If you've read this part, you're probably seriously considering launching a payment service. You may have already chosen a business model and decided on payment methods. The main thing left is to choose the platform on which all this will work.

And this is where many startups begin to either have a technical stupor or the illusion that they can "order a website from a programmer" and everything will work. No, it won't work. Because the online payment platform is not a website or a personal account. This is the core of your entire business. It's about security, stability, extensibility, and— ideally — a reliable partner at the start.

In Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, we often face the same situation: there is an idea, there is an understanding of the market, there are even partners. But there is a gap with the platform. Therefore, I want to share some key thoughts that will be useful if you are really building a payment service, and not just an experiment.

• You should not try to write a platform from scratch. Even if you have a CTO, it's not a 3—month story. These are years, dozens of certifications, responsibility for security, workload, updates. Believe me, it takes teams, money, and years.
• You should not order a "box" from a contractor and then hope that he will finish everything for you. Both you and the contractor will eventually remain hostages to the decisions made at the start. And each new module will cost you 3 times more than it should.
• You should not choose a platform based on the principle of "who is cheaper". This is not a showcase. This is what processes other people's money. It's better to count the TCO (total cost of ownership) right away than to run around contractors after 9 months.

Things to consider

• Scalability. If you connect 10 new merchants tomorrow, will the system be able to handle it?  
• Flexibility. Can you add HUMO, Alif Pay, or another payment method without completely reassembling?  

• Reliability. Who is responsible for the failures? Is there monitoring? 24/7 support? 
• Documentation and support for your team. Does it exist at all?  

Rent a white-label platform with a transparent model and ready-made functionality. It's fast, safe, and doesn't distract you from the main thing — attracting customers, partners, and turnover.

The original article is posted on the website ecomcharge.kz

Read other articles in this series.:

Part 1. How to launch your own online payment acceptance service in Central Asia

Part 2. How do I choose a business model for launching a payment service?

About the company and the service

At eComCharge, we lease the beGateway platform, which already includes support for popular methods in the region, anti-fraud, tokenization, and customization for different business models. And if the country needs special conditions — we install the system on the client's servers under a license.

If you need a platform where you can start and grow, write to us. We work with PSP in 30+ countries and we know what challenges you will face. And we know how to help you walk this path.