Payments technology company ACI Worldwide has partnered with cryptocurrency processor BitPay to give merchants and payment service providers more ways to accept digital payments. The integration will be part of ACI’s Payments Orchestration Platform, which helps businesses manage multiple payment methods and gateways in one place.
The move comes as retailers around the world are getting increasingly interested in digital currencies, particularly stablecoins, as part of their payment strategies.
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 incorporating BitPay’s capabilities, ACI intends to give businesses more flexibility in accepting both conventional and digital forms of payment.
Expanding payment capabilities
Merchants and PSPs using ACI’s platform will now be able to accept, store, and spend cryptocurrencies alongside standard payment methods. BitPay supports a range of applications, from peer-to-peer transfers to mobile point-of-sale transactions, enabling businesses to explore digital payments beyond simple acceptance at checkout.
According to Adriana Iordan, Global Head of Merchant at ACI Worldwide, “As regulated stablecoins evolve from niche to mainstream, they’re creating new opportunities for cross-border transactions and settlement optimization.” She added that the partnership is part of a broader strategy to provide clients with multiple ways to leverage emerging payment rails.
Practical use cases
The platform could also help businesses achieve modest growth in sales, with some reporting a 1–3% increase when multiple payment options are offered. Stephen Pair, CEO and Co-Founder of BitPay, highlighted the practical advantages, saying, “Together with ACI Worldwide, we’re making digital currencies more accessible and practical for real‑world commerce.”
He added that the partnership supports everything from simple crypto payment acceptance to more complex cross‑border settlement processes.
A rail‑agnostic strategy
ACI emphasizes that its Payments Orchestration Platform is rail‑agnostic, meaning it can accommodate a wide range of payment solutions as the market evolves. Adriana Iordan, Global Head of Merchant at ACI, said the company is steadily expanding its ecosystem through partnerships and integrations, ensuring clients are prepared to adopt new payment technologies as regulatory frameworks develop.