Introducing the BessPay Plugin Project
Integrating Interledger Open Payments into Sharetribe Marketplaces to Unlock Global Trade for MSMEs
The BessPay Plugin is a new project that will integrate Interledger Open Payments into the Sharetribe marketplace platform, enabling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the Global South to accept and send cross-border payments with lower costs, local currency support, and no-code setup.
This work is supported by a grant from the Interledger Foundation’s Digital Financial Services (DFS) Unlocked program and will be piloted through our Sharetribe-powered marketplace, SouthLink, which will connect MSME sellers in Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia with global buyers seeking authentic goods, services, and experiences.
Why Sharetribe?
Sharetribe powers thousands of marketplaces in over 70 countries, enabling entrepreneurs to launch online platforms for e-commerce, services, rentals, and more without writing code.
Today, these platforms rely heavily on traditional payment providers like PayPal, Stripe, and local gateways. But MSMEs face persistent barriers:
- High transaction fees
- Slow settlement times
- Limited support for local currencies
- Inaccessibility in many Global South markets
The BessPay Plugin addresses these issues by enabling Interledger Open Payments making it easier, cheaper, and faster for MSMEs to get paid, both locally and internationally.
Plugin Benefits
With the BessPay Plugin, marketplace operators and MSMEs will be able to:
- Accept payments from buyers worldwide in local or stable currencies
- Launch multi-vendor marketplaces with no-code tools
- Reduce transaction fees and improve payment speed
- Integrate easily with existing Sharetribe workflows
- Enable flexible payouts via bank transfers, mobile money, and agent networks (powered by Chimoney)
BessPay Plugin Solution
The BessPay Plugin leverages:
- Interledger Protocol (ILP) and Open Payments APIs for interoperable, low-cost transactions
- Chimoney APIs for payout flexibility in local contexts
- Sharetribe for no-code marketplace creation
- Mobile-first UX Design, tailored to MSME workflows in developing regions
The Plugin is designed to serve MSMEs in diverse sectors like:
- Fashion & Apparel: Caribbean clothing brands, African jewelry makers, Pacific Island woven textiles
- Handcrafted Goods & Artisanal Products: Handmade pottery, beadwork, eco-friendly crafts
- Creative Services & Digital Content: Illustrators, musicians, video producers, freelance writers
- Home, Room, and Experience Rentals: Guesthouses, farm stays, cultural experience providers
- Product-Based and Buy-and-Sell Marketplaces: Electronics, specialty foods, community classifieds
- Health, Wellness, and Beauty Services: Telehealth consultations, natural skincare products, wellness coaching
- Professional and Business Services: Software engineers, freelancers, legal advisors, virtual assistants
Every MSME marketplace we empower contributes to job creation, youth innovation, and economic resilience.
MSMEs in the Global South
Across the Global South, MSMEs employ over 70% of the workforce and contribute 35% of GDP (World Bank).
Yet, cross-border payments remain a critical bottleneck. This project closes that gap bringing the benefits of the digital economy to entrepreneurs historically excluded from global trade.
We are working relentlessly to expand access to economic opportunity, especially for youth, women-led businesses, and community-first creators.
About BessPay
The BessPay Plugin is being developed by BessPay Ltd. with support from the ILF Digital Financial Services (DFS) Grant, 2024 cohort.
BessPay Ltd. is a fintech startup based in Jamaica, committed to unlocking economic opportunity for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through inclusive, affordable, and easy-to-use digital financial tools.
They specialize in creating solutions that address the unique payment and monetization challenges faced by entrepreneurs in emerging economies. Their previous work has focused on empowering creators in the Caribbean through ILP-based platforms and with the BessPay Plugin Project.
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