BUILD VS. BUY: HOW ALLYIZ CLIENT TRANSFORMED ITS PAYMENT PLATFORM INTO A PROFIT ENGINE

Introduction

In today’s fintech landscape, choosing between building or buying a payment solution can define a company’s competitive edge. For Allyiz client, a global player with the potential of launching a Payment as a Service (PaaS) product, this decision was critical to achieving growth in both profitability and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA). The question: continue developing their proprietary platform or switch to a third-party solution?

The Challenge: payment strategy crossroad

Client’s leadership faced mounting pressure to introduce new payment methods across B2B and B2C markets quickly and cost-effectively. They needed a payment strategy that reduced operational friction and turned payment from a cost centre into a revenue driver.

Allyiz payment consulting team was engaged to:

• Align the payment strategy with overall business goals.

• Identify priority markets and high-value payment methods.

• Develop a robust Return on Investment (ROI) model comparing Build vs. Buy payment solution approaches.

• Evaluate non-financial factors such as brand trust, compliance, and customer experience.

Build or Buy payment solution: the core comparison

We began by analysing the client’s current payment infrastructure, mapping out costs (technical, legal, and tax), and forecasting ROI for each alternative.

The Build option promised long-term value — greater control, security, flexibility, and data ownership. It allowed the client to tailor features, safeguard customer data, and innovate faster.

The Buy alternative offered speed to market but came with dependencies, limited customization, and higher recurring costs.

A comparative matrix and market benchmarking revealed that building the platform delivered superior value across most metrics, from ROI to brand differentiation.

What’s next: scaling payment innovation for growth

Based on the analysis, the client chose to continue developing its proprietary payment platform. This decision enabled:

• Full control over development, data, and compliance.

• Seamless integration with regional payment service providers (PSPs).

• Improved time-to-market and reduced long-term costs.

• Transformation of payment into a profit-generating function.

As a part of Allyiz payment consulting services, we developed a structured roadmap, defining:

• Key KPIs for payment performance.

• Market coverage goals (up to 95% of customer reach).

• Budget planning and potential EBITDA uplift (+8.6% in that case).

  
  

Today, their Payment as a Service platform supports white-label services, enhances customer retention, and provides the agility to adapt to evolving market demands.

Conclusion

The project delivered a well-substantiated rationale for choosing the Build strategy. By evaluating the investments in PaaS and future benefits, leadership approved further development of their payment platform. This decision allowed the client to retain full control over development, security, and data, tailor the product to customer needs, and establish a foundation for future services. Importantly, payment ceased to be a cost centre: they transformed Payment as a Service into a tool for profit growth and deeper customer relationships.

FAQ

Why did Allyiz client decide to build payment platform instead of buy?

Their existing platform already supported white-label services and multiple markets. After evaluating ROI, control, and data sovereignty, the Build approach was found to offer more value, flexibility, and profitability in the long term.

What are the main advantages of building the own payment platform?

• Full control over technology, data, and compliance.

• Ability to create unique, customer-driven features.

• Greater long-term cost efficiency and scalability.

• Stronger brand differentiation and innovation capability.

What are the risks or challenges of building in-house payment platform?

Building a proprietary platform requires higher upfront investment, skilled development teams, and longer implementation time. However, these costs are offset by long-term ownership and reduced vendor dependency.

What’s the main benefit of buying a ready-made solution?

Based on Allyiz global payment consulting practice, buying allows faster market entry and less operational complexity at the start. However, it often limits flexibility and can lead to higher long-term costs due to vendor fees and integration challenges.

What’s the takeaway for other fintechs?

This case study demonstrates that building your payment infrastructure can transform payments from a back-end cost centre into a front-line profit driver if strategically aligned with business goals and market needs.