Customers now expect to pay with DuitNow QR, an e-wallet, online banking or a card, and to switch between them without thinking. A payment gateway is the piece that makes that possible.
What a gateway does
You take payments in two places: at the counter and online. At the counter, your POS shows a QR code or talks to a card terminal. Online, your checkout page sends the customer through a payment step. In both cases a payment gateway sits between you and the banks, card networks and wallets.
In simple terms: the customer picks a method, the gateway passes the details securely to the bank or wallet, the answer comes back as approved or declined, and your system is told. The money then settles into your bank account on the gateway’s schedule.
Nine questions to ask
- Which methods does it cover? Cards, FPX online banking, the e-wallets your customers use, DuitNow, buy-now-pay-later.
- How are fees built? Usually a rate per transaction that varies by method. Ask whether there are settlement or gateway fees on top.
- When does the money arrive? Payout timing differs by method and plan.
- How long does approval take, and what documents are needed? Ask separately about card channels.
- How does it connect to your till or shopping cart? Plugins, a hosted payment page, payment links or an API.
- Who handles refunds and disputes?
- What security certifications does it hold? PCI DSS and ISO/IEC 27001 are the names to look for.
- Which businesses can it not serve? Gateways keep lists of prohibited and restricted categories.
- What are the contract terms, and how do you leave?
Fiuu as an example
Fiuu operates more than 110 payment channels. Its FAQ describes four steps: register, qualify with your company information and certified documents, choose a plan, then integrate. It says it replies within 24 hours of submission, that most merchants can process non-card payments within a week, and that the card channel needs around one month to approve. Fiuu does not publish one rate card, and it handles refunds and disputes. It is PCI DSS compliant and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified.
For connecting, Fiuu offers a hosted payment page, which it calls the fastest way to start, as well as seamless checkout, payment links, a mobile SDK and plugins for shopping carts including Shopify. GEBME POS supports Fiuu as a gateway.
What to do next
Write down the payment methods your customers use today, your average sale and your card share. Ask each gateway to quote on that. If you want to look at Fiuu, book a consultation and we start from those numbers.