Payments · Decision guide · 4 min read
Payment orchestration: what it is and how to decide
Payment orchestration is a layer that connects a merchant to multiple gateways, acquirers and payment methods through one integration. Whether it is worth it depends on your current performance, total cost of ownership and the specific capabilities you need.
By Steve Glover ·
- Who this is for
- Heads of payments, CTOs and procurement teams considering a multi-provider set-up.
- Why it matters
- A single modern provider can be a big step forward, but some merchants need multiple providers, local methods or more control. The business case is merchant-specific.
Executive summary
- 1Distinguish the capabilities orchestration can offer.
- 2Baseline current performance and total cost before deciding.
- 3Build the business case on your own data, not generic calculators.
What does orchestration actually cover?
| Capability | What it means | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Provider selection | Connecting more than one gateway or acquirer | Do we need more than one provider, and where? |
| Routing | Choosing which provider handles each transaction | On what rules, and who maintains them? |
| Tokenisation | Storing card credentials independently of one provider | Can we move providers without losing stored cards? |
| Failover | Switching provider when one is unavailable | How often do outages affect us today? |
| Reporting | One view of performance across providers | Can we compare cost and approval by provider? |
What should you know before building a business case?
- Your conversion rate and drop-off by country, issuer and authentication outcome.
- Fraud, chargeback and decline performance by provider.
- Total cost of ownership of the current set-up, including internal effort.
- Markets or payment methods you want but cannot reach today.
Sources and methodology
- Bankhawk practitioner analysis. Vendor and market data to be sourced before reuse.
Weighing a multi-provider set-up?
Tell us your current providers and goals. We will outline what an independent assessment would examine.
Discuss your provider evaluation