Shopify’s latest merchant‑focused update makes it easier than ever for US store owners to settle invoices with overseas suppliers. The new International Payments from Balance feature lets eligible merchants send cross‑border payments directly from the Balance mobile app, eliminating the need for separate banking arrangements, hidden fees, or complex onboarding.
What’s New: International Payments from Balance
Starting today, merchants in the United States can tap the Balance app to pay suppliers in over 40 countries. The workflow mirrors the domestic “Pay suppliers” experience—just select an international recipient, choose the currency, and confirm. Shopify handles the conversion, compliance checks, and settlement, providing a single‑pane‑of‑glass experience for global trade.
Who’s Eligible – Merchants vs. Developers
The feature is targeted at merchants who already use Shopify Balance for domestic payouts. Eligibility is determined automatically: if a store’s Balance account is active, the “International” toggle appears in the Pay Suppliers screen. Developers don’t need to modify any storefront code to unlock the feature, but they should be aware that the UI will now expose an extra payment option for qualifying merchants.
How It Works – From the Balance Mobile App
Pricing & Transparency
Shopify publishes the exact fee structure in the Help Center: a flat 0.5 % conversion fee plus a $0.30 transaction fee per payout, with no hidden markup. The rate is locked at the moment of confirmation, so merchants know the final cost before they click Send. Because the payout is funded from Balance, there’s no additional banking‑wire cost.
Impact for Developers – No API Changes, but New UI Hooks
The backend payment APIs remain unchanged; the same Admin API endpoint (POST /admin/api/2024-07/payments) continues to handle supplier payouts. However, the admin UI now renders an extra International option, which can affect custom admin extensions or embedded apps that rely on DOM selectors. Developers should test any UI‑automation scripts to ensure they gracefully handle the new button.
Action Checklist for Merchants
Getting Started – Step‑by‑Step Guide
Below is a quick walkthrough you can share with your team:
Step 1: Open Balance → Pay Suppliers.
Step 2: Click Add Recipient → select International.
Step 3: Fill in the supplier’s bank details (IBAN or SWIFT) and choose the payout currency.
Step 4: Enter the amount in your base currency; the app shows the converted total.
Step 5: Confirm. You’ll receive an in‑app receipt and an email copy for record‑keeping.
For power users, the same flow can be triggered via the Admin API. Example payload:
{
"payment": {
"recipient_id": "gid://shopify/Contact/123456789",
"amount": "1500.00",
"currency": "USD",
"destination_currency": "EUR",
"source": "balance"
}
}
Replace the IDs with your own contact ID. The destination_currency field signals an international payout; Shopify will apply the conversion fee automatically.
Best Practices & Tips
Conclusion & Next Steps
International Payments from Balance removes a major friction point for growing brands that source products globally. By leveraging the native Balance workflow, merchants gain cost‑effective, transparent cross‑border payouts without extra integrations. Developers can rest easy knowing the underlying APIs stay stable, but should validate any custom admin tooling against the refreshed UI.
Ready to start paying your overseas suppliers faster? Open the Balance app today, explore the new International tab, and let your global supply chain thrive.
For more details, visit the Shopify Help Center or contact Shopify Support.
