Discover is an American card brand linked to the Diners Club network, and it has virtually no local issuance base in Germany. Although this is a Germany page, it is written on the premise that the actual target audience is holders of cards issued in the United States and elsewhere abroad who happen to be in Germany.
Germany is a market with a steady flow of American residents, business travelers, and tourists, centered on areas with a US military presence and international business hubs such as Frankfurt. Because the Discover and Diners cards they hold cannot be accepted through German local payment methods, network acceptance needs to be enabled separately to avoid losing sales from these customers.
It is meaningful as a supplementary method for hotels, travel, and education services with a share of American customers, or for online sellers targeting English-speaking audiences. It should be set up on the premise that it cannot become the primary method for domestic German consumers.
When a cardholder pays with their card number, approval is processed through the Discover global network. Since most cards are issued outside the EEA, the PSD2 SCA obligation often does not apply as-is, but enabling 3DS2 authentication to reduce fraud is recommended. The approved amount is received by Hecto Financial in euros (EUR).
Accepting Discover and Diners is considered as part of an international card mix, and it is best to determine both whether a contract is available on the basis of a Korean corporation and the size of your target customer segment together during the consultation.
※ This section describes the general support process and does not guarantee that integration will be possible for any specific merchant. Please confirm the exact scope of support and fees through a consultation.
Confirm whether a contract is available under a Korean business registration
The integration method and priorities differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as an owned storefront, open marketplaces, or a mobile app
Check in advance whether your products fall under a restricted category under Discover's merchant policies
Confirm compliance with EU payment regulations such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)
Discover transaction proceeds received in euros (EUR) go through Hecto Financial's receiving and conversion process and are settled in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was chosen in the contract.
Because cards issued abroad can involve a time lag in dispute handling, set a generous document retention period, and also provide 14-day right-of-withdrawal information for consumers within the EU.
Hecto Financial's team will work with you to review the payment method mix best suited to the German market.
Contact us