Israel is where local businesses go global
Is your payments infrastructure ready for Israel?
Israeli tech companies sell globally from day one. Global brands selling into Israel need payments that perform locally. Nuvei has operated in Israel for 20 years and now holds a direct acquiring license there, connecting to the country’s domestic card payment ecosystem with no third-party acquirer in between. For both, that means fewer intermediaries, support for higher authorization rates, and one integration across markets.
Israel at a glance
A global-first economy to match your growth ambitions
For many Israeli technology companies, international expansion starts on day one. Now Nuvei brings direct acquiring into the domestic market, so global brands selling into Israel get local payment performance too.
01 · High-tech scale
A sector built to sell globally
Approximately 775 new high-tech companies were established in Israel in 2025, while high-tech exports reached a record $85 billion and represented 58% of all Israeli exports, according to the Israel Innovation Authority.
~775
New high-tech companies, 2025
$85B
Record high-tech exports
58%
High-tech share of all Israeli exports
20 years
Nuvei operating in Israel
Share of Israeli exports
58%
High-tech exports
42%
All other exports
Source: Israel Innovation Authority, as cited by Nuvei, October 2026.
02 · Local infrastructure
Direct acquiring is a local foundation
What is direct acquiring in Israel? It means the acquirer that processes a merchant’s card payments holds its own Israeli license and connects to the domestic card ecosystem itself, with no third-party acquirer in between. Since the Regulation of Payment Services and Payment Initiation Law, 5783-2023 took effect in June 2024, new non-bank acquirers in Israel are licensed and supervised by the Israel Securities Authority. Nuvei holds a direct acquiring license granted by the Israel Securities Authority under that law, announced on 21 October 2026. Nuvei is separately licensed as an acquirer by Visa and Mastercard.
Israel
Direct acquiring. One global connection.
03 · Local roots
Two decades in Israel built for what comes next
Nuvei has operated in Israel for 20 years and employs more than 300 people there. Direct acquiring adds stronger local capabilities for global brands operating in the market, and a fuller offering for Israeli businesses already using Nuvei to expand abroad.
20 years in Israel
Nuvei has been part of Israel’s payments and technology ecosystem for two decades.
300+ people
Nuvei employs more than 300 people in Israel.
Global-first businesses
For many Israeli technology companies, international expansion is fundamental to growth from the outset.
The performance gap
Reach was the hard part. Performance is harder.
For years, global payments were judged on reach. Could you switch a country on, accept a card, and show a local price? Today, reach is not the problem. Approval is. Across Nuvei’s network, transactions processed within the MENA region were approved 89.7% of the time in January–July 2026, compared with 57.9% across all MENA traffic. That gap is what local acquiring is built to close.
89.7%
Approval rate for transactions processed within the MENA region
57.9%
Approval rate across all MENA traffic
32 pts
Approval gap between in-region processing and the regional total
4x
Decline rate across all MENA traffic (42.1%) vs. in-region (10.3%)
Source: Nuvei network data, MENA region, January–July 2026. Regional benchmark, not specific to Israel or to direct acquiring.
01 · Acquiring
Fewer layers, more approvals
Direct acquiring connects Nuvei directly to Israel’s domestic card payment ecosystem, removing a layer of intermediary acquiring partners. Processing transactions locally can increase issuer confidence, supporting higher authorization rates and fewer unnecessary declines. With fewer parties in the chain, when a decline does happen, it is easier to trace and fix.
02 · Checkout
Connected checkout, less friction
Connecting checkout, authorization and fraud management more closely can reduce friction for consumers and improve conversion.
03 · Costs
Fewer intermediaries, fewer costs
A direct connection to the domestic ecosystem removes intermediary acquiring relationships and the additional costs associated with them.
“Commerce is global, but payment performance is local. Securing this license means we can deliver more of the payment performance our local and global customers expect directly within Israel, while supporting their ambitions well beyond its borders. Israel has been an important part of Nuvei’s story for two decades, and this milestone reflects our continued commitment to its businesses, talent, and technology ecosystem.”
Phil Fayer
Chair and CEO, Nuvei
What direct acquiring changes
Five ways acquiring impacts your payments
Combined with Nuvei’s existing gateway capabilities, direct acquiring in Israel is designed to help businesses in five ways.
Authorization performance
More approvals, fewer unnecessary declines
Processing transactions locally can increase issuer confidence, supporting higher authorization rates and fewer unnecessary declines. In Nuvei’s MENA data, in-region transactions were approved 32 points more often than the regional total.
• Results depend on your transaction mix.
Payment costs
Remove the intermediary layer
A direct connection to the domestic ecosystem removes intermediary acquiring relationships and the additional costs associated with them.
• Confirm pricing with your Nuvei team.
