Stay ahead of the
payment curve.
Your central repository for global payment intelligence. From deep-dive technical FAQs to strategic insights on market trends.
Insights & Articles
Arctic Pulse: Industry Intelligence.
IC++ Pricing Explained: What Merchants Are Actually Paying
How interchange-plus pricing works, what the three components are, and how to use it to negotiate better rates.
Payment Gateway vs Payment Processor vs Acquirer: What's the Difference?
A clear breakdown of the three roles in card payment infrastructure and which setup is right for your business.
Chargeback Prevention: A Practical Guide for Merchants
The four chargeback categories, prevention strategies for each, and how to build a dispute response process.
Open Banking Payments: What They Are and Why Merchants Should Care
How open banking payments work, the commercial case for merchants, and where they outperform cards.
What is a Payment Service Provider (PSP)?
What a PSP is, how it differs from a gateway and acquirer, the three types of PSP, and how to choose the right one.
3DS2 and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) Explained
How SCA works, frictionless vs challenge flows, available exemptions, and how to protect conversion.
FX Markup Explained: What You're Really Paying on Cross-Border Payments
How banks hide FX costs in exchange rates, how to benchmark them, and practical ways to reduce what you pay.
Local Payment Methods by Region: The Merchant's Checklist
Which APMs you actually need in Europe, LATAM, and Southeast Asia — and a framework for prioritising them.
How to Get a Merchant Account for a High-Risk Business
What "high-risk" means from an acquirer's perspective, what to prepare, and how to build a stable payment setup.
Virtual IBANs: What They Are and When Your Business Needs One
How vIBANs work, six use cases that benefit most, and what to look for in a provider.
Card Decline Codes Explained: Why Payments Fail and How to Fix Them
Soft vs hard declines, what the most common codes mean, retry rules, and how to improve your authorisation rate.
Digital Wallets Explained: How to Add Apple Pay and Google Pay to Your Checkout
How Apple Pay and Google Pay work, the fraud and conversion benefits, and how to add them to your checkout.
SWIFT, SEPA, and Faster Payments