Independent Developers Should Set Up Overseas Companies for Global Payment Integration
TL;DR · AI Summary
Chinese indie hackers should establish overseas companies to comply with increasingly strict KYC policies and unlock access to global payment platforms like Stripe that restrict mainland users.
Key Takeaways
- Stripe enforces extremely strict KYC for mainland users; old workarounds no long
- Lemon Squeezy has been acquired by Stripe and suffers from slow verification pro
- Establishing an overseas company unlocks more payment options and improves user
Outline
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Mainland Chinese independent developers face increasingly stringent KYC requirements when integrating global payment solutions.
Stripe blocks mainland users, Paddle requires transaction history, Lemon Squeezy verification stalls.
Creem has lighter requirements but now faces long queues; PayPal supports China but needs corporate registration.
Setting up an overseas company facilitates access to multiple payment services and ensures legal operation.
Using a domestic entity enables integration of WeChat Pay and Alipay, significantly improving local user experience.
Mindmap
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- 独立开发者出海支付接入策略
- 主要障碍
- KYC审核趋严
- 平台限制大陆用户
- 平台现状
- Stripe接入困难
- Lemon Squeezy审核慢
- Creem需排队
- 解决方案
- 设立海外公司
- 使用本地支付渠道
Highlights
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Stripe, as expected, has super strict KYC—it never supported mainland users, and using old passports with HK addresses no longer works.
Paddle—I registered a year ago and they asked for 3 months of processing statements. How can a new product possibly have such records?
Establishing an overseas company unlocks more payment platforms and enhances user payment experience.
Viking on X: "I found that for indie developers based in China, it's best to set up an overseas company when launching your first product abroad. I've tried various payment platforms, and now KYC requirements are getting stricter. If you want to run a long-term, legitimate business, it's better to provide real information. I've tested many platforms: Stripe, no need to say much, has extremely strict KYC policies. It never supported mainland China to begin with, and using old passports with Hong Kong addresses no longer works."
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I found that for indie developers currently based in China, it's best to establish an overseas company when launching your first international product. I've experimented with various payment platforms, and now KYC is becoming increasingly stringent. If you're aiming to build a long-term, legal business, it's advisable to always fill in genuine information. Platforms I've previously tested include:
Stripe — needless to say, its KYC process is super strict. It never supported mainland users to begin with, and even using previous passports along with Hong Kong addresses doesn't work anymore.
Paddle — I registered about a year ago, and they surprisingly asked me for three months of processing statements. How could a brand-new product possibly have such transaction records? They just find another way to prevent approval.
Lemon Squeezy — seems like it was acquired by Stripe already? I also applied a year ago and am still stuck in onboarding; not sure which verification step is blocking progress. Is this platform still being used today?
Creem probably requires the least documentation. Fortunately, I applied early and got approved, though I heard there’s now a queue of thousands waiting for review.
PayPal should be okay — a few months back, I integrated it for TinyShip. They have dedicated services for mainland users, allowing direct transfers to domestic cards. However, I applied through a local company, so I'm unsure whether individuals can do the same.
Polar does not support mainland applicants, so I didn’t proceed further.
Recently heard about something called DodoPayments — apparently low-barrier entry, but I wonder if anyone here has experience with it?
Any other recommendations from everyone else?
Conclusion: Whether going global or staying local, setting up a formal company is highly recommended. In China, having a registered entity allows access to WeChat Pay, Alipay, and other merchant payment solutions, making transactions far more user-friendly for domestic customers, with daily transfers directly deposited into the company account. The same applies internationally — without proper registration, many services become inaccessible.