Card payments for a business in Albania. Why Stripe isn't available and what's used instead.

Card payment is the first practical hurdle for a foreign entrepreneur opening a business in Albania. Outside the country, he had been accustomed to a physical terminal at the counter and a payment gateway on the website, both connected to the same provider. Here that chain works differently, and the reason is legal, not technological.

This text is a work guide, not news. It traces the path from the physical terminal to real-time online settlement, provides the actual costs in figures, and openly states what we have verified and what we have not.

Read also: Accounting of a company with a foreign owner

Basic rule. Who is entitled to accept card payments?

The basis is Law No. 55/2020 “On Payment Services.” It recognizes two categories of non-bank providers: payment institutions and electronic money institutions. Both are licensed and supervised by the Bank of Albania.

The procedure is regulated by Regulation No. 59, dated November 24, 2021. The Bank of Albania maintains separate registers for each category, as well as a list of revoked licenses.

The list of revocations is not a formality. An electronic money institution lost its license during 2026, so the verification is carried out on the day you sign, not once a year.

Four payment methods and who each one is for.

POS terminal at the point of sale

This is the familiar process for anyone coming from outside. The bank or institution places the device on the counter, and the payment is credited to the business's account. It serves stores, restaurants, clinics, and accommodation facilities.

The requirement to have this device is not voluntary. The second deadline closes on December 31, 2026, for all taxpayers who sell for cash.

vPOS, the payment gateway on your site

This is the solution for real-time web payments. The customer enters their card details on your site or on a secure provider site, and the authorization is returned within seconds. You remain the merchant and the invoice remains your liability.

This is the route most foreign entrepreneurs ask about when they inquire about Stripe. It exists in Albania; it's just not offered by the global providers they know.

Payment link and QR code

The provider generates a link or a code that the customer opens on their phone. This method doesn't require integration into the website and is used for services, consulting, and invoiced sales. It's usually the first step for a small business that doesn't yet have an online store.

Foreign platform as a legal seller

In this model, the platform sells in its own name and pays you as a supplier. It's used for digital products, subscriptions, and services to buyers abroad.

It shifts the tax obligation to the platform but changes the nature of your income. You're no longer selling to the consumer; you're selling to the platform, and this affects the documentation and the place of supply.

How much does it really cost the merchant to process a card payment?

This is the part that is rarely presented with figures, so we're providing it with a source and a date. The data come from a journalistic survey published on November 6, 2026, covering nine banks operating in the country.

Voice	Measured value, November 2026
Average commission for the trader	about 3% of the transaction value
The interval between banks	1.91 TP3T to 41 TP3T
Installation of the device	0 to 5,000 lek
Monthly maintenance	up to 1,000 lek
European average exchange rate	0.3%
Value of POS payments in 2025	248 billion lek

The size-based difference is significant. High-revenue hotels negotiate around 1.91 TP3T, while small service units pay up to 3.5 TP3T.

For a low-value transaction, this weighs heavily. A 100-lek sale with a flat fee drives up the cost disproportionately, and that's exactly where resistance to the card arises.

The new rule that changes this table

On November 3, 2026, the Bank of Albania approved the regulation on interchange fees for card-based transactions. It limits these fees to 0.21% for debit cards and 0.31% for credit cards, both for POS and online payments.

The cap affects the interchange fee, that is, the portion the card issuer's bank takes from the merchant's bank. It's not the same as the fee you pay, but it's the largest component of it, so the downward pressure is real.

Limitation. We have not yet verified the number and publication date of this regulation in the Official Gazette. Therefore, do not renegotiate a contract by citing it as effective today. Ask your bank when it will take effect.

What changes on January 1, 2027?

Law No. 108/2026 amends Law No. 55/2020. It was adopted on October 22, 2026, and promulgated by Decree No. 582, dated October 31, 2026. Article 74 provides that it enters into force on January 1, 2027.

The law is a full approximation to Directive (EU) 2015/2366, known as PSD2. It also incorporates Regulation (EU) 2024/886 on instant euro transfers and Directive 2009/110/EC on electronic money.

Two clarifications of practical importance. Some provisions, namely those that depend on the concept of a Member State, only take effect upon accession to the European Union. And until then, where European law refers to the amount of 1 million euros, the amount of 50,000,000 lek applies.

Thus, the market does not automatically open on January 1 to foreign providers without a domestic license. The law sets up that opening for a moment tied to membership.

Why Stripe doesn't open for an entity located in Albania

This is not a matter of interpretation. Stripe's official documentation for Albania marks the “Your business location” field as “Not supported.” A company registered here cannot open a merchant account, regardless of revenue or sector.

Why then does Stripe recognize Albania?

Because acceptance and receipt are two different things. In its cross-border payments service, Stripe lists Albania as a receiving country with the lek currency. A foreign platform can send you money. You remain a paid supplier, not a merchant accepting cards from your own customers.

Does it make a difference if the partner is foreign?

No. A company registered with the National Business Center is considered an Albanian entity even if the capital is entirely foreign. Its location is determined by its registration, not by the partner's nationality.

Can I use the parent company's account from abroad?

Technically yes, but that choice is not technical. If payments from Albanian clients go to a company outside the country, then the seller is that company. This simultaneously raises the question of the place of supply for VAT, that of the permanent establishment, and that of transfer pricing.

Many entrepreneurs choose this route for convenience and discover the cost a year later at the audit. Therefore, the decision is made after weighing both sides.

