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Getting Started with TSP Payment Gateway

🎯 Your First Steps

This guide will help you get started with the TSP Payment Gateway project, whether you're a founder, developer, or business analyst.

Step 1: Understand the Project (1-2 hours)

Read These First

  1. README.md (this repo) - Project overview
  2. knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md - What is a TSP?
  3. docs/ROADMAP.md - 12-month plan

Key Questions to Answer

  • What is a Technical Service Provider (TSP)?
  • Why is TSP better than getting your own license?
  • What's the 12-month roadmap?

Step 2: Choose Your Role (30 minutes)

I'm a Founder

Your Path:

  1. Read: docs/ROADMAP.md
  2. Read: docs/FINANCIAL.md
  3. Read: docs/REGULATORY.md
  4. Action: Start customer interviews
  5. Use: templates/CUSTOMER_INTERVIEW_GUIDE.md

Time Commitment: 40-60 hours/week
Key Focus: Customer validation, fundraising, team building

I'm a Technical Lead / CTO

Your Path:

  1. Read: docs/TECHNICAL.md
  2. Read: knowledge-base/ARCHITECTURE_PATTERNS.md
  3. Study: examples/stripe-connect/
  4. Study: examples/paypal-commerce/
  5. Action: Set up development environment

Time Commitment: 40-60 hours/week
Key Focus: Architecture, API design, integrations

I'm a Compliance Officer

Your Path:

  1. Read: docs/REGULATORY.md
  2. Read: docs/COMPLIANCE.md
  3. Read: knowledge-base/PSD2_FRAMEWORK.md
  4. Use: templates/COMPLIANCE_CHECKLIST.md
  5. Action: Create compliance procedures

Time Commitment: 20-40 hours/week
Key Focus: Regulatory compliance, procedures, audits

I'm a Business Analyst

Your Path:

  1. Read: docs/FINANCIAL.md
  2. Read: knowledge-base/COST_MODELS.md
  3. Read: docs/OPERATIONAL.md
  4. Use: templates/PITCH_DECK_OUTLINE.md
  5. Action: Build financial model

Time Commitment: 30-50 hours/week
Key Focus: Financial modeling, market analysis, GTM

Step 3: Set Up Your Environment

For Developers

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-org/tsp-payment-gateway-repo.git
cd tsp-payment-gateway-repo

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your configuration

# Run tests
pytest

# Start development server
python -m flask run

For Non-Technical Team Members

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/your-org/tsp-payment-gateway-repo.git

# Open in your editor
code tsp-payment-gateway-repo/

# Start reading documentation
# Begin with: README.md → docs/ROADMAP.md → your-role-specific docs

Step 4: Understand the Structure

Documentation (/docs)

  • REGULATORY.md - EU regulations and licensing
  • FINANCIAL.md - Cost breakdown and revenue models
  • TECHNICAL.md - Architecture and API design
  • OPERATIONAL.md - Onboarding, settlement, support
  • COMPLIANCE.md - AML/KYC, GDPR, PCI DSS
  • ROADMAP.md - 12-month execution plan

Knowledge Base (/knowledge-base)

  • TSP_DEFINITION.md - What is a TSP?
  • PSD2_FRAMEWORK.md - Payment Services Directive 2
  • LICENSING_OPTIONS.md - TSP vs PSP vs Payment Agent
  • COST_MODELS.md - Detailed cost analysis
  • ARCHITECTURE_PATTERNS.md - Technical design patterns
  • INTEGRATION_GUIDES.md - Provider integration

Code Examples (/examples)

  • stripe-connect/ - Stripe Connect implementation
  • paypal-commerce/ - PayPal Commerce Platform
  • database/ - Database schema

Templates (/templates)

  • LEGAL_TEMPLATES.md - Legal documents
  • PITCH_DECK_OUTLINE.md - Investor pitch
  • CUSTOMER_INTERVIEW_GUIDE.md - Interview framework
  • COMPLIANCE_CHECKLIST.md - Pre-launch checklist

Step 5: Use GitHub Copilot

Enable Copilot in Your IDE

  1. Install GitHub Copilot extension
  2. Sign in with GitHub account
  3. Authorize the extension

Ask Copilot Questions

Example 1: Understanding TSP

"Based on knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md, what are the three criteria for TSP classification?"

Example 2: Code Generation

"Using examples/stripe-connect/oauth-flow.py as reference, generate the PayPal equivalent"

Example 3: Architecture Decisions

"Based on knowledge-base/ARCHITECTURE_PATTERNS.md, what's the best pattern for handling payment reconciliation?"

Example 4: Implementation Tasks

"Implement the merchant onboarding flow based on docs/OPERATIONAL.md and examples/stripe-connect/"

Example 5: Compliance Tasks

"Create an AML monitoring system based on docs/COMPLIANCE.md"

Step 6: Your First Week Checklist

Day 1: Understanding

  • Read README.md
  • Read knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md
  • Read docs/ROADMAP.md
  • Understand the 12-month plan

Day 2: Your Role

  • Read role-specific documentation
  • Identify key responsibilities
  • List questions and gaps

Day 3: Deep Dive

  • Read 2-3 detailed documents
  • Study relevant code examples
  • Make notes on implementation

Day 4: Planning

  • Create your personal roadmap
  • Identify first tasks
  • Set up development environment (if applicable)

Day 5: Action

  • Start your first task
  • Use Copilot for assistance
  • Document learnings

Step 7: Key Concepts to Understand

1. What is a TSP?

A Technical Service Provider (TSP) is a business that provides purely technical services without handling money or requiring a banking license. Under PSD2, TSPs are exempt from licensing.

