From Malaysia to the world – the payments system that accelerated Applecrumby’s global growth

Introducing Applecrumby

For many eCommerce and retail founders, the goals are the same: scale beyond borders, capture international demand, and protect margins. Malaysia-born baby care brand, Applecrumby, shares that ambition.

Armed with a mission to make safe, eco-friendly baby essentials accessible, the brand has grown from a local startup into a multi-market business. Today, Applecrumby reaches customers across Southeast Asia and beyond through eCommerce and retail partnerships.

But for every new market, the team faced a mountain of paperwork, delays opening local bank accounts, and the headache of juggling multiple payment gateways. What should have been time spent on products and parents was lost to complex systems, high fees, and slow transfers that ate into margins and momentum.

The challenge

Paperwork and fragmented payments slowed down market launches 

When Applecrumby first expanded into Singapore, they spent weeks filling out forms and even flying in just to open a local bank account before transactions could begin. Multiply that across markets, and growth slowed at every step.

The challenges didn’t end there. Each market required a separate payment gateway and provider, leaving Applecrumby with a patchwork of costly, siloed systems. Instead of one clear view of its finances, the team juggled dashboards and reconciled sales and bank statements line by line.

Winson Lee

Finance Director of Applecrumby

“Managing multiple bank accounts and payment platforms was a huge drain on resources. We were spending so much time on the financial side that it took focus away from growing the business. That’s when we started looking for a solution like Airwallex.”

High payment gateway and FX transfer fees squeezed margins

Applecrumby’s previous payment gateway providers weren’t just costly – they created a poor checkout experience that drove shoppers away. Customers were redirected to external third-party payment pages, causing friction that led to abandoned carts and lost sales.

On top of that, revenue from retail partners across six markets had to be remitted back to Malaysia via SWIFT – where every transfer meant high fees, poor FX rates, and days of delay. A single transaction could cost more than RM100.

“We wanted to focus on serving parents and growing the brand,” said Winson. “Instead, we were spending hours reconciling statements across different banks and losing money to fees we couldn’t control.”

Getting paid should have been simple. Instead, it became a barrier to scaling across markets.

The solution

One financial platform to take you from payments to global growth

For Applecrumby, the turning point was finding a way to simplify payments across every market. That’s where Airwallex came in. By replacing Applecrumby's patchwork of systems with a single platform, the team could move faster, simplify processes, and grow.

The first step was to fix the checkout flow. With Airwallex Checkout’s Shopify integration, Applecrumby customers can complete payments without leaving the site. On top of that, Airwallex gave Applecrumby a way to accept payments from popular payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, and Mastercard. The payoff was clear – a better customer experience that resulted in fewer drop-offs.  

Getting paid from overseas customers is no longer a hassle, either. Funds collected in SGD and other currencies flow straight into Applecrumby’s Airwallex account, get converted at competitive FX rates, and then settled via local rails instead of SWIFT. The result: up to RM100 saved per transaction, with transfers arriving the same day.

Applecrumby shortened its go-to-market timelines, too. With Airwallex Global Accounts, local currency accounts could be opened online in minutes. Now, Applecrumby can receive payments in new markets without having to visit the bank or wait weeks for account approvals. 

Winson Lee

Finance Director of Applecrumby

“Airwallex has simplified our payment processes across markets, and our team can now focus on driving the business forward."

The result 

With Airwallex, Applecrumby is reshaping how it runs its growing multi-market business. Payments move faster and cost less, which strengthens margins and frees up capital to reinvest in its products. For a brand built on trust, that shift matters – expansion can now happen without sacrificing time, profit, or customer experience.

Here’s what’s improved:

• Payment gateway costs are 0.5% lower and with higher checkout conversions, Applecrumby enjoys higher margins on every sale.

• Applecrumby saves around RM100 per transaction, improving the bottom line by eliminating SWIFT fees and reducing FX costs.

• Market launches are now 2–3 times faster, as Airwallex makes it possible to open accounts in multiple markets with local bank details instantly. Now they can invoice clients and accept payments in days – not months.

Looking ahead, the team plans to move away from personal cards and use Airwallex Corporate Cards to manage Meta and Google ad spend. This will allow them to scale campaigns and track ad spend in real time while leaving reimbursement headaches behind. 

Winson Lee

Finance Director of Applecrumby

"Airwallex has made a real difference to our team and our bottom line. By reducing costs on payments, FX, and transfers, we’ve unlocked substantial savings that we can channel back into growth."

The transformation is clear. Applecrumby can now enter new markets faster, manage global payments with confidence, and protect margins – while staying true to the quality and trust that parents expect from its products.

​​This publication does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice from Airwallex nor substitute seeking such advice, and makes no express or implied representations / warranties / guarantees regarding content accuracy, completeness, or currency. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [[email protected]]. Airwallex (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is licensed in Malaysia as a MSB Class B (remittance business only) licensee and is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (licence number 00318).