ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a provider of global payments technology, has announced a strategic partnership with BitPay, a cryptocurrency payments processor, to further expand its digital assets solutions for merchants and payment service providers (PSPs) through ACI’s Payments Orchestration Platform.
According to a recent study by ACI Worldwide and Payments Dive, 55% of global retailers are evaluating cryptocurrency acceptance as part of their payment strategy. By integrating BitPay, ACI further differentiates its Payments Orchestration Platform, enabling acceptance and management of digital currencies, including stablecoins as a strategic complement to traditional payment rails.
Building on capabilities ACI introduced in 2021, merchants and PSPs can now integrate BitPay, alongside other payment options, to access upgraded features, including the ability to accept, store, and spend cryptocurrencies. BitPay’s platform supports a range of use cases, including peer-to-peer payments and mobile point-of-sale applications.
“As regulated stablecoins evolve from niche to mainstream, they’re creating new opportunities for cross-border transactions and settlement optimization,” said Adriana Iordan, global head of merchant at ACI Worldwide. “Our partnership with BitPay represents one element of our broader digital assets strategy. Based on growing demand from our PSPs and merchant clients, we’re ensuring they have multiple pathways to leverage these emerging rails where they add value – whether for payment acceptance or specific use cases like cross-border B2B settlements and treasury operations.”
“Together with ACI Worldwide, we’re making digital currencies more accessible and practical for real-world commerce,” said Stephen Pair, co-founder and CEO at BitPay. “This partnership brings our proven crypto payment capabilities to ACI’s global customer base, enabling everything from simple payment acceptance to cross-border settlement scenarios as market demand develops.”
The integrated solution supports settlement in both fiat and stablecoins, offering enhanced flexibility and efficiency for merchants operating in diverse markets. As clients explore these capabilities, businesses can leverage stablecoins for treasury operations, supplier payments, and cross-border settlements – creating new options for how global commerce can operate.
The Payment Orchestration Platform streamlines the complexity of managing multiple payment methods, acquirers, and gateways through a single, unified interface. By incorporating various digital currency solutions, merchants and PSPs can explore new revenue opportunities – typically seeing a 1–3% percent growth in sales where implemented – while offering customers greater choice and convenience at checkout.
“ACI Worldwide remains committed to a rail-agnostic approach, expanding its digital assets ecosystem through additional partnerships and integrations as the market matures,” continued Iordan. “This ensures our clients are prepared to leverage digital payment innovations as use cases emerge and regulatory frameworks solidify.”
