High decline rates in the region are usually caused by using a foreign processor that local banks flag as suspicious. Switching to a local acquirer typically drops decline rates by 30-50% and increases successful transactions immediately.
For companies entering the Balkan market
Accept payments across the Balkans.
Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro each have their own banks, currencies and rules. We set up local payment processing, the right methods and full compliance so you can accept payments across the Balkans without rebuilding your stack.
Every week without local processing means higher decline rates and lost customers across the Balkans.
4
Balkan countries covered
7-14
days to go live
50+
integrations delivered
99.9%
transaction uptime
Foreign processor alone vs local Balkan setup
Why a global processor on its own underperforms in Serbia and the wider Balkan region - and what a local setup changes.
| Criterion | Foreign processor only | Local Balkan setup with Pejmo |
|---|---|---|
| Card acceptance rate | Higher declines as local banks flag foreign processors | Local acquirer lifts approval rates by 30-50% |
| Local payment methods | Cards only - missing Dina, IPS and bank transfers | Dina, IPS QR, bank transfers and installments (rate) |
| Currencies | Limited handling of RSD, BAM and regional FX | RSD, EUR, BAM and HRK settlement handled cleanly |
| Compliance | Unclear NBS, 3DS2 and card-scheme alignment | NBS requirements and 3DS2 covered from day one |
| Time to go live | Unpredictable, often blocked at onboarding | 7-14 days with documentation handled for you |
| Regional coverage | One country at a time | Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia in one engagement |
Expanding to the Balkans shouldn't mean rebuilding your payment stack.
Global processors don't work locally
Conflicting regulatory guidance
Local API quality slows rollout
Your Balkan payments team.
A single integration partner for Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, and Croatia.
Balkan market entry
Local banking systems, regulations, and payment habits translated into one execution plan.
Local payment methods
Dina, IPS QR, bank transfers, installments (rate), and major card schemes.
Regulatory compliance
NBS requirements, 3DS2 and card-scheme alignment from day one.
Merchant of Record guidance
Clear recommendations for direct merchant accounts vs MoR setup.
From zero to live payments in 4 steps.
How we launch Balkan payment processing in four steps.
Discovery call
Product, market, volume, and technical constraints assessment.
Compliance assessment
Processor shortlist, fee comparison, and legal requirements.
Integration sprint
Merchant account setup, API integration, and scenario testing.
Launch support
Monitoring first transactions and tuning approval rates.
Built for companies expanding into the Balkans
- Enter Serbia or the wider Balkan region
- Need local payment methods and local compliance
- Lack a local team for banking and regulatory operations
- Need an English-speaking partner with local execution experience
Local payment methods in Serbia and the Balkans
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.
FAQ
Balkan payments FAQ: Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Montenegro
In-depth guides
Accepting payments in Serbia as a foreign company
Entity options, acquirer onboarding and what the documentation actually takes.
Merchant of Record vs. payment gateway
Which model fits a hard-to-serve market, and what each one stops covering.
Stripe alternatives for Eastern Europe and the Balkans
Where Stripe stops working in the region, and what companies use instead.
Paying a remote team or contractors in Serbia
Payouts, invoicing and tax when the people are here but the company is not.
All payment guides for Serbia and the Balkans
The full English library for foreign companies operating in the region.
Reviewed and approved by
Dušan Perišić
Payment integration and MoR
Runs online payment integration projects from the first analysis through to live payments — provider selection, setting up the Merchant of Record model and coordinating with banks, following every step until the success rate is optimised.
LinkedIn- Last reviewed
- 07/08/2026
- Published
- 07/08/2026
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Dušan Perišić
Payment integration and MoR support.