Stripe doesn’t work in Korea and in order to use stripe we need to open an entity in a country that stripe works
Topic summary
Core Issue:
Shopify Payments is not available in South Korea, creating challenges for Korean-based merchants selling to US/Canadian customers. Sellers struggle to find suitable payment gateways that work for both their Korean business location and international audience.
Available Options:
- Third-party payment gateways are available for South Korea (searchable via Shopify’s gateway directory)
- Shopify charges transaction fees when using third-party providers
- PayPal is currently used by some merchants but proves time and cost inefficient
Key Challenges:
- Most third-party gateways don’t accommodate Korean sellers targeting US/international customers
- Stripe requires US citizenship for signup and doesn’t operate directly in Korea
- Alternative providers (Adyen, Airwallex, Useepay) don’t serve Korean citizens with Korea-based businesses
- Some gateways charge setup fees ($250-$750 USD) and have hidden charges or payment delays
- One merchant reported issues with Paymentwall holding payments for months
Suggested Solution:
Multiple participants recommend establishing a Stripe account in the US, EU, HK, or UK to accept international payments, though this requires setting up a business entity in those regions.