Romanian e-commerce was once among the markets with the highest share of cash-on-delivery (COD) in Europe, but the shift to prepayment is accelerating as card issuance expands and smartphone payments spread. Given that Android holds an overwhelming majority of the smartphone market in Romania, Google Pay—which lets consumers load an issued card onto their phone—is the wallet leading this shift at the mass-consumer level.

This is especially worth considering for mass consumer goods and marketplace-type sales with a high share of mobile traffic. The practical benefit of adopting Google Pay is retaining customers who would otherwise abandon checkout while typing a card number on a small screen, and for merchants already accepting card payments, it's a way to raise payment completion rates without additional burden.

When the consumer taps the Google Pay button on the checkout screen, a list of cards saved to their account appears, and once they approve with device unlock (biometrics or PIN), a token is transmitted instead of the actual card number. This device authentication is used to satisfy PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements, reducing the need for additional authentication steps. The transaction amount is generated in RON, which Hecto Financial collects, converts, and then settles in the contracted currency.

Since Google Pay is not a separate payment method but a wallet layered on top of card payments, Korean corporations can consider it within the scope of Hecto Financial's card integration, without needing a local contract in Romania. Support conditions (settlement cycle, fees, currency options) are finalized through consultation based on industry and transaction volume.

• Business registration country

  Confirm whether a contract is possible on the basis of a Korea-registered business

• Sales channels

  The integration method and priority differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as owned storefronts, open marketplaces, and mobile apps

• Product categories

  Advance confirmation is needed as to whether your category falls under the merchant policy restrictions of the Google Pay operator

• EU regulatory compliance

  Confirmation is needed on compliance with EU payment regulations such as PSD2 and SEPA (see official sources below)

RON is not deposited into the merchant's account directly. Amounts approved via Google Pay are collected by Hecto Financial in the local currency, converted, and then settled in the currency selected under contract—USD, KRW, or JPY. The settlement cycle and fee rate follow the contract terms, and it is advisable to design the refund policy alongside the original card transaction cancellation process, taking into account the 14-day withdrawal right guaranteed under EU consumer law.

• National Bank of Romania, Banca Națională a României (BNR)Official information on Romania's payment systems and related regulations. If this page's content differs from actual regulations, the official source takes precedence.