Payment System Donations
Subject: Suggestion to Enable Multi-Currency and Local Payment System Donations
Dear Blender Foundation Team,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits.
As a devoted supporter and user of Blender, I deeply appreciate the Foundation's tireless efforts to maintain Blender as a free and open-source tool for creators worldwide. The recent call for donations, highlighting how contributions from just 2% of users could significantly enhance Blender’s development, inspired me to consider how the donation process might be further optimized to reach a broader global audience.
Currently, donations are only accepted in Euros (EUR) and US Dollars (USD). While these options are practical for some, they present significant hurdles for users in other parts of the world who may face currency conversion issues, high transaction fees, or the lack of access to international payment systems like PayPal.
Proposal: To make donating more accessible to Blender users globally, I propose expanding the donation system to support local currencies and popular payment methods in various countries. Here are some specific examples:
- India (INR):
Popular Payment Methods: UPI (Unified Payments Interface), Paytm, Google Pay, PhonePe.
India has a rapidly growing Blender community, with thousands of creators using Blender for education, freelancing, and small studios. Enabling INR and UPI-based donations would remove the need for PayPal or credit cards, which are less commonly used.
- China (CNY):
Popular Payment Methods: Alipay, WeChat Pay.
China is a major hub for 3D animation and gaming, with a significant Blender user base. Supporting these local payment systems would encourage more contributions from Chinese users.
- Japan (JPY):
Popular Payment Methods: PayPay, Rakuten Pay, LINE Pay.
As a country known for its creative industries, Japan’s Blender community can benefit greatly from the option to donate in JPY via familiar platforms.
- Brazil (BRL):
Popular Payment Methods: Pix, Boleto Bancário.
Brazil has a burgeoning Blender community, with many freelancers and small studios. Supporting Pix, a highly popular payment system, would make donations more accessible.
- Russia (RUB):
Popular Payment Methods: Yandex Money, QIWI Wallet.
Russian creators use Blender extensively in education and media. Supporting local payment methods would simplify the process for them.
- Germany (EUR):
Popular Payment Methods: SOFORT, SEPA Direct Debit.
Although Euro is already supported, adding direct banking methods like SOFORT or SEPA could streamline donations for users in Germany and other European countries.
- South Korea (KRW):
Popular Payment Methods: KakaoPay, Naver Pay, Toss.
South Korea's Blender community is growing, especially in animation and gaming. Localized payment systems would enable more contributions.
- United Kingdom (GBP):
Popular Payment Methods: Direct Debit, Faster Payments, PayPal (already common).
Allowing donations in GBP directly can simplify contributions for UK-based users.
- United States (USD):
Popular Payment Methods: Credit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay (already well-supported).
- Australia (AUD):
Popular Payment Methods: POLi Payments, BPAY.
The Australian Blender community, though smaller, is active and would benefit from AUD support.
Benefits of Implementing Local Payment Options:
Increased Accessibility: Simplifying payments by using familiar methods encourages more users to contribute.
Higher Donation Volume: Removing barriers like currency conversion and platform-specific restrictions can significantly increase contributions.
Global Inclusivity: Reflects Blender’s mission of being a global, community-driven platform.
Implementation Suggestions:
Use payment processors that support multi-currency transactions, such as Stripe or Razorpay.
Partner with local payment gateways in countries with significant user bases.
Provide region-specific donation pages tailored to users' locations.
Blender is a truly global phenomenon, and its community reflects immense diversity. Facilitating donations in local currencies and payment methods will not only enhance inclusivity but also generate the financial resources necessary to continue advancing Blender's development.
Thank you for considering this suggestion. I am confident that this initiative will resonate with your global user base and make donating to Blender a seamless experience for everyone.
Warm regards, [ Mohammad fazil ] [ India ]
1 Comment
Blender.org already proposes 7 payment methods and it should be 32 instead?
I can't talk on behalf of the Blender Foundation, but suspect it would be quite complex and costly to integrate, maintain, and manage that many localized payment systems, especially for a non-profit with limited resources.