Payment gateway integration services for the UAE and MENA
MotionPexels integrates payment gateways for merchants in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region. We build integrations that perform in production, not just in a sandbox, with proper handling of failures, retries and pending payments.
What a production-grade integration includes
An API that returns a success response is the start, not the finish. These are the parts that decide whether the integration holds up with real customers.
Requirements review
Your business model, target markets, transaction volumes and edge cases, understood before any code is written.
Hosted page or API
A clear recommendation on hosted payment pages versus a direct API integration, based on your control and compliance needs.
3DS2 authentication
Authentication flows that work across browsers, devices and issuing banks, with a way out when a step fails.
Tokenization
Secure storage of payment credentials as tokens, so repeat payments and subscriptions work without handling raw card data.
Webhooks and idempotency
Reliable handling of asynchronous payment events, and idempotency keys so a retry never charges a customer twice.
Retries and fallbacks
Defined behavior for timeouts, issuer downtime and failed authentication, so customers never hit a dead end.
Refunds and reconciliation
Refund flows and reporting that let your finance team match payments to orders and settlements.
Test coverage
Tests for happy paths, declines, partial authorizations, timeouts and 3DS friction, run before go-live.
Payment methods we integrate
Card payments
Visa and Mastercard, 3DS2 authentication, tokenization, network tokens, hosted pages or API, decline optimization and payment links.
Apple Pay and wallets
Apple Pay on the web and in-app, Google Pay and STC Pay, including merchant validation, domain and certificate setup.
Local payment methods
Mada (Saudi Arabia), KNET (Kuwait), Benefit (Bahrain), OmanNet (Oman), and UAEFTS and other local rails.
Buy now, pay later
Tabby, Tamara and Postpay, with eligibility flows and refund and dispute handling.
Other methods
Bank transfers, cash-based methods, PayPal, open banking and redirect flows.
Our integration checklist
This is the order we work in on a typical integration.
- Confirm requirements: markets, currencies, payment methods, volumes and refund rules
- Choose hosted pages or a direct API integration
- Design the payment states: pending, authorized, captured, failed, refunded
- Implement authentication, including 3DS2 and what happens when it fails
- Add webhook handling with signature checks and idempotency
- Build retry logic and fallback paths for timeouts and issuer problems
- Set up refunds, voids and partial captures
- Add logging and reporting so declines and pending payments are visible
- Test happy paths, failures, declines and edge cases in the sandbox
- Run a controlled go-live, then review live decline reasons
Common failure points
Payments stuck in pending
The gateway never confirms and nothing resolves the payment. Customers do not know if they were charged, and your team chases orders by hand. The fix is proper webhook handling, status checks and a defined timeout path.
3DS loops
A broken authentication flow is invisible in the sandbox. Real customers get sent back to the same step and abandon the purchase. The fix is testing across browsers, devices and issuers, and handling each outcome.
Decline spikes
Approval rates drop after launch with no clear reason. Often the cause is configuration, such as authentication settings, routing or retry behavior, not the cards themselves.
If you already have a live integration with these symptoms, see our approval-rate optimization service.
Timeline and process
Timelines depend on how many payment methods you need, whether you use hosted pages or an API, and how much of your existing system has to change. We give you a proposal with a timeline and scope before work starts, so there are no surprise additions mid-project.
You work directly with our founder, who has about nine years in payments and payment technology, including as Director of Solutions Engineering at Checkout.com.
What drives integration effort
- The number of payment methods and markets
- Hosted payment pages or a direct API integration
- Subscriptions, saved cards and tokenization
- Refund, void and partial-capture rules
- How much of your current checkout has to change
- Reporting and reconciliation requirements for finance
Security basics we build in
Payment code handles sensitive data. We avoid touching raw card data where a hosted page or token can do the job, verify webhook signatures and keep secrets out of code and logs.
We also design for PCI-DSS and 3DS2 requirements from the start, rather than adding them at the end.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a payment gateway integration take?
It depends on the payment methods you need, hosted page versus API, your existing system and how much testing is required. We give you a timeline in the proposal, after we review your requirements.
Does hosted or direct integration affect PCI-DSS scope?
Usually, yes. With hosted payment pages, card data goes straight to the payment provider, which generally reduces the PCI-DSS scope you carry. With a direct API integration, you handle more of it. Your exact obligations depend on your setup and your acquirer.
How do I choose a payment gateway?
Start with the markets and payment methods you need, then compare settlement, onboarding, integration options and support. Check that the provider supports the local methods your customers use. We can help you evaluate options against your requirements.
Can you migrate us from one gateway to another?
Yes. A migration needs a plan for stored tokens, live subscriptions, webhooks, reporting and a controlled cutover, so existing customers are not disrupted.
How do you test a payment integration?
We test happy paths, declines, partial authorizations, timeouts, duplicate requests and 3DS friction in the sandbox, then review real decline reasons after a controlled go-live.
Ready to talk it through?
Book a 30-minute call. We’ll listen, ask the right questions, and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.