How to sell online in Singapore: An e-commerce guide
Last update: 23 May 2025
Singapore is a highly desirable market for online sellers, with an affluent and digitally active population. But breaking into the market as an e-commerce business can be tricky, especially if you’re an international brand:
- You might be unfamiliar with Singapore’s most popular e-commerce platforms, including Shopee, Lazada and Amazon
- You need to navigate, understand and comply with many regulations
- You’ll require an affordable and easy way to receive funds in Singaporean dollars
In this guide, we explore how to sell online in Singapore, specifically for international businesses. We cover:
- What e-commerce marketplaces should you sell on in Singapore?
- What regulations should you be aware of before selling in Singapore?
- How WorldFirst can help your e-commerce business scale globally
At WorldFirst, we support cross-border online businesses to manage their international payments in multiple currencies. Sign up for a World Account for free today.
What e-commerce platforms should you sell on in Singapore?
To get started, it’s worth thinking hard about which marketplaces you want to sell on in Singapore.
Amazon is a good choice for international brands. And if you have an existing seller account, you can get set up on Amazon Singapore very quickly.
However, there are other local platforms to consider, including Shopee and Lazada:
- Shopee. Established in 2015, Shopee is the most popular online marketplace in Singapore by visitor numbers. But it’s also well-used across Southeast Asia. So, if you have plans to expand further into the region, it’s an important site to be on.
If you’re planning to sell in other countries through Shopee, a multi-currency account can make your life a lot easier.
- Lazada is Singapore’s second-most popular platform by website visitor volume. Conceived as a Southeast Asian answer to Amazon, the company initially launched in the Philippines and has served the Singaporean market since 2014.
The company was easily the most popular e-commerce platform in Singapore by the time the site was purchased by Alibaba in 2016 for US$2 billion. What makes Lazada stand out for sellers is its comprehensive support, with additional services covering tax, finance and store design.
Plus, businesses can also benefit from Lazada’s comprehensive handling of shipping or delivery complexities and an efficient system for processing returns.
- Amazon was surprisingly late to the e-commerce market boom in Singapore. The US-based company launched localised services in 2017 and only unveiled a dedicated Singaporean web domain in 2019. Since then, it’s become the third-most popular platform in the country.
With the company’s global presence and highly competitive Prime service, using Amazon.sg is an extremely lucrative opportunity for local and international merchants.
Read more about using Amazon FBA in Singapore here.
What regulations should you be aware of before selling in Singapore?
Once you’ve chosen the right platform for your online store, you’ll likely have some questions about any rules you need to comply with or licences you need to get. But in reality it’s fairly straightforward to get set up as an online retailer in Singapore.
Do you need a licence to sell in Singapore?
If you’re an e-commerce business, you don’t need a licence to sell online in Singapore.
Understandably, there has been some confusion around this point. According to legislation provided by the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA), e-commerce platforms are counted as Internet Content Providers (ICPs) and therefore broadcasters.
However, individual sellers don’t need to get a licence at all.
Do you need to comply with any other legislation?
As an e-commerce seller, it’s worthwhile being aware of the Sale of Goods Act (SOGA), which covers product standards and quality controls.
SOGA applies to contracts for goods sold in Singapore. Under the legislation, any contract for the sale of goods comes with implicit terms. The terms stipulate that:
- Goods should be of a satisfactory quality
- Product descriptions must be in line with the goods as sold
- If goods fail to meet the standards, the buyer can reject the goods and either terminate the contract or claim damages
It’s useful to check the Misrepresentation Act to acquire a full understanding of your liabilities under Singaporean law.
How can I manage imports, exports and taxes in Singapore?
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is the main tax body in Singapore. They list the main taxes that might apply to your business on their website. There are three major categories of duties, taxes and exemptions that apply to goods entering the country.
- The Goods and Services Tax (GST). This 9% tax applies to all items for sale in Singapore, including imports. You can find out more about the tax and any exemptions here.
- Customs Duty. As Singapore operates a free port, customs duties don’t usually apply to imported goods. However, beers that exceed 5.8% ABV are the most notable exception, as they’re liable for this tax.
- Excise Duty. Excise duties are penalties applied to goods – typically those that are harmful to the potential customer or environment – to discourage purchases. These goods include intoxicating liquors, motor vehicles, tobacco and fuels.
There are certain items that are prohibited from being imported, regardless of whether the customs and excise duties are paid. These include things like endangered wildlife, military equipment and obscene material.
