Credit Card Processing
All Credit Card Processing Articles
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Cash Discount Programs: The Legal Nuances
Cash discount programs are federally legal, but state regulations, FTC guidance, and card network rules create...
MCC Codes: Merchant Classification and Why It Matters
Merchant category codes determine your interchange rates and whether customers earn rewards at your business. Learn how...
CFPB and FTC Enforcement in Merchant Services
Federal agencies and state AGs oversee payment processor conduct through different channels. Learn which agency handles...
The Interchange Antitrust History and Where It Stands
The interchange lawsuit settlement spans two decades of merchant antitrust litigation against card networks. Here's the...
Visa and Mastercard Merchant Operating Rules: What Every Merchant Should Know
Breaks down the Visa and Mastercard merchant rules that most businesses get wrong, including purchase minimums,...
PCI DSS 4.0: What Changed and the New Deadlines
PCI DSS 4.0 requirements are now mandatory for all businesses accepting credit cards. This article covers key changes,...
The Durbin Amendment and Debit Interchange Caps
The Durbin Amendment caps debit interchange for large-bank cards while exempting smaller banks. Here's how the rule...
Credit Card Surcharging by State in 2026
State credit card surcharge laws shifted after federal court rulings on commercial speech. Connecticut and...
Reserve Accounts and Rolling Reserves in Merchant Processing
A merchant account reserve is funds your processor holds to cover potential chargebacks. Understand the three reserve...
Card-Not-Present vs Card-Present: The Real Rate Difference
Card-not-present transactions cost more than in-person at both the interchange and markup layers. Here's why, what...
Settlement Timing: Why Your Deposits Vary
Credit card settlement time isn't a single event. It's a four-stage pipeline shaped by batch cutoffs, ACH windows,...
The Acquirer-Processor-ISO-Agent Chain
Most merchants don't know who they actually signed with. The four-layer chain of acquirer, processor, ISO, and agent...