Antigua & Barbuda is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), using the XCD, with monetary policy handled by the ECCB on behalf of eight member states. Since the economy centers on cruise calls that bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year and a yachting industry epitomized by Antigua Sailing Week, a substantial share of payment demand comes from cross-border payments by visitors from the United States and Europe. In this environment, PayPal's strength is that visitors can use the same account they use at home, but the receiving functionality of local accounts can be limited, so a conservative review is warranted.

Korean businesses selling travel-linked products online, such as yacht charter bookings, sailing gear and supplies, or cruise-port tours, would do well to consider PayPal first as a payment option for customers heading to Antigua & Barbuda. Conversely, if you are selling only to the resident population (around 100,000), you should factor in that the domestic market itself is small.

At checkout, when the customer taps the PayPal button, they log in to the account they use at home and choose between their balance and a linked card as the payment method, with approval completed instantly. When paying with a linked card, a 3-D Secure authentication step may be inserted depending on the card issuer's requirements. Hecto Financial receives the funds in the local currency, converts them, and settles in whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY was set in the contract; the structure does not settle in XCD on the Antigua & Barbuda side.

Korean businesses can consider accepting PayPal simply by contracting with Hecto Financial, without establishing an entity in Antigua & Barbuda. Some industries, such as yacht and cruise-related booking services, may face additional review under PayPal's merchant policies, so conditions by industry and transaction volume should first be confirmed with the sales team.

• Business registration country

  Confirm whether a contract is available under a Korean business registration

• Sales channels

  The integration method and priorities differ depending on your online sales channel mix, such as an owned storefront, open marketplaces, or a mobile app

• Product categories

  Check in advance whether your products fall under a restricted category under PayPal's merchant policies

• Local regulatory compliance

  Confirm compliance with the ECCB and ECCU payment-related regulations that apply to Antigua & Barbuda (see official sources below)

The settlement currency for sales in Antigua & Barbuda is not XCD but whichever of USD, KRW, or JPY the merchant chose in the contract. Since Hecto Financial receives the funds in the local currency and completes conversion before paying out, the merchant never has to handle XCD conversion directly. Refunds and cancellations are governed by both PayPal's policy and Hecto Financial's operating standards, and are generally offset against settlement funds already paid out.