Payments Gateway Processing
Payments gateway processing is the art of integrating, configuring, and maintaining payment platforms (Stripe, PayPal, Square) that handle customer transactions. Used by fintech engineers, backend developers, and payment ops teams. Salary band £60k-£140k (UK mid-level). Learn in 3-4 months by combining PCI-DSS fundamentals with hands-on API work. Sits between security-fundamentals and payment-orchestration.
What is Payments Gateway Processing
Payments gateway processing is the intersection of backend engineering and financial compliance. It's the skill of integrating third-party payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Adyen, Square) into applications so customers can buy things. You manage API authentication, handle webhooks, reconcile transactions, manage failed payments, and ensure PCI-DSS compliance. Payment processing isn't just about making a API call, it's orchestrating a complex dance: authorization, settlement, disputes, refunds, currency conversion, and regulatory compliance. Most applications get it wrong, losing 5-10% of revenue to failed payments, chargebacks, and poor error handling.
💰 Salary by region
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $85k | $140k | $200k |
| UK | $50k | $85k | $130k |
| EU | $48k | $80k | $120k |
| CANADA | $75k | $125k | $180k |
❓ FAQ
Do I need to store credit card numbers?
What's the difference between Stripe and PayPal?
How do I handle failed payments?
What is PCI compliance and why does it matter?
How do I test payments in development?
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