Payment methods in Dominican Republic

North America

5methods

3banks

E-commerce reached US$5.2 billion in 2024, growing at ~17% CAGR through 2027.

Market takeaways

E-commerce reached US$5.2 billion in 2024, growing at ~17% CAGR through 2027.
70% of e-commerce sales volume in 2024 came from mobile devices.
8.7 million online banking users, equivalent to roughly 85% of adults aged 15+.
Total digital payments transaction value projected at US$5.59 billion in 2024.
More than 665,000 users registered on digital financial platforms as of early 2025.

Population

11.3M

Online population

9.1M

B2C e-commerce

$5.2B

Banked population

~55%

Credit card population

~25%

Payment method breakdown

Card (Debit)38%
Card (Credit)30%
Bank Transfer12%
E-Wallet8%
Cash7%
Other5%

Card scheme breakdown

Visa45%
Mastercard40%
American Express8%
Local Schemes5%
Other2%

Cross-border e-commerce

Market data coming soon.

Featured payment methods in Dominican Republic

Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.

Visa / Mastercard (Credit & Debit)

International card schemes dominate Dominican e-commerce. Banks such as Banco Popular Dominicano, BanReservas, and Scotiabank issue Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. Debit cards lead by transaction volume. Cards are the default payment method across local and cross-border merchants.

SIMPE Móvil

SIMPE Móvil is the Dominican Republic's bank-account-linked mobile payment system enabling instant transfers between participating banks. Operated under the umbrella of the central bank's payment infrastructure, it allows P2P and merchant payments via mobile number. Growing adoption especially among banked urban consumers.

Online Banking / Internet Banking

Major banks including Banco Popular, BanReservas, Scotiabank, and Banco BHD offer robust internet banking platforms. With 9.08 million internet banking users and 7.82 million active accounts, bank transfers through online portals represent a significant share of digital payments, particularly for larger-value transactions.

PayPal

PayPal is available in the Dominican Republic for online purchases, particularly for cross-border transactions with US-based merchants. It is accepted by international platforms but has limited domestic merchant penetration compared to local card-based methods. Flow: User selects PayPal, a modal or redirect opens. User logs in, confirms funding source, reviews details, authorizes. Control returns to merchant with approved or declined status.

American Express

American Express is accepted by larger merchants, hotels, and tourism-focused businesses in the Dominican Republic. It targets higher-income and foreign-visitor segments, with local card issuance available through select financial institutions.