What else is required to sell on Singaporean e-commerce marketplaces?
As you’ve seen, there are few barriers standing in your way if you’re looking to sell on e-commerce platforms in Singapore. Most importantly, you’ll need to ensure that you’re selling products that are good quality, as stipulated by SOGA.
That said, each e-commerce marketplace has its own rules for sellers who want to use their platform.
One of the most common requirements is that, to sell in Singapore, you need a bank account in local currency – i.e. the Singapore dollar (SGD). For instance, Shopee has this as a requirement, as well as Amazon Singapore. In fact, to sell in any country through Amazon, you’ll need a bank account in the local currency.
If you’re an international business, having separate accounts for each currency can be a real hassle – as you often need a physical address in that country too.
To avoid this, you can use a multi-currency business account, such as the World Account.
How WorldFirst can help your e-commerce business scale globally
If you’re looking to start selling in Singapore, one of the main hassles you’ll face is setting up a business account where you can receive your sales income in local currency.
The conventional way to manage this is to simply set up a separate bank account in each country you sell in, such as in Singapore, Malaysia and China. Yet this can often be impossible without a physical presence. And it means that you have many different accounts to manage.
This is precisely the problem that we solve at WorldFirst. We offer solutions for cross-border businesses to make e-commerce payments simpler and more secure.
For instance, our multi-currency World Account enables you to hold and receive funds in 20+ currencies, including SGD, GBP and USD. You’ll also get local account details, so that you can sell on Singaporean e-commerce marketplaces without the need for a local presence.
Here are three reasons why you should set up a World Account today.
- Open 20+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
- Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
- Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
- Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty
Hold 20+ currencies for free with local account details
With WorldFirst, you don’t need to manage your income from different online platforms and markets with separate bank accounts. Instead, you can get visibility on all your global revenue streams in one screen.
Open a World Account and you can receive and hold funds in 20+ different currencies, including SGD, GBP, USD and EUR. You can open up to 14 different receiving accounts in each currency too, to better manage your budgets, profits and accounting.
Holding local currency means reduced spending on foreign exchange fees. Instead of converting your profits from Singaporean sales immediately into GBP, holding SGD enables you to pay local suppliers or employees in their currency.
Each currency account comes with local account details, meaning that you can send and receive funds through local payment networks. This makes it much faster to pay suppliers and receive profits from the marketplaces you’re selling on (without the need for an international transaction).
Then, when you’re ready to withdraw GBP, you can convert from your SGD account instantly.
Pay in 100+ currencies and save money with competitive exchange rates
As well as holding funds in local currency, you can also send money in 100+ currencies to over 200 countries. This way, you can pay suppliers, employees and contractors across the world easily and affordably.
It’s fast and simple to exchange foreign currency with WorldFirst’s spot contracts. These are transactions based on the live market rate, to make currency exchange as easy as possible.
Alternatively, if you’re regularly paying suppliers in the same currency, you can make your payments more predictable by locking in exchange rates. For instance, if you’re regularly converting SGD into GBP, you can use a forward contract to lock in a rate for up to 24 months.
Another way we make currency exchange easier at WorldFirst is with firm orders. If you have a target exchange rate in mind, we can automatically exchange currency for you when that rate is reached. You won’t need to track the market – we’ll do all the work for you.
Find out more: Foreign exchange risk management: How to make international business more affordable
Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways
At WorldFirst, we built our accounts with the business needs of international e-commerce companies in mind. That’s why, with a World Account, it couldn’t be easier to connect to and collect funds from global e-commerce marketplaces.
With your World Account, you can connect with 100+ marketplaces in Singapore, the UK and around the world – including Shopee, Lazada, Amazon Singapore, Temu and more. Plus, you can receive funds for free from 30+ payment platforms such as PayPal, Stripe and Shopify.
We also have a direct and exclusive integration with the Chinese wholesale marketplace, 1688.com. It makes it easy for you to find Chinese suppliers, source products in bulk for your online shop or physical store and make payment without hassle.
- Find out more: How to source wholesale using 1688.com outside China
Sell online in Singapore with WorldFirst
Ready to sell online in Singapore? At WorldFirst, we can support you to maximise your profits from your international e-commerce sales:
- Receive funds in 20+ currencies
- Make payments in 100+ currencies
- Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months
- Connect with 130+ e-commerce marketplaces and payment gateways
Setting up an account is free and easy. Sign up for a World Account today.
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