How to collect Shopify payments with a World Account in Africa

Learn how Shopify sellers can collect multi-currency payments with a World Account

Key takeaways

• Shopify Payments settles earnings in the store’s default settlement currency. International sales made in other currencies are converted before payout, with a conversion fee
• African sellers receiving a high volume of international orders in USD, GBP or EUR can lose a measurable share of revenue to these automatic conversions over time
• A World Account gives sellers local currency receiving accounts in 15+ currencies. By linking a matching-currency account to Shopify, payouts can settle in the currency the customer paid in, skipping the platform’s conversion step

With Shopify, an online seller based in Nigeria or Morocco can accept orders from the US, UK and Europe, with buyers paying in their own local currency at checkout.

Shopify Payments converts every international sale into the store’s settlement currency before releasing the funds. That conversion includes a fee, and the exchange rate applied is Shopify’s own. For a store doing a significant share of sales in USD or GBP, those conversion costs recur on every single order and reduce the margin before the money even reaches the seller.

This guide covers how Shopify’s payout system works, where the conversion costs sit, and how African sellers can use a World Account to collect payouts in the currency customers actually paid in.

How Shopify Payments handles international sales

Shopify Payments processes all buyer transactions on the store. When a customer in the US pays USD for a product listed on an African seller’s store, Shopify collects the USD, converts it into the store’s settlement currency, applies a conversion fee, and deposits the result into the seller’s linked bank account.

The settlement currency is fixed by default: Shopify Payments settles in the currency of the store’s registered country. Every sale made in a different currency gets converted into that default before payout.

The conversion fee applies on each transaction: Shopify charges a percentage fee on top of its own exchange rate for every currency conversion. For sellers receiving dozens or hundreds of international orders per month, these fees stack up across the full sales volume.

Shopify Plus merchants have the option to set up a second settlement currency alongside the primary one, which reduces the number of conversions. But most standard Shopify plans settle everything into a single currency.

Steps to collect Shopify payments with a World Account in Africa

The World Account is a multi-currency account that gives African sellers access to local currency receiving accounts in 15+ currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, CNH and others. Each account has its own account number and routing details.

By linking a matching-currency World Account receiving account to Shopify as the payout destination, the seller can receive payouts in the currency customers paid in. USD sales settle into a USD balance. GBP sales settle into a GBP balance.

With a World Account, you also get access to World Card, a Mastercard-powered business payment card. You can get up to 20 cards available at no additional cost. No fees apply when paying in any of the 15 supported currencies (with sufficient balance held in that currency). Cashback is available on eligible spending (Terms and Conditions Apply).

Here are the steps to collect Shopify Payments with a World Account

Step 1: Open a receiving account in the World Account

The receiving account needs to match the currency you want Shopify to settle in.

1. Log in to the World Account dashboard
2. Navigate to the Collection tab and select Manage Accounts
3. Select Add a New Receiving Account and pick the currency (USD for US sales, GBP for UK sales, EUR for European sales)
4. Complete the fields as prompted and confirm
5. Once active, open the Details view to see the account number, routing number, sort code, IBAN or BIC depending on the currency

These are the details that go into Shopify in the next step.

Step 2: Update payout details in Shopify

With the receiving account ready, update Shopify’s payout settings to point at it.

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Payments
2. Under the Shopify Payments section, click Manage
3. Scroll to Payout details and under Payout account, click Change bank account
4. Enter the World Account receiving details from Step 1
5. Click Save

Shopify may ask you to confirm your previous account details as a security step before the change takes effect.

For Shopify Plus merchants

Shopify Plus allows two settlement currencies at the same time. The primary settlement currency (tied to the store’s registered country) requires a bank account in that same country. The secondary settlement currency can use a bank account based in a different country where that currency is the primary one.

To add a second payout account in Shopify Plus:

1. Go to Settings, then Payments in the Shopify admin
2. Under Shopify Payments, click Manage
3. In the Payouts bank accounts section, click Add
4. Select the bank country, enter the World Account receiving details for the second currency, choose the payout currency and save

Sales that don’t match either settlement currency will still be converted and settled into the default payout account.

Do more with a World Account

Once the connection is live, Shopify deposits follow the store’s regular payout schedule. Funds arrive in the matching currency inside the World Account, where they can be managed alongside payouts from other sales channels.

The World Account works with 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways beyond Shopify, including Amazon, Etsy, Stripe and AliExpress. Sellers active across multiple platforms can bring all payouts into one dashboard, each settling into the matching currency account without needing separate banking relationships for each channel.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or professional advice. This article should not be regarded as constituting an offer or a solicitation to buy or sell any regulated or financial products or services. WorldFirst makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the content, and readers are encouraged to consult with legal professionals or other professionals for advice tailored to their specific situation. WorldFirst does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of this article and expressly disclaims any and all liability to any person in respect of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done wholly or partly in reliance on this article.