Payment Flows

This section provides an overview of how Bead enables digital payments across in store and online environments, followed by reference examples of common customer payment flows. The material here is intended to help integrators understand end to end behavior and system interactions rather than prescribe user interface or experience design.

Payment Flow Overview

Customers increasingly expect payment options beyond traditional credit and debit cards, including digital wallets, buy now pay later options, and cryptocurrency. Bead enables businesses to accept these digital payment methods while settling funds directly in US dollars to the merchant’s bank account.

The video below provides a high level walkthrough of a complete digital payment flow, demonstrating how a business can accept a digital payment without directly handling cryptocurrency. While the example shown illustrates a customer completing payment from a separate device, the underlying flow applies across multiple payment contexts.

End to End Digital Payment Flow (Reference Overview)

High Level Transaction Flow

To complete a sale using Bead, the process generally follows these steps:

1. The sale is rung up in the merchant’s system.

2. The customer indicates they would like to pay using a digital payment method.

3. The customer selects from available options, such as cryptocurrency, digital wallets (for example PayPal or Venmo), or buy now pay later.

4. Once the customer confirms they are ready to proceed, a payment prompt is generated for completion.

5. A real time exchange rate is locked in for the full payment amount.

6. The customer authorizes the payment using their wallet or payment provider.

7. Funds leave the customer’s wallet and are converted to US dollars.

8. The merchant receives settlement in US dollars to their bank account.

Throughout this process, the merchant does not custody or manage cryptocurrency. Bead handles payment execution, conversion, and settlement, allowing businesses to offer modern payment options while maintaining a familiar settlement model.