Scalapay is a three-installment BNPL service that has concentrated on Southern European markets such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France, with branding and merchant mix tailored to Southern European consumer sentiment rather than a global one-size-fits-all approach. Even in a market like Portugal with a strong culture of paying in full immediately, there is demand to split payments for higher-value purchases, and an interest-free three-installment plan is the simplest way to capture that demand.

For merchants selling higher-priced fashion, beauty, jewelry, or travel products to Portuguese consumers, simply displaying an installment option at checkout can be expected to improve cart abandonment rates. Klarna is the better fit if you want broad pay-later and flexible repayment options, while Scalapay is relatively better suited for simple installments aligned with Southern European sentiment.

When a consumer selects Scalapay, the first installment is charged immediately and the remaining installments are billed sequentially to the registered card. Card registration and the first payment are subject to 3DS2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) under PSD2, and after approval, Scalapay pays the merchant upfront, so whether the consumer repays the remaining installments is separated from the merchant's settlement.

Through Hecto Financial, a Korean business can consider accessing Scalapay's Southern European merchant network without a separate contract. Restrictions by product category, and the actual terms (settlement cycle, fees, currency options), need to be confirmed through consultation before signing a contract.

• Business registration country

  Confirm whether a contract is available for merchants registered in Korea

• Sales channels

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

• Product categories

  Confirm in advance whether your category falls under the merchant policy restrictions of the Scalapay operator

• EU regulatory compliance

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

The settlement flow proceeds independently of the consumer's installment schedule. Hecto Financial collects and converts the euro (EUR) amount that Scalapay has already paid the merchant upfront, then pays the Korean merchant in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was designated in the contract. Because this is an installment product, a return typically stops billing on the remaining installments and refunds the installments already paid at the same time, so the refund flow for each return scenario, including the EU's 14-day withdrawal period, must be tested during integration.

• Banco de PortugalOfficial information on Portugal's payment systems and related regulations. If the content of this page differs from the actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.