Quick answer: If you live in Pakistan, you can’t open Shopify Payments, Stripe or PayPal to take card payments from customers in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. The simplest way around this is Cash on Delivery through a Gulf supplier: the customer pays the courier in AED or SAR, your profit goes into your Seller Wallet when the order is delivered, and you request a weekly payout in PKR to your Pakistani bank account. Dropify Gulf doesn’t ask you for a foreign company, a foreign bank account or a payment gateway.
Ask Pakistani sellers who have tried to sell in Dubai or Riyadh what stopped them, and many will say the same thing: “How do I get the money?” You can learn to find products and run ads. But the moment you open Shopify and look for a way to accept payments from a customer in the UAE, the options that work for everyone else don’t work for you.
This guide explains why that happens, what your real options are in 2026, and how sellers on Dropify Gulf get paid for delivered UAE and Saudi orders without touching a card gateway.
Why payments are the biggest problem for Pakistani sellers
The big payment companies decide which countries they serve, and Pakistan is still missing from the most important lists:
- Shopify Payments works for stores based in the UAE, but Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are not on Shopify’s list of supported countries.
- Stripe lets businesses in the UAE sign up, but Pakistan is not on its list of supported countries.
- PayPal still doesn’t offer accounts to people living in Pakistan, even though bringing it to the country has been discussed for years.
So a seller sitting in Lahore or Karachi can build a store for UAE customers, and then get stuck at checkout. Pakistani sellers ask this question on the Shopify Community regularly, and the workarounds suggested are often slow, expensive or risky.
Your payment options compared
Here is how the common options look for a seller who lives in Pakistan and sells to customers in the UAE or Saudi Arabia:
| Option | Works from Pakistan? | What you need | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Payments | No | A company and bank account in a supported country, such as the UAE | Sellers who already own a UAE business |
| Stripe | No | A company in a supported country | Sellers who already own a foreign business |
| PayPal | No | A PayPal account in a supported country | Not an option for Pakistan residents today |
| Other international card gateways | Sometimes | Approval, documents, and often a fixed fee and reserve | Experienced sellers ready for paperwork |
| Cash on Delivery through a Gulf supplier | Yes | A seller account and a Pakistani bank account | Beginners, and shoppers who prefer to pay on delivery |
Rules change, so check each provider’s own page before you decide. Even if you do get a card gateway approved, many shoppers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia still prefer to pay on delivery when they buy from a page they don’t know yet. So COD is easier for you, and it’s also how many of your customers want to pay.
How you get paid with Cash on Delivery on Dropify Gulf
When you sell with Dropify Gulf, the money moves like this:
- A customer in the UAE or Saudi Arabia orders from your store, page or WhatsApp, and chooses to pay on delivery.
- You confirm the order with the customer and submit it in your Dropify Gulf dashboard.
- We pack the product from local stock and our courier delivers it in 1–3 working days.
- The customer pays the courier in AED or SAR.
- When the order is marked Delivered, your profit moves into your Seller Wallet.
- You request a weekly payout, and your profit is paid in PKR into your Pakistani bank account.
You never touch the customer’s card details, you don’t need a foreign bank account, and you don’t have to register a company in the UAE just to start. Your wallet shows the profit from your delivered orders. Payouts are weekly, and Gold and Diamond members get faster payout priority.
What your profit looks like on one order
The profit added to your wallet is the price the customer pays, minus the product cost and the delivery charge. Your ad spend comes out of your own pocket, so subtract it too to see what you really earn. Each product page shows the supplier price and the delivery charge for each country, so you can work it out before you sell. A simple UAE example:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Selling price paid by the customer | AED 89 |
| Product cost (supplier price) | − AED 30 |
| Delivery charge (UAE) | − AED 20 |
| Profit added to your Seller Wallet | AED 39, paid to you in PKR |
| Your ad cost per order (example, paid by you) | − AED 20 |
| What you really earn | AED 19 |
This is an example only. Product costs and ad costs change from product to product, so test small first. In Saudi Arabia the delivery charge is SAR 30 per order.
If you are a Pakistani living in the UAE
Many of our sellers are Pakistanis working in Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi who want a side income. You know the market better than anyone, because you are the customer. Two things to keep in mind:
- Check your job contract first. Some contracts don’t allow a side business, and running a business inside the UAE may need a licence and your employer’s approval. Free zone providers say this is possible for many employees, but confirm your own case before you start.
- Your payout can still go to Pakistan. Your Dropify Gulf profit is paid in PKR to a Pakistani bank account, which many sellers use to support family back home or save in rupees.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules in the UAE and Pakistan can change, so check with your employer, the relevant authority or a qualified adviser for your situation.
Mistakes that cost Pakistani sellers money
- Paying an agent to “open Stripe” for you. Accounts opened in someone else’s name or with borrowed documents can be frozen with your money inside.
- Using a supplier that only ships from China to the Gulf. Long delivery times lead to refused COD parcels, and refused parcels usually still cost you the delivery charge.
- Skipping order confirmation. COD works far better when you confirm each order on WhatsApp before you submit it. Our guide on reducing COD returns in the UAE and KSA shows how.
- Not tracking profit per order. Count delivered orders, not total orders. A refused parcel earns nothing.
How to start this week
- Create a free seller account and add your Pakistani bank account for payouts.
- Pick 2–3 products for one market, for example the UAE. Our UAE product list shows supplier prices in AED, and our list of winning COD products for this season is a good place to start.
- Read how to start dropshipping in the UAE from Pakistan to set up your page, prices and ads.
- Confirm every order on WhatsApp, submit it, and check your wallet as orders are delivered.
Sell in the UAE and Saudi Arabia from Pakistan, with no payment gateway.
Cash on Delivery, delivery in 1–3 working days and weekly payouts in PKR.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Shopify Payments if I live in Pakistan?
No. Pakistan is not on Shopify’s list of countries supported by Shopify Payments. You can still run a Shopify store and take Cash on Delivery orders.
Is Stripe or PayPal available in Pakistan in 2026?
Not for businesses or individuals based in Pakistan. Stripe does not list Pakistan as a supported country, and PayPal does not offer accounts to people living in Pakistan.
How do I receive money from UAE customers in Pakistan?
The easiest way is Cash on Delivery through a supplier with local Gulf stock. The customer pays the courier in AED, and your profit is paid into your Pakistani bank account in PKR.
Do I need a company in the UAE to sell there?
Dropify Gulf doesn’t ask for a UAE company to open a seller account. If you live in the UAE and run a business there, check whether you need a licence and your employer’s approval.
How often does Dropify Gulf pay sellers?
Your profit moves to your Seller Wallet when an order is delivered, and you can request a payout once a week to your Pakistani bank account in PKR. Gold and Diamond members get faster payout priority.
