educational

Global E-Billing Solutions: Don’t Leave Money on the Table

If you live in the U.S., now is a great time to travel to Europe, Brazil or Russia!

The U.S. dollar’s value is at a record high and the trend isn’t expected to change anytime soon. In the last year, the U.S. dollar is up by more than 20 percent against the euro, Canadian dollar, yen and the Brazilian real.

The latest and safest billing trend we are seeing for merchants selling services internationally is utilizing payment processors that offer specialist foreign exchange service providers.

U.S.-based online merchants need to be aware of currency volatility risks when thinking about international consumers, whether for one-time transactions or monthly memberships. Webmasters need to make sure they aren’t leaving money on the table and are maximizing profits.

I want to share some suggestions with XBIZ World readers on how to avoid difficulty with international currency exchanges and how to best maximize your international transactions.

At SegPay we see many U.S. clients wanting to set their pricing models in domestic currency. That’s because site owners believe that using U.S. dollars will create a consistent currency while avoiding fees and volatility from the global currency market. While this might appear to be the easiest and safest route, this can cause issues for your recurring monthly subscribers.

International currency fluctuates against the U.S. dollar month-to-month, creating inconsistent monthly billing transactions for your global customers. Simply put your transactions will differ each month for these international customers on their billing statement due to the currency exchange rate. Often this can aggravate recurring billing customers as they may feel they’ve been billed an unfair price increase or potentially scammed.

We also see merchants choosing to complete transactions in the consumer’s local billing currency. This option provides stability for the customer, however it can cut into potential revenue for merchants. From the consumer side, it creates a consistent recurring billing structure. The problem occurs when currency markets shift and the U.S. dollar strengthens.

International consumers will continue to pay the same monthly membership price point and these sales will convert to a lower U.S. dollar amount, creating a decrease in revenue. In addition, merchants will receive their international payments in foreign currencies and will need their IPSP to handle the conversion to U.S. dollars. This exchange service typically incurs a fee.

The latest and safest billing trend we are seeing for merchants selling services internationally is utilizing payment processors that offer specialist foreign exchange service providers. This service hedges the risk of currency gain or loss to both the merchant and international customer by creating fixed price points on both ends of the recurring billing transaction. Monthly billing price points are guaranteed to both the merchant and the customer at a fixed amount for a set period, typically six months.

The best part is that in most cases, there are no additional costs for this service. Webmasters should contact their Internet payment service provider to inquire if they offer this new service.

International billing and currency exchange is becoming an integral part of business for webmasters and continues to get more complicated in the global economy.

There is no one answer for every webmaster, and having a good payment partner that understands your particular issues and needs is crucial to maximizing your profits. It’s important to discuss international currency with your payment service provider to find the best option for your business.

And remember to think globally to maximize your profits.

It took only three years for Cathy Beardsley to turn startup SegPay into a profitable company. As president and CEO, Beardsley oversees the day-today operations and long-term strategic planning for the company. SegPay is one of four companies approved by Visa USA to operate as a high-risk Internet payment service provider (IPSP) in the U.S. Since 2005, SegPay has offered online merchants a state-of-the-art billing platform that provides real-time payment processing around the globe.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

WIA Profile: Reba Rocket

As chief operating officer and chief marketing officer of Takedown Piracy, long at the forefront of intellectual property protection in adult entertainment, Rocket is dedicated to safeguarding the livelihoods of content creators and producers while fostering a more ethical and sustainable industry.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Protecting Content Ownership Rights When Using AI

In today’s digital age, content producers have more tools at their disposal than ever before. Among these tools, artificial intelligence (AI) content generation has emerged as a game changer, enabling creators to produce high-quality content quickly and efficiently.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

How Payment Orchestration Can Help Your Business

An emerging payment solution is making waves in the merchant world: the payment orchestration platform (POP). It’s quickly gaining traction as a powerful tool for managing online payments — but questions abound.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Fine-Tuning Refund and Cancellation Policies

For adult websites, managing refunds and cancellations isn’t just about customer service. It’s a crucial factor in maintaining compliance with the regulations of payment processors and payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Laurel Bencomo

Born in Cambridge, England but raised in Spain, Laurel Bencomo initially chose to study business at the University of Barcelona simply because it felt familiar — both of her parents are entrepreneurs. She went on to earn a master’s degree in sales and marketing management at the EADA Business School, while working in events for a group of restaurants in Barcelona.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Gregory Dorcel on Building Upon His Brand's Signature Legacy

“Whether reflected in the storyline or the cast or even the locations, the entertainment we deliver is based on fantasy,” he elaborates. “Our business is not, and never has been, reality. People who are buying our content aren’t expecting reality, or direct contact with stars like you can have with OnlyFans,” he says.

Jeff Dana ·
opinion

How to Turn Card Brand Compliance Into Effective Marketing

In the adult sector, compliance is often treated as a gauntlet of mandatory checkboxes. While it’s true that those boxes need to be ticked and regulations must be followed, sites that view compliance strictly as a chore risk missing out on a bigger opportunity.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

A Look at the Latest AI Tools for Online Safety

One of the defining challenges for adult businesses is helping to combat the proliferation of illegal or nonconsensual content, as well as preventing minors from accessing inappropriate or harmful material — all the more so because companies or sites unable or unwilling to do so may expose themselves to significant penalties and put their users at risk.

Gavin Worrall ·
opinion

Know When to Drop Domains You Don't Need

Do you own too many domains? If so, you’re not alone. Like other things we accumulate, every registered domain means something to us. Sometimes a domain represents a dream project we have always wanted to do but have never quite gotten around to.

Juicy Jay ·
opinion

Understanding 'Indemnification' in Business Contracts

Clients frequently tell me that they didn’t understand — or sometimes, even read — certain portions of a contract because those sections appeared to be just “standard legalese.” They are referring, of course, to the specialized language used in legal documents, including contracts.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
Show More