Operating in multiple currencies
Multi-currency is not enabled in the marketplace by default. To access this feature, speak to your Nautical representative or reach out via support@nauticalcommerce.com.
Nautical’s multi-currency support equips you to operate a global e-commerce marketplace, facilitating transactions in different local currencies. Key benefits of the multi-currency feature include:
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Localized shopping for buyers: Buyers can shop in their local currency. This approach simplifies the checkout process by eliminating the need for buyers to convert prices on their end.
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Currency options for sellers: Sellers can list products and receive payouts in their local currency.
When multi-currency is enabled, the marketplace operator can configure a list of available currencies for sellers, as well as the currencies buyers can purchase in on each storefront domain. Each domain can have a subset of transaction currency options based on the currencies available in that domain.
When a buyer places an order, the payment, order, refunds, and taxes are managed in the buyer's transaction currency. Our system retains a comprehensive record of each transaction, storing the source, domiciled, and transaction currency amounts for every line item involved in the order.
Key concepts
Operating in multiple currencies involves several key terms that are essential to understanding how the system functions. These terms include:
Currency Type | Definition | Impact on Operations |
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Domiciled Currency | The currency that the marketplace operates in |
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Transaction Currency | The currency used by the buyer to place an order |
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Source Currency | The original currency in which a product, shipping rate, sale, or voucher is listed |
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Seller Currency | The default currency configured on a seller account |
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Considerations
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The marketplace operator is the merchant of record. They must choose a domiciled currency to operate with and are responsible for paying any conversion fees charged by their payment provider.
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Every checkout and order is limited to a single currency. However, the currency for open checkouts and draft orders may be changed until the order is finalized.
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Payouts must be processed in the domiciled currency, and can be converted to the seller currency during transfer through the payout gateway.
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Marketplace statistics and reports are always displayed in the domiciled currency.
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You must reconcile multi-currency transactions when you pay taxes.
Pricing
Once you enable multiple currencies, when your sellers add products and variants their prices default to the currency selected on their seller account. However, both sellers and marketplace operators can override the currency to list prices in a different currency.

Price in source currency
The price and currency entered on a product variant is stored as the source price.
Price in buyer currency
When a buyer updates the currency on the storefront, prices are converted to the buyer's local currency using your exchange rate provider.
Orders and refunds
Payment
Upon receiving an order payment, it undergoes conversion to the marketplace operator's designated currency and is subsequently deposited into the financial institution associated with their payment provider.
Orders
Orders and refunds are transacted and recorded in the currency chosen by the buyer. Both the marketplace and the seller's records display financial details in the buyer's chosen currency.
Refunds
During the refund process, the buyer is reimbursed in the exact amount of their initial payment in their selected currency. Consequently, the marketplace operator, serving as the merchant of record, assumes the risk associated with any currency fluctuation.
Payouts
During payout processing, the order total is converted to the domiciled currency and shown in the Nautical dashboard. Both the payout and the marketplace commission are calculated in this currency.
The payout, sent through a gateway like Stripe in the domiciled currency, is then converted to the seller's local currency prior to deposit. This is contingent on the payout provider being set up to accommodate the seller's currency.
There may be a slight difference in the order total conversion shown for the payment gateway compared with the conversion for the gross sales shown in the Nautical payout due different exchange rate refresh periods between the two applications.
Currency exchange rates
Currencies are rendered in the user interface through an integrated exchange rate provider. You must have an active exchange rate integration to support this.
Nautical provides a native integration with Open Exchange Rates.
Set up Open Exchange Rates integration
Complete the following tasks to activate the Open Exchange Rates app:
Set up an account
Sign up for an Open Exchange Rates account.
You can register for a free account to start, but you may need a paid plan to manage your daily activity. The free plan only supports USD as the base currency, whereas other plans can support any base currency. Learn more about the available plans on the Open Exchange Rates documentation.
Once you log into your account, ensure to verify your email address.
Retrieve app ID
From your Open Exchange Rates Dashboard, go to the App IDs page. From here, you can copy an App ID, which you'll need to activate the integration.
Activate the integration
- From your Nautical dashboard, go to Settings -> Apps -> Open Exchange Rates.

- Under Authorization select Create.
- Enter the App ID from Open Exchange Rates, and select Confirm.
- Select Activate.
Once the system forms a connection, a success message appears and the app is activated.
Refresh exchange rates
Exchange rates are automatically refreshed once per day. You can also trigger this manually using the Refresh Rates button on the Open Exchange Rates page within your Nautical app marketplace:
