GLOSSARY
Acquirer
Bank or payment institution that signs merchants and routes their card transactions into the card networks.
An acquirer (merchant bank) contracts with a merchant, provides acquiring BINs, and routes transactions through a card network to issuers. It handles settlement, chargebacks, and scheme compliance.
Acquirers pass through costs like interchange fees and scheme fees, often bundled with processor pricing. Multi-acquirer setups can optimize approval rates and costs across regions.
Related
Related terms.
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Apple Pay
Mobile wallet by Apple that tokenizes cards for contactless and in-app payments.
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Card Fraud
Unauthorized card use or theft of credentials to initiate transactions.
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Card Network
Payment network (e.g., Visa/Mastercard) that sets rules and routes card transactions between issuers and acquirers.
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Chargeback
A forced payment reversal initiated by the cardholder’s bank after disputing a transaction.