Payment Service Provider (PSP)
A PSP (Payment Service Provider) is a payment service provider that provides merchants with the technical infrastructure and contracts for accepting electronic payments from a single source.
PSP (Payment Service Provider)
A Payment Service Provider (PSP) provides merchants with the entire infrastructure for accepting electronic payments: payment gateway, acquiring, payment processing, payouts and often also fraud management — all from a single source.
For merchants, a PSP significantly simplifies the entry into electronic payment transactions: instead of concluding separate contracts with acquirers, card networks and individual payment providers (TWINT, PostFinance, Klarna), a single contract with the PSP is sufficient.
In Switzerland, companies such as Payrexx, Datatrans, Worldline (Saferpay), Stripe and Mollie are active as PSPs. The differences lie in the pricing strategy (Blended vs. IC++), the range of functions (no-code tools, API depth, POS support) and the coverage of local payment methods.
PSP examples
A Swiss SME signs a contract with a PSP and can immediately accept Visa, Mastercard, TWINT and PostFinance — without separate contracts.
A PSP provides a WooCommerce plugin that you install in 15 minutes — the checkout is live immediately.
A marketplace uses a PSP's platform API to onboard sub-merchants and split payments automatically.
PSP FAQ
What is a PSP (Payment Service Provider)?
A PSP is a payment provider that offers merchants a payment gateway, acquiring, transaction processing and payouts from a single source. A single contract is all you need to accept all popular payment methods.
Do you as a merchant need a PSP?
Yes, if you want to accept electronic payments. Without a PSP, you would have to sign separate contracts with acquirers, card networks and local payment providers — this is complex and expensive.
Which PSPs exist in Switzerland?
The most well-known PSPs in Switzerland include Payrexx, Datatrans, Worldline (Saferpay), Stripe, Mollie and PostFinance Checkout. The differences lie in pricing, range of functions and local payment method coverage.
What is the difference between a PSP and an acquirer?
An acquireur only handles the acquiring of card payments. In addition, a PSP offers the payment gateway, additional payment methods, payouts and often also tools such as payment links, plugins and Dashboards.
