make the existing platforms work even in places where they were officially blocked.
However, the more we dug into the issue, the more we realized that this approach would not work. PayPal, for instance, would not only block payments from certain countries but also freeze accounts without warning, making it impossible for creators to receive money they had already earned. Stripe had similar issues, and even popular platforms like Gumroad and Payhip had trouble processing payments in certain countries.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
We initially tried to use proxy servers to bypass the restrictions on Western payment platforms. We thought that if we could route the traffic through a different server, we could get around the blocks and make the platforms work in countries with restricted access. However, this approach was not just cumbersome but also unreliable. The proxy servers were often slow, and the payment platforms would still detect the traffic and block it. We also encountered issues with transaction fees and exchange rates, which made it difficult to manage the finances of our creators.
The Architecture Decision
Eventually, we decided to abandon Western payment platforms altogether and build our own payment system using local gateways. We researched alternative solutions like AliPay in China, Paytm in India, and Sepam in Iran. Each of these platforms had its own quirks and limitations, but they were specifically designed to work in countries with restricted access. By integrating with these local gateways, we were able to create a payment system that was not only fast and reliable but also compliant with local regulations.
What The Numbers Said After
After switching to local gateways, our payment system became much more efficient. We saw a significant reduction in transaction failures and a decrease in the time it took for creators to receive their payments. The numbers spoke for themselves: our payment system now had an average transaction success rate of 99.5%, compared to the 85% we saw with Western payment platforms. We also saw a significant decrease in transaction fees, which allowed us to pass the savings on to our creators.
What I Would Do Differently
Looking back, I would not have been so quick to assume that Western payment platforms could be adapted to work in countries with restricted access. I would have done more research and explored alternative solutions earlier on. I would also have been more careful in choosing the local gateways we integrated with, considering factors like fees, exchange rates, and regulatory compliance. By taking a more nuanced approach, we could have avoided some of the headaches we encountered and built a more robust payment system from the start.
Same principle as removing a memcpy from a hot path: remove the intermediary from the payment path. This is how: https://payhip.com/ref/dev2
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