Stripe Workarounds for SaaS: A Complete Guide to Payments from Kazakhstan and the CIS

Introduction: The SaaS Business Dilemma in the CIS

Imagine you have created a promising SaaS service - a project that could be of interest to clients worldwide. You set up subscriptions, trial periods, automatic billing... and then realize that your key tools - Stripe and PayPal - either work with restrictions or are unavailable for residents of Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. Sanctions and risk assessment policies of international payment systems have created a significant obstacle for entrepreneurs in the region.

But where there is a problem, there are also solutions. Dozens of companies from Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus successfully accept payments from clients worldwide using workarounds and reliable alternatives. In this review, we will explore all the working schemes: from ready-made intermediary platforms to creating your own international company.

Main Workaround: Payment Intermediaries (Merchant of Record)

If you cannot accept payments yourself, you can find someone who will do it for you. This "payment face" is the Merchant of Record (MoR).

Who is it and how does it work?

Think of MoR as your authorized financial representative. This company:

• Signs a contract with your end client.

• Accepts payment in its name.

• Handles all tax matters - calculates and pays VAT, sales tax in different countries.

• Protects against fraudulent chargebacks.

• Pays you the net revenue minus its fees.

Essentially, you focus on product development and marketing, while MoR handles all the complexities of payments, taxes, and compliance.

Top Merchant of Record Platforms for SaaS

1. Paddle

   • Ideal niche: Specifically created for SaaS and digital goods.

   • Capabilities: Automatic tax calculation worldwide, flexible subscriptions, free trials, payment optimization to reduce declines, currency and payment method localization.

   • Financial aspect: All-inclusive fee - 5-7% per transaction. This includes payment processing, subscription service, and taxes.

2. FastSpring

   • Ideal niche: Comprehensive eCommerce platform for digital products and subscriptions.

   • Capabilities: Full payment cycle, VAT management, analytics, fraud protection. Allows easy billing scheme setup.

   • Financial aspect: Operates on a revenue share model, with no fixed monthly fees. The commission includes acquiring, subscriptions, and taxes.

3. Lemon Squeezy

   • Ideal niche: Quick start for SaaS and digital products.

   • Capabilities: Provides a ready-made "store", billing API, coupons, affiliate programs. Supports over 130 currencies and 20+ payment methods. Collects and pays taxes itself.

   • Financial aspect: Transparent fee - 5% + $0.50 per successful transaction, with no subscription fee.

Pros and Cons of the MoR Approach

• ✅ Pros:

  • Speed: Connect and start accepting payments worldwide immediately.

  • Simplicity: No need to understand international tax laws.

  • Reliability: All risks and complexities are handled by an experienced intermediary.

• ❌ Cons:

  • High fees: 5-7% versus ~2.9% with Stripe - a noticeable difference on high volumes.

  • Loss of control: Your clients pay the intermediary, not you. The client base and payment data are with MoR.

  • Less customization: Not all MoRs allow deep customization of the payment process for unique needs.

Another Path: Account Aggregators (Payoneer, Wise)

These services are not MoRs but play a key role in workaround schemes. Payoneer and Wise provide you with multi-currency accounts that can be used for:

• Registration in some international payment systems (requiring a linked foreign account).

• Receiving payouts from MoR platforms.

• Withdrawing funds from foreign accounts.

Important: For residents of some CIS countries, opening an account with these aggregators can be challenging and often requires a foreign legal entity or residence permit.

Conclusion for the First Part

If your priority is to quickly and with minimal administrative costs start accepting international payments for subscriptions, then Merchant of Record (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, FastSpring) is your best choice. It's a "magic pill" for entering the global market, albeit with some premium for convenience.

However, if you plan to scale and want to maintain full control over payments and clients, consider a more complex but flexible path - registering a company abroad and direct connection to international providers. We will discuss this, as well as local alternatives in Kazakhstan and the CIS, in the second part of the article.

Local Solutions and Global Expansion - Building a Payment Strategy for SaaS

Introduction: Two Fronts of Payments

SaaS businesses from the CIS have to fight on two fronts simultaneously: they need to conveniently accept payments from local clients and be able to receive money from clients in Europe, the USA, and other regions. If in the first part we talked about universal intermediaries (MoR), now we will dive into the details: how to work with the local market and how to legally open doors to global payment systems by registering a company abroad.

Local Payment Providers: Your Foundation in Kazakhstan and the CIS

For accepting payments within the country and from neighboring states, there are reliable domestic providers. They support local cards, popular e-wallets, and often have more favorable onboarding conditions.

Comparative Table of Local PSPs

Conclusion on Local Providers: Your choice depends on the monetization model. If you have subscriptions, then CloudPayments or Freedom Pay will be a reliable choice in Kazakhstan. Kaspi is perfect for one-time purchases or as an additional payment method for Kazakhstani clients.

Going Global: Registering a Company Abroad

This is a strategic move for those who want to work directly with Stripe, PayPal, and other international providers, paying standard fees (~2.9%) and maintaining full control over clients and payments.

Popular Jurisdictions for IT Business:

1. Estonia (e-Residency)

• Pros: Fully digital state. The e-Residency program allows remote company management. Corporate tax - 0% until dividends are distributed (ideal for reinvestment). The registration process is transparent and fast.

• Cons: If your actual activities are conducted from another country, there may be questions about "permanent establishment" and double taxation.

• For SaaS: Estonia is one of the most popular and friendly jurisdictions for IT startups in the EU.

2. USA (Delaware or Wyoming)

• Delaware:

  • Pros: Owner anonymity, developed legal system. No corporate tax for companies not operating in the state.

  • Nuance: There is a gross receipts tax, which applies to subscription income.

• Wyoming:

  • Pros: No income tax, simple registration procedures, low