Checkout experience
Less friction for consumers
Connecting checkout, authorization and fraud management more closely can reduce friction for consumers and improve conversion.
• Design the full checkout journey together.
Market expansion
One integration, fewer providers
Global brands can access these capabilities through the same Nuvei integration they use in other markets, reducing the number of providers and integrations they need to manage.
• Same integration, more markets.
Operational control
A clearer view of every payment
Direct acquiring gives you scheme-level transaction data, with integrated reconciliation and reporting, for a clearer view across the payment lifecycle.
• One view across the payment lifecycle.
A checkout can reach Israel. Direct acquiring helps it perform there.
Specific Nuvei payment methods, currencies and availability in Israel are subject to confirmation.
The Nuvei platform
How Nuvei delivers in Israel
Direct acquiring, gateway capabilities, transaction data and operational controls. All connected through one global platform, built to help merchants perform locally and scale globally.
Direct acquiring, no intermediary layer
Nuvei holds a direct acquiring license in Israel, connecting directly to the domestic card payment ecosystem and combining it with Nuvei’s existing gateway capabilities.
A checkout built around your customers
Bring checkout, authorization and fraud management closer together to reduce friction. Work with Nuvei to confirm the methods, currencies, and capabilities that fit your business.
Global commerce, local performance
Global brands can access direct acquiring in Israel through the same Nuvei integration they use in other markets, reducing the number of providers and integrations they need to manage.
Greater operational control
More complete transaction data, with integrated reconciliation and reporting, gives you a clearer view across the payment lifecycle.
One platform, less fragmentation
Manage authorization, fraud prevention, reconciliation, and reporting together. Nuvei’s optimization layer adds smart routing, automatic cascading of eligible declines to backup acquiring connections, and conversion specialists who review your performance. Confirm which capabilities apply in Israel with your Nuvei team.
Built in Israel, scaling everywhere
Nuvei gives Israeli businesses one partner as they scale: acquiring in 53 markets, 150+ currencies, 720+ payment methods, payouts, risk management, and reporting, with reach in more than 200 markets worldwide.
Acquiring through intermediaries vs. Nuvei direct acquiring
One market, fewer layers
A new market should not mean a longer payment chain. Direct acquiring connects you to Israel’s domestic card ecosystem, while Nuvei keeps your global operation connected.
Acquiring through intermediary partners
Routing
Transactions pass through an additional layer of intermediary acquiring partners.
Approvals
Extra layers between merchant and issuer can make declines harder to diagnose and resolve.
Costs
Each intermediary acquiring relationship can add its own costs.
Reporting
Multiple providers can fragment transaction data and reconciliation.
Expansion
Each new provider can add another integration to manage.
Settlement
Each intermediary adds a step between your transaction and your funds. Currencies, timing, and processing fees depend on the provider and contract.
Direct acquiring with Nuvei
Routing
A direct connection to Israel’s domestic card payment ecosystem.
Approvals
Local processing can increase issuer confidence, supporting higher authorization rates. On Nuvei’s network, in-region MENA transactions were approved at 89.7% vs. 57.9% overall (January–July 2026). Results depend on your transaction mix.
Costs
Removes intermediary acquiring relationships and the additional costs associated with them.
Reporting
Scheme-level transaction data with integrated reconciliation and reporting.
Expansion
The same Nuvei integration used across other markets, with fewer providers to manage.
Settlement
No third-party acquirer between your transactions and settlement, which can mean faster access to funds. Confirm settlement currencies, timing, pricing, and eligibility with your Nuvei team.
Ready when you are
Ready to make your payments work harder for you?
Talk to Nuvei about what direct acquiring, a connected checkout, and stronger payment performance could mean for your business. And how the same platform can support your next market, without rebuilding the stack.
From Nuvei on Israel
News · October 21, 2026
Direct acquiring comes to Israel
Nuvei secures a direct acquiring license in Israel, extending its global acquiring footprint to 53 markets.
Perspective · Global growth
A local foundation for global expansion
Explore how Nuvei connects locally optimized payment capabilities through one global platform.
Sources & methodology
Market data: Israel Innovation Authority, cited in Nuvei’s Israel announcement (October 2026). License details: Nuvei’s Israel announcement ; license granted by the Israel Securities Authority under the Regulation of Payment Services and Payment Initiation Law, 5783-2023. Regulatory context: Bank of Israel (July 2024); the law took effect in June 2024, and new acquirers are licensed and supervised by the Israel Securities Authority. Performance data: aggregated, anonymized Nuvei network data, January–July 2026, MENA region, comparing approval and decline ratios for in-region transactions with the regional total. This is a regional benchmark, not specific to Israel or to direct acquiring; individual results depend on transaction mix. All other figures are as reported. Product eligibility, methods, pricing, and settlement terms must be confirmed with Nuvei.
