As a freelancer working on global platforms, one of the biggest concerns is receiving payments. In Pakistan, where services like PayPal and Stripe aren’t available, the process becomes even more complicated. I’ve been there, and I understand the frustration of not having access to these major payment gateways.
But what if I told you there’s a way to withdraw your money from Stripe even if you live in Pakistan?
In this blog, I’ll walk you through my personal experience of receiving my first payout from Medium through Stripe Express in Pakistan. It’s simpler than you think!
Stripe and the Challenge in Pakistan
Freelancers in Pakistan use a variety of platforms to earn money globally. Payoneer, Wise, and PayPal are popular options, but not all platforms offer payouts through them. Stripe is a preferred option for many international businesses, including Medium, but there’s a catch — it doesn’t operate directly in Pakistan.
So, how do we overcome this challenge and receive payments via Stripe in Pakistan?
My Experience with Stripe Express
When I joined Medium’s Partner Program, I was prompted to set up a Stripe Express account. Unlike the standard Stripe account, Stripe Express works for platforms like Medium that pay out to international users. Since I didn’t have a standard Stripe account, I followed the simple steps to set up Stripe Express during my enrollment. I have explained in detail How to Enroll for Medium Partner Program from Pakistan, you can read it.
Coming back to the process, it was straightforward and user-friendly.
Setting Up Stripe Express: Step-by-Step
- Continue Onboarding: When you enroll in the Medium Partner Program, you’ll see a button that says “Continue Onboarding.” Click on that to begin.
- Filling Out Your Information: You’ll be guided through a series of prompts to create your Stripe Express account. It’s quick and easy.
- Tax Information: You’ll need to fill out your tax details during the setup. This is required to get paid.
- Adding Your Bank Account: Here’s where it got tricky for me. Stripe requires you to add a local bank account to receive payments in your currency. I initially tried adding my NayaPay account, but it didn’t work as NayaPay isn’t integrated with Stripe.
My Mistake with NayaPay and SadaPay
I was excited to use my NayaPay account, but after contacting their support, I found out that NayaPay wasn’t integrated with Stripe for payments. I then tried SadaPay, another EMI (Electronic Money Institution), and got the same response.
Stripe doesn’t currently accept EMI or mobile wallet accounts like JazzCash or EasyPaisa. That left me with one option: a regular bank account. Stripe recommended using a standard bank account, so I opened an HBL Freelance Digital Account.
Adding My HBL Account to Stripe
After creating my HBL account, I linked it to Stripe Express and waited for Medium to release the payments. Medium typically releases payments on the 10th of each month, and I was eagerly waiting to see if everything would go smoothly.
Receiving My First Payout
On October 10th, Medium released the payments for my work in September. It showed up on my Medium Partner Program dashboard, and I received a confirmation email stating that my payment had been sent to Stripe.
Stripe then processed my payment and informed me that it would reach my HBL account within 5 working days. To my surprise, I received the payment the very next day! I couldn’t believe how smooth and fast the process was.
It’s Easier Than You Think
Receiving payments through Stripe in Pakistan may seem like a challenge, but with Stripe Express and a regular bank account, it’s entirely possible. While services like NayaPay and SadaPay may not work with Stripe yet, using a standard Pakistani bank account will get the job done. If you’re a freelancer in Pakistan, I highly recommend giving Stripe Express a try for your payouts.
My experience has been seamless, and I hope yours will be too. By following this guide, you can withdraw your money from Stripe in Pakistan without any hassle.
