How to help your clients choose online payment gateways

Published Thursday 9 July 2026

Table of contents

• What online payment gateways do for your clients' cash flow
• Popular payment gateway options in Hong Kong
• How payment gateway fees work
• How to set up a payment gateway for your clients
• Best practices for advising clients on payment gateways
• Simplify payment tracking with Xero
• FAQs on online payment gateways

Key takeaways

• Online payment gateways let your clients accept credit cards, digital wallets, and direct debits on invoices, helping them collect payment faster and reduce outstanding receivables.
• Hong Kong businesses benefit from local options like AlipayHK, WeChat Pay, and Faster Payment System (FPS) alongside international gateways such as Stripe and PayPal.
• Transaction fees typically range from 1.5% to 3.9% per payment, so advising clients on when to offer online payment options can help them manage costs effectively.
• Cloud accounting software like Xero integrates with payment gateways to automate reconciliation, giving you and your clients real-time visibility over cash flow.

What online payment gateways do for your clients' cash flow

Late payments remain 1 of the biggest cash flow challenges for small businesses in Hong Kong. When your clients rely on bank transfers or cheques alone, they're often waiting days or weeks for funds to clear. Payment gateways change that by letting customers pay invoices instantly through credit cards, digital wallets, or direct debit.

Xero customers who use online invoice payments get paid up to twice as fast. That's a significant shift for clients struggling with receivables. In a 2024 survey of 6,021 consumers across 5 markets, 25% said they choose where to buy based on their payment options.

For your Hong Kong clients, this matters even more. The Faster Payment System (FPS) has normalised instant payments locally, and digital wallets like AlipayHK, WeChat Pay, and PayMe are widely used. Your clients' customers already expect flexible payment options; a gateway on every invoice makes it easy to meet that expectation.

As an adviser, you're well placed to show clients how adding a payment gateway directly improves their days sales outstanding (DSO) and frees up working capital. It's a straightforward conversation that delivers measurable results.

Popular payment gateway options in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's position as an international business hub means your clients need gateways that handle both local and cross-border payments. Here are the main options to consider when advising clients.

• Stripe: Supports credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and over 135 currencies. It integrates directly with Xero and suits clients with international customers.
• PayPal: Widely recognised and trusted by buyers globally. It works well for e-commerce clients and integrates with Xero for automatic reconciliation.
• Airwallex: A Hong Kong-founded platform built for cross-border payments. It offers competitive foreign exchange rates and multi-currency accounts, making it a strong fit for import/export businesses.
• PayDollar: A local gateway operated by AsiaPay that supports credit cards, UnionPay, and regional payment methods. It's popular with Hong Kong SMEs that serve local and Asian markets.
• AlipayHK: Essential for clients whose customers use Alipay. It connects to the mainland Chinese consumer market and handles Hong Kong dollar transactions.
• WeChat Pay: Another key gateway for reaching mainland Chinese consumers and local WeChat users. It supports in-store and online payments.

Each gateway has different strengths, so matching the right 1 to your client's customer base and transaction patterns is where your advisory value comes in.

How payment gateway fees work

Understanding fee structures helps you advise clients on cost management. Most gateways charge a percentage of each transaction, sometimes with a small flat fee on top. In Hong Kong, typical rates range from 1.5% to 3.9% per transaction depending on the provider and payment method.

Credit card transactions tend to sit at the higher end, while direct debit and FPS-linked payments are often cheaper. Some gateways also charge monthly fees, setup fees, or currency conversion fees for cross-border transactions.

When you're helping clients evaluate costs, consider the volume and average size of their invoices. A client processing many small transactions will feel percentage-based fees differently from 1 processing fewer large invoices.

Xero lets you switch payment services on or off per invoice. This means your clients don't have to offer online payments on every invoice. You can advise them to enable gateways selectively; for example, turning on card payments for smaller invoices where speed matters most and using standard bank transfers for large invoices where the percentage fee would be significant.

How to set up a payment gateway for your clients

Setting up a payment gateway through cloud accounting software is straightforward. Here's how to get your clients' online payments running through Xero.

1. Choose the right gateway for the client

Review the client's customer base, typical invoice sizes, and whether they need multi-currency support. Match these needs to the gateway options available in Hong Kong. For most clients, starting with Stripe or PayPal covers the broadest range of payment methods.

2. Connect the gateway to Xero

In the client's Xero organisation, navigate to the payment services settings. Select the gateway and follow the prompts to connect the account. Most integrations take just a few minutes and don't require technical skills.

3. Configure payment options on invoices

Once connected, set up which payment methods appear on invoices. You can enable credit cards, direct debit, PayPal, or digital wallets depending on the gateway. Use Xero's online invoicing to send invoices with a built-in "pay now" button that links directly to the payment gateway.

4. Test and refine

Run a test transaction to confirm everything works. Check that payments flow into Xero correctly and reconcile against the right invoices. Adjust the settings if the client wants to limit online payments to certain invoice types or amounts.

Best practices for advising clients on payment gateways

Your role goes beyond setup. Helping clients get the most from their payment gateways is an ongoing advisory opportunity.

• Match gateways to the business type. Retail and hospitality clients benefit from AlipayHK and WeChat Pay for in-store payments, while service-based businesses may only need Stripe or PayPal for invoice payments.
• Prioritise security. Make sure clients choose gateways that comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Remind them that reputable gateways handle card data securely so their business doesn't need to store sensitive payment information.
• Plan for multi-currency. Hong Kong businesses often invoice in US dollars, renminbi, and other currencies alongside Hong Kong dollars. Recommend gateways like Stripe or Airwallex that support multi-currency transactions and transparent conversion rates.
• Automate reconciliation. With Xero, payments received through connected gateways are matched to invoices automatically. This saves your team time on bank reconciliation and gives both you and your client real-time cash flow visibility.
• Review regularly. Payment preferences shift, fees change, and new options appear. Build a quarterly review into your advisory cadence so clients always have the best setup for their current needs.

Simplify payment tracking with Xero

Helping your clients adopt online payment gateways is 1 of the most practical ways to improve their cash flow and reduce the time you spend chasing outstanding invoices. With Xero, gateway payments reconcile automatically, giving you a clear picture of each client's financial position without manual data entry.

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FAQs on online payment gateways

Here are some frequently asked questions about online payment gateways that your clients may raise.

What is the difference between a payment gateway and a payment processor?

A payment gateway is the technology that captures and transmits payment details from the customer to the processor. The payment processor then handles the actual transfer of funds between banks. In practice, many providers bundle both functions together, so the distinction rarely affects how you set things up for clients.

How much do payment gateways typically cost in Hong Kong?

Most gateways charge between 1.5% and 3.9% per transaction, depending on the payment method and provider. Some also charge monthly fees or setup fees. Direct debit and FPS-linked payments tend to be cheaper than credit card transactions.

Can payment gateways handle multiple currencies?

Yes. Gateways like Stripe and Airwallex support transactions in over 100 currencies. This is particularly useful for Hong Kong businesses that invoice international customers. Currency conversion fees vary by provider, so compare rates when advising clients.

How do payment gateways integrate with accounting software?

Xero connects directly with payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal. When a customer pays an invoice through the gateway, the payment appears in Xero and can be matched to the corresponding invoice automatically. This eliminates manual data entry and keeps your client's accounts up to date in real time.