Visitors to St Helena are now able to make in-person, real-time electronic Visa and MasterCard card payments.

This is thanks to a collaboration between St Helena Island and Ryft, a payment platform designed to bring marketplaces and digital platforms into the 21st century.

Due to St Helena’s geographic location and limited access to international merchant payment platforms, the island has faced challenges facilitating seamless transactions for visitors.

Visitors had previously been limited to cash transactions using sterling or St Helena pounds (tied to GBP). Cash withdrawals have only been possible in person at the Bank of St Helena, with an associated fee of five percent, something that has hindered visitors’ ability to spend money on the island.

Now, with the convenience of card payments, visitors will have greater flexibility in spending their currency while exploring the island’s offerings.

This development marks a major step forward in the island’s digital transformation, ensuring that St Helena remains a sought-after destination.

Mark Brooks, Minister for the Treasury, Infrastructure, and Sustainable Development Portfolio in the St Helena Government, expressed the positive impact this partnership will have on the tourism industry.

“Barriers resulting from our remoteness have meant that technology adoption has always been delayed on our small and isolated island – the Internet didn’t arrive until 1995, and mobile phones weren’t commonplace until 2015. But digital transformation is at the heart of our plans for economic growth as we work hard to recover from the hammer blows dealt to the tourism industry by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We could no longer accept the barriers our cash-based economy put in front of cruise passengers and other tourists, limiting their ability and appetite to spend with our local businesses. Many larger companies simply are not interested in the challenge of solving problems like these in circumstances like ours. We’re pleased to be working with Ryft, who were innovative and agile enough to take an interest and find a solution.”

Local businesses on St Helena can now directly apply to Ryft to accept Visa and MasterCard payments, with the funds being securely deposited in Bank of St Helena or UK bank accounts.

Ryft has worked closely with the St Helena Government to develop a seamless and tailored application and onboarding process, ensuring compliance with local regulations while simplifying the experience for businesses.

Click here to find out more about St Helena.