Local Payment Methods in Serbia & the Balkans (Dina, IPS QR, Installments)

In Serbia and across the Balkans, offering only international cards leaves conversion on the table. Customers expect a familiar local mix, and supporting it directly is one of the cheapest ways to lift checkout conversion. Here is what to support and why.

Cards: Visa, Mastercard and Dina

International schemes are widely used, but the local Dina card is still common, especially for certain cardholder segments. A setup that accepts Visa, Mastercard and Dina covers the broadest base of card payers.

IPS QR — instant payments

Serbia's IPS system enables instant account-to-account payments, often initiated by scanning a QR code. Adoption is growing quickly, settlement is fast, and costs are low compared with cards, which makes it increasingly worth supporting for both online and in-person sales.

Bank transfers

Direct bank transfer remains common, particularly for B2B and larger B2C purchases where customers prefer to pay from their account rather than by card.

Installments ("na rate")

Paying in installments, locally known as "na rate", is a strong conversion lever for higher-ticket purchases. Offering it can meaningfully increase average order value and reduce abandonment on more expensive items.

Cash on delivery in e-commerce

For physical-goods e-commerce, cash on delivery is still a material share of orders in the region. It is worth planning for, while also nudging customers toward prepaid methods to reduce failed deliveries and working-capital strain.

What this means for conversion

When a customer cannot pay the way they expect, many simply abandon the checkout. Adding the local methods your audience prefers reduces that drop-off directly, which is why local-method coverage is one of the highest-leverage changes you can make to a regional checkout.

How to enable each method

Local methods are enabled through a local acquirer or a Merchant of Record, depending on your model and entity. The right partner handles the integration and keeps the methods compliant, so you can focus on conversion rather than plumbing.