Introducing the BessPay Plugin Project

Integrating Interledger Open Payments into Sharetribe Marketplaces to Unlock Global Trade for MSMEs

The BessPay Plugin is a new project that will integrate Interledger Open Payments into the Sharetribe marketplace platform, enabling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the Global South to accept and send cross-border payments with lower costs, local currency support, and no-code setup.

This work is supported by a grant from the Interledger Foundation’s Digital Financial Services (DFS) Unlocked program and will be piloted through our Sharetribe-powered marketplace, SouthLink, which will connect MSME sellers in Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia with global buyers seeking authentic goods, services, and experiences.

Why Sharetribe?

Sharetribe powers thousands of marketplaces in over 70 countries, enabling entrepreneurs to launch online platforms for e-commerce, services, rentals, and more without writing code.

Today, these platforms rely heavily on traditional payment providers like PayPal, Stripe, and local gateways. But MSMEs face persistent barriers:

• High transaction fees
• Slow settlement times
• Limited support for local currencies
• Inaccessibility in many Global South markets

The BessPay Plugin addresses these issues by enabling Interledger Open Payments making it easier, cheaper, and faster for MSMEs to get paid, both locally and internationally.

Plugin Benefits

With the BessPay Plugin, marketplace operators and MSMEs will be able to:

• Accept payments from buyers worldwide in local or stable currencies
• Launch multi-vendor marketplaces with no-code tools
• Reduce transaction fees and improve payment speed
• Integrate easily with existing Sharetribe workflows
• Enable flexible payouts via bank transfers, mobile money, and agent networks (powered by Chimoney)

Timeline & Impact

Over the next 11 months, our work will include:

1. In-depth user research on MSME payment needs
2. Technical design and architecture of the plugin
3. Development and testing inside our own SouthLink Marketplace
4. Pilot implementation with MSMEs across sectors
5. Phased regional launch across Global South markets

Our goal is to enable MSMEs in 100+ emerging countries to trade globally by April 2026.

BessPay Plugin Solution

The BessPay Plugin leverages:

• Interledger Protocol (ILP) and Open Payments APIs for interoperable, low-cost transactions
• Chimoney APIs for payout flexibility in local contexts
• Sharetribe for no-code marketplace creation
• Mobile-first UX Design, tailored to MSME workflows in developing regions

Fig 1. From local sellers to digital service providers, MSMEs across the Global South are ready to thrive with faster, more affordable open payment solutions

The Plugin is designed to serve MSMEs in diverse sectors:

• Fashion & Apparel: Caribbean clothing brands, African jewelry makers, Pacific Island woven textiles
• Handcrafted Goods & Artisanal Products: Handmade pottery, beadwork, eco-friendly crafts
• Creative Services & Digital Content: Illustrators, musicians, video producers, freelance writers
• Tutoring, Coaching & Education: Online tutoring, business coaching, cooking classes
• Home, Room, and Experience Rentals: Guesthouses, farm stays, cultural experience providers
• Product-Based and Buy-and-Sell Marketplaces: Electronics, specialty foods, community classifieds
• Health, Wellness, and Beauty Services: Telehealth consultations, natural skincare products, wellness coaching
• Professional and Business Services: Software engineers, freelancers, legal advisors, virtual assistants
• Logistics and Last-Mile Delivery Solutions: Micro-couriers, marketplace fulfillment providers
• Events, Cultural Services, and Ticketing: Festival ticket sales, artist bookings, cultural workshops

Every MSME marketplace we empower contributes to job creation, youth innovation, and economic resilience.

MSMEs in the Global South

Across the Global South, MSMEs employ over 70% of the workforce and contribute 35% of GDP (World Bank).

Yet, cross-border payments remain a critical bottleneck. This project closes that gap bringing the benefits of the digital economy to entrepreneurs historically excluded from global trade.

We are working relentlessly to expand access to economic opportunity, especially for youth, women-led businesses, and community-first creators.

About Us

The BessPay Plugin is being developed by BessPay Ltd. with support from the ILF Digital Financial Services (DFS) Grant, 2024 cohort.

BessPay Ltd. is a fintech startup based in Jamaica, committed to unlocking economic opportunity for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through inclusive, affordable, and easy-to-use digital financial tools.

We specialize in creating solutions that address the unique payment and monetization challenges faced by entrepreneurs in emerging economies. Our previous work has focused on empowering creators in the Caribbean through ILP-based platforms and with the BessPay Plugin Project, we are expanding that mission to MSMEs across the Global South.

Join Us on the Journey
We are excited to collaborate with the Interledger community and ecosystem partners to build this future.

Visit us:
https://besspay.net
https://gspen.net

Follow our journey, give us feedback, and connect with us if you're interested in piloting, integrating, or supporting the BessPay Plugin rollout

References

1. United Nations. (2023). Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day. MSMEs account for more than 70% of employment and contribute up to 50% of GDP worldwide.
   https://www.un.org/en/observances/micro-small-medium-businesses-day

2. World Bank. (2023). SME Finance – Improving Access to Finance for SMEs.
   MSMEs face significant barriers in accessing affordable, cross-border financial services, including high costs and settlement delays.
   https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/smefinance

3. Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). (2023). Private Firms and SME Development.MSMEs are essential drivers of youth employment, inclusive economic growth, and local resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.
   https://www.iadb.org/en/who-we-are/topics/private-firms-and-sme

4. UNESCO. (2024). Creative Economy Outlook 2022–2024.
   The creative economy accounts for ~7% of GDP in Asia and the Pacific, supporting over 31 million jobs.
   https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ditctsce2024d2_en.pdf

5. Sharetribe. (2024). Powering 1,000+ Marketplaces Across 70+ Countries.
   Sharetribe enables entrepreneurs to build no-code marketplaces serving local and global communities.
   https://www.sharetribe.com