Malta is small in absolute size but is a card-centric market with a stable income level, and the widespread use of English keeps the barrier to shopping on overseas online sites low. Apple Pay is a wallet that replaces card details with a token and completes payment through Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication, satisfying the Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirement under PSD2 with minimal friction and thereby reducing checkout drop-off.

For mobile customers who are reluctant to enter a card number at checkout, especially fashion, beauty, and digital service sellers targeting Malta's younger consumers and resident foreign professionals, it is worth considering as a default addition alongside card payments.

When a consumer taps the Apple Pay button at checkout, they approve the payment with Face ID or Touch ID, and this biometric authentication itself satisfies the Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirement, reducing the need for a separate 3DS input step. A token is transmitted in place of the actual card number and approved, after which Hecto Financial receives the euro (EUR) amount, converts it, and settles it to the merchant in Korea in the selected currency, one of USD, KRW, or JPY.

With a Hecto Financial integration, this can be considered on the basis of a company registered in Korea, without a separate contract with Apple or a local procedure in Malta. However, the support terms (settlement cycle, fees, currency) vary by the merchant's industry and scale, so a prior consultation is necessary.

• Country of business registration

  Confirm contract eligibility for businesses registered in Korea

• Sales channel

  The integration method and priority differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as your own site, marketplaces, or a mobile app

• Product categories handled

  Check in advance whether your category falls under restricted sectors per Apple Pay's operator merchant policies

• EU regulatory compliance

  Confirm compliance with EU payment regulations such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)

Apple Pay transaction amounts are generated in euros (EUR); Hecto Financial receives them in EUR, converts them, and pays the merchant in Korea in one currency designated under the contract, one of USD, KRW, or JPY. The settlement cycle follows the contract terms. Refunds are processed as cancellations to the original payment card, and it should be reflected in your customer service policy that consumers in Malta, too, may request a right of withdrawal within 14 days under EU distance-selling rules.

• Central Bank of Malta / Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)Official information on Malta's payment systems and supervisory regulations. Where this page differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.