VAMP Archives - The Payments Edge

Chargeback Ratio Early Warning Signs: What Moves Before Your Number Does

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000

By the time your ratio moves, the traffic that caused it was sold months ago. Six signals shift first, and every one of them is measurable weekly.

The post Chargeback Ratio Early Warning Signs: What Moves Before Your Number Does appeared first on The Payments Edge.

TC40 and SAFE Data Explained: The Fraud Reports Feeding Your VAMP Ratio

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

TC40 and Mastercard SAFE feel like chargebacks, but they are fraud reports. They quietly feed your VAMP and EFM ratios long before a dispute ever lands.

The post TC40 and SAFE Data Explained: The Fraud Reports Feeding Your VAMP Ratio appeared first on The Payments Edge.

CBD and Nutra Payment Processing in 2026: Get Approved, Not Terminated

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

CBD and nutra both get flagged high risk, yet they fail underwriting for opposite reasons. Which one you are decides whether you get approved or MATCH listed.

The post CBD and Nutra Payment Processing in 2026: Get Approved, Not Terminated appeared first on The Payments Edge.

Compelling Evidence 3.0 vs VAMP: The Lever That Keeps Friendly Fraud Off Your Ratio

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Visa's tighter VAMP thresholds are live. One dispute rule, Compelling Evidence 3.0, can pull qualifying fraud disputes out of your ratio entirely. The catch is timing.

The post Compelling Evidence 3.0 vs VAMP: The Lever That Keeps Friendly Fraud Off Your Ratio appeared first on The Payments Edge.

How to Spot Fraud Before It Becomes a Chargeback

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Every chargeback starts as a signal you could have caught. Here is how to read those signals and deflect fraud through Ethoca and Visa RDR before one ever posts.

The post How to Spot Fraud Before It Becomes a Chargeback appeared first on The Payments Edge.

Mastercard Specialty Merchant Fees 2026: What High-Risk Merchants Actually Pay

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Mastercard's 2026 specialty merchant overhaul adds a $50k acquirer license, a $1,000 fee per merchant, and weekly transaction charges. Here is who actually pays.

The post Mastercard Specialty Merchant Fees 2026: What High-Risk Merchants Actually Pay appeared first on The Payments Edge.

Mastercard SMMP Goes Live July 24: What High-Risk Merchants Need to Know Now

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Mastercard's SMMP enforcement starts July 24, 2026. New merchants who cross 5% in combined refunds and chargebacks face a 72 hour investigation, and quieter triggers reach everyone else.

The post Mastercard SMMP Goes Live July 24: What High-Risk Merchants Need to Know Now appeared first on The Payments Edge.

Age Verification Laws and Adult Merchants: What the New Rules Mean for Your Payment Account

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000

More than 25 US states and the EU now demand ID grade age checks for adult sites. Miss them and your merchant account is the first thing to go.

The post Age Verification Laws and Adult Merchants: What the New Rules Mean for Your Payment Account appeared first on The Payments Edge.

Where Open Banking Is Actually Winning Against Cards

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 02:28:42 +0000

For some high risk verticals, open banking A2A rails now beat cards outright. Here is where the fee gaps and chargeback math favor leaving the card networks.

The post Where Open Banking Is Actually Winning Against Cards appeared first on The Payments Edge.