Discover is a US-based card network that has no local card-issuing base in Japan, but has an acceptance environment in place through a mutual acceptance partnership with JCB. With Japanese e-commerce reaching roughly 20 trillion yen a year and spending by foreign visitors having recovered, accepting Discover is less about serving local Japanese customers and more a complementary means of not losing payments from customers using cards issued overseas, such as in the United States.

Merchants who see a certain share of orders from holders of overseas-issued cards, such as Americans living in Japan, communities tied to US military bases, or North American customers buying from Japan-facing sites, may find it worthwhile to consider accepting Discover (and affiliated networks such as Diners Club). If Japanese customers are your primary focus, it makes more sense to set up local card and QR payments first.

When a consumer enters their Discover card details at checkout and completes 3-D Secure authentication if required, the payment is authorized on a yen basis. Hecto Financial collects the authorized funds in JPY through card-network settlement, and settlement to the Korean merchant is made after conversion in USD, KRW, or JPY as chosen under the contract. The acceptance scope for affiliated network cards such as Diners Club should be confirmed before integrating.

Accepting Discover can be explored on the basis of a Korea-based entity within the scope of Hecto Financial's card payment integration. Whether affiliated networks such as Diners Club are included, and the fee and settlement terms, vary by industry and transaction volume, so these should be confirmed in advance.

• Business registration country

  Confirm contract eligibility as a merchant registered in Korea

• Sales channels

  The integration approach differs depending on whether you are online-only or also include physical stores in Japan

• Product categories

  Confirm in advance whether your products fall under categories restricted by the Discover operator's merchant policy

• Local regulatory compliance

  Confirm compliance with Japan's payment and foreign-exchange regulations (see official sources below)

Discover card payment proceeds are collected by Hecto Financial in JPY through card-network settlement, then converted and paid to the Korean merchant in USD, KRW, or JPY as chosen under the contract. The settlement cycle and fee rate vary by contract terms. Because refunds and chargebacks are governed jointly by international card network rules and Hecto Financial's operating policy, it is advisable to confirm the dispute-handling procedure and deadlines before contracting.

• Bank of JapanProvides official information on Japan's payments and payment systems.
• Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) cashless policyOfficial data on the cashless payment ratio and other aspects of the Japanese government's payment policy. If this page's content differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.