Navigating the World of Online Payments in Jersey

Your customer chooses a card (or Apple Pay / Google Pay) and taps Pay. On your checkout, they provide card details or approve a wallet prompt. The page uses TLS encryption so the data is protected in transit.

The payment gateway collects the details and applies security controls (encryption, fraud checks, device signals, and—when needed—Strong Customer Authentication via 3-D Secure). The goal is simple: protect the shopper, protect you, and reduce fraud.

The gateway forwards the transaction to a payment processor (sometimes the same company). The processor relays it to the card network (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc.), which routes it to the customer’s issuing bank to ask: “Can this card pay this amount to this merchant?”

The issuing bank checks funds, card status, fraud risk and any SCA challenge outcome. It then returns an authorisation decision (approve/decline) through the card network → processor → gateway → your checkout. This round-trip usually takes a few seconds.

On approval, your site shows a success message and you receive an authorisation code. The customer’s bank sets aside the amount on the card (it’s not fully moved yet).

After capture, the issuer sends the money through the network to your acquirer (also called the merchant acquirer). The acquirer puts the funds into your merchant account and then pays out to your business bank account on a schedule (for example, daily or every few days). This step—called settlement—can take from same-day to a few days, depending on your provider and risk profile.

Some acquirers offer faster payouts. Others may ring-fence a portion of funds as a reserve (for example, if your refunds/chargebacks run high or you’re new) so you can’t spend that bit yet. This helps cover later returns or disputes and the rules vary by provider.

Not directly. Stripe states its supported countries on a public list, and Stripe does not offer services directly in Jersey today. Some firms work around this by setting up a UK entity, but that has legal and tax implications and won’t suit everyone. Please take advice first.

Yes, Jersey businesses can take card payments on Shopify by using Worldpay’s Access plugin for Shopify.*

Shopify Payments itself isn’t available in Jersey, and all of the third-party providers listed by Shopify don’t currently support Jersey-registered merchants. The only exception we are currently aware of is Worldpay, which is not listed as a native gateway option.

*Many thanks to Switch.je for this information.

Yes, wallets are available for Channel Islands bank cards, and most major PSPs can enable wallet acceptance on your checkout once you’re approved. Availability still depends on your PSP and your acquiring set-up.

Card fees are typically made of:

• Interchange (set by card networks and regulated in many cases)
• Scheme fees
• Acquirer/PSP markup

Two common pricing models:

• Blended/flat rate (simple, one line)
• Interchange++ (IC++) (transparent breakdown of the three parts)

If your acquirer or the card issuer is in the UK or EEA, SCA is enforced by those banks and will apply to many of your online transactions (3-D Secure is the usual method). Plan for SCA as a standard part of your checkout.

PCI DSS applies wherever you accept cards. If you fully outsource payment pages to a compliant provider (no card data touches your systems), you’ll usually complete SAQ A each year. If card data passes through your environment, you’ll likely need SAQ D (far more work). Your provider should guide you, but the responsibility sits with you.

Adfin is a great option for those looking for Direct Debit providers. They have recently expanded their offering to Jersey and offer competitive rates.

Adyen supports Direct Debit but only at an Enterprise level.

CityPay and Worldpay both offer recurring card payments (not bank Direct Debit). Recurring card payments are different to Direct Debit but have a similar outcome.