Key Requirements:

  • Never possess or control funds
  • Provide only technical services
  • No access to payment accounts

Advantages:

  • €0 capital required
  • 2-4 months to market
  • Simple compliance

See: knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md

2. Payment Orchestration Model

The platform uses a payment orchestration architecture:

  • Merchant connects Stripe/PayPal account via OAuth
  • Platform routes payments through provider's infrastructure
  • Platform automatically receives application fees
  • No funds touch platform's account

See: docs/TECHNICAL.md

3. Regulatory Framework

The platform operates under PSD2 with upcoming PSR changes.

Key Articles:

  • Article 5(1)(d) - TSP exemption
  • Article 12 - Capital requirements
  • Article 97 - Strong Customer Authentication

See: docs/REGULATORY.md

4. Revenue Model

Choose one or combine:

  1. Percentage Markup: 0.2% - 0.5% on top of provider fees
  2. Fixed Per-Transaction: €0.10 - €0.50 per transaction
  3. Hybrid SaaS: Monthly subscription + per-transaction fee
  4. Premium Features: €499-€2,999/month for advanced features

See: docs/FINANCIAL.md

Step 8: Common Questions

Q: How long will this take?

A: 12 months from foundation to fully operational payment gateway generating €50k-€100k/month.

Q: How much capital do I need?

A: €140,000 - €230,000 total. Start with €15k-€40k for MVP.

Q: Do I need a banking license?

A: No, as a TSP you don't need a license. You operate under your payment provider's license.

Q: What's the regulatory approval timeline?

A: 2-4 months for TSP setup (no formal approval needed). Compare to 9-15 months for PI license.

Q: Can I start alone?

A: Yes, start as solo founder. Hire team as you grow.

See: docs/REGULATORY.md and docs/FINANCIAL.md for more details.

Step 9: Next Actions

This Week

  1. Read documentation for your role
  2. Understand the TSP model
  3. Review the 12-month roadmap
  4. Set up your development environment (if applicable)

Next 2 Weeks

  1. Deep dive into role-specific documentation
  2. Study relevant code examples
  3. Ask Copilot questions about implementation
  4. Create your personal action plan

Next Month

  1. Start your first task
  2. Use Copilot to generate solutions
  3. Document learnings and decisions
  4. Review progress against roadmap

Step 10: Using Copilot Effectively

Best Practices

1. Provide Context

"Based on the architecture in docs/TECHNICAL.md and examples/stripe-connect/, 
how should I implement the PayPal integration?"

2. Reference Specific Files

"Using the database schema in examples/database/schema.sql, 
generate the migration for adding transaction reconciliation fields"

3. Ask for Specific Formats

"Create a Python class for merchant onboarding following the pattern in 
examples/stripe-connect/oauth-flow.py"

4. Request Explanations

"Explain the payment reconciliation algorithm described in docs/OPERATIONAL.md"

5. Generate Tests

"Generate unit tests for the webhook handler in examples/stripe-connect/webhook-handler.py"

Resources

Documentation

  • docs/ROADMAP.md - 12-month plan
  • docs/REGULATORY.md - Regulatory requirements
  • docs/TECHNICAL.md - Technical architecture
  • docs/FINANCIAL.md - Financial models
  • docs/OPERATIONAL.md - Operational procedures
  • docs/COMPLIANCE.md - Compliance requirements

Knowledge Base

  • knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md - TSP definition
  • knowledge-base/PSD2_FRAMEWORK.md - PSD2 details
  • knowledge-base/ARCHITECTURE_PATTERNS.md - Design patterns
  • knowledge-base/INTEGRATION_GUIDES.md - Integration procedures

Code Examples

  • examples/stripe-connect/ - Stripe implementation
  • examples/paypal-commerce/ - PayPal implementation
  • examples/database/ - Database schema

Templates

  • templates/COMPLIANCE_CHECKLIST.md - Pre-launch checklist
  • templates/CUSTOMER_INTERVIEW_GUIDE.md - Interview framework
  • templates/PITCH_DECK_OUTLINE.md - Pitch structure
  • templates/LEGAL_TEMPLATES.md - Legal documents

Support

Need Help?

  1. Check the relevant documentation file
  2. Search the knowledge base
  3. Review code examples
  4. Ask GitHub Copilot
  5. Create an issue in the repository

Found an Issue?

  1. Document the problem
  2. Create a GitHub issue
  3. Propose a solution
  4. Submit a pull request

Quick Links

Resource Link
Project Overview README.md
12-Month Roadmap docs/ROADMAP.md
TSP Definition knowledge-base/TSP_DEFINITION.md
Technical Architecture docs/TECHNICAL.md
Financial Models docs/FINANCIAL.md
Regulatory Framework docs/REGULATORY.md
Code Examples examples/
Templates templates/

You're Ready!

You now have everything you need to build a payment gateway. Start with your role-specific documentation and use GitHub Copilot to generate end-to-end solutions.

Let's build something great! 🚀

Last Updated: June 2026
Version: 1.0