Providers: what we verified and what we didn't

Here we clearly distinguish between the verified and the unverified, because an incorrect list of providers is more harmful than no list at all.

Commercial banks remain the primary channel. Some of them, including Credins and Fibank, offer combined POS and e-commerce packages for businesses. Their fees are not fully disclosed, so they must be requested in writing.

Outside of banks, electronic money institutions are the second option. Pago holds an electronic money institution license No. 52, dated January 22, 2022, and offers vPOS solutions for online sales, payment links, and QR codes. BKT Pay is also licensed as an electronic money institution.

There's also a development in the banking sector worth knowing about. JET Bank received its license in March 2026 and presents itself as the country's first fully digital bank. According to sources at the time, it was still in the testing phase and had not opened its services to the general public.

What we did not verify. We did not find public confirmation of the license for a provider often referred to as Poko, so we did not list it. We did not verify the fees of any of the above providers individually, because they vary and are negotiable.

How to verify it yourself in three steps. Ask for the company's full legal name and license number. Check them against the relevant register of the Bank of Albania and the list of revoked licenses. Request a written rate quote, including the commission, the payment deadline, and the payment currency.

Accounting and taxes on card payments

The method of payment does not change the invoice obligation. The invoice It is fiscally recorded the same way as cash payments., because taxation is linked to the invoice.

Four consequences should be kept in mind.

First, the provider's commission is a recognized expense. Revenues are recorded at the full invoice amount, not at the net amount received.

Secondly, when the settlement is made in euros or dollars, the exchange rate difference is recorded as income or expense of the period.

The third, The second POS obligation period closes on December 31, 2026., pursuant to Article 59(3) of Law No. 9920/2008, as amended by Law No. 79/2025.

And finally, Limits on cash payments The threshold remains 100,000 lekë for transactions between business entities and 500,000 lekë for transactions with individuals, effective January 30, 2026.

Calculated example

An online store sells 1,000,000 lek per month and pays a 3.1% commission. The commission is 30,000 lek.

In the books, income of 1,000,000 lek and expense of 30,000 lek are recorded. Income of 970,000 lek is not recorded.

This error seems small, but it isn't. It artificially lowers the measured RPM. the VAT threshold and the threshold of the tax regime, so the system catches it immediately.

A foreign seller who sells digital products to buyers in Albania.

This is the reverse case and it concerns foreign entrepreneurs who sell here without having yet established a company.

According to Stripe's tax documentation for Albania, a distance seller providing electronic services to individuals in Albania is required to register for VAT from the very first sale. The registration threshold is a single transaction, and the appointment of a tax representative in Albania is required.

Sales to business customers do not create this obligation, because nonresident entities are not required to collect tax on those sales.

Read also: Online sales under the control of the Tax Authority

Instant payments: what's in store

The Bank of Albania is preparing a national instant payment system that will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will cover the lek and the euro. Liquidity is supplied through the existing AIPS and AIPS EURO systems.

Nonbank institutions will be able to participate, either directly or through a direct participant. The system does not yet have a launch date, and its regulation is still in draft form, so no planning is being built on it at this time.

Pre-signing checklist

The question	Why it Matters
What is the legal name and license number?	Without it, verification with the Bank of Albania's registry cannot be done.
What is the commission for a debit card and for a credit card?	They have different exchange rates.
How are foreign cards charged?	Usually with an add-on to the base rate.
After how many days is the amount paid off?	Directly touch the money cycle.
In which currency is it paid?	Determines whether a rate difference arises.
How much does installation and maintenance cost?	The measured interval ranges from zero to 5,000 lek.
Who bears the risk of repayment?	In online sales, it usually falls to the merchant.

Frequently asked questions

Can I accept card payments without a physical POS?

Yes, through the payment gateway, payment link, or QR code. A physical POS is required when the customer pays on-site.

What is the average cost of a card payment for the merchant?

Approximately 31% of the value, with an interval from 1.9% to 41%, according to the November 2026 measurement across nine banks.

Is it legal to accept payments through a foreign platform?

It depends on your role. If the platform is the legal seller and pays you as a supplier, that's a supply relationship. If you are the seller and the platform only collects the money, it provides a payment service and must be licensed for the Albanian market.

Does opening a company abroad solve the problem?

Not automatically. It creates a second entity with its own obligations and raises questions about the permanent establishment and transfer pricing.

Is the invoice fiscally registered when the customer pays by card?

Yes. Fiscalization is tied to the invoice, not to the payment method. The payment method is noted on the invoice.

How is the provider's commission recorded?

As an operating expense. Revenues remain the full invoice amount owed by the client.

When does the new payments services law take effect?

Law No. 108/2026 enters into force on January 1, 2027. Some provisions enter into force only upon accession to the European Union.

Will commissions go down after the November 3 regulation?

The restriction affects the exchange rate, which is the main component of the commission. The impact on your price depends on your contract with the bank, so ask them when it takes effect.

Legal basis

Law No. 55/2020 “On Payment Services.” Law No. 108/2026, adopted on October 22, 2026, promulgated by Decree No. 582 of October 31, 2026, enters into force on January 1, 2027. Regulation No. 59, dated November 24, 2021, of the Bank of Albania. Exchange Fee Regulation, adopted on November 3, 2026; its number has not been verified by us. Article 59/3 of Law No. 9920/2008, as amended by Law No. 79/2025.

The cost figures come from a measurement published on November 6, 2026, covering nine banks. The data for Stripe were taken from its official documentation, read on November 7, 2026. Provider terms change without notice, so verify them before making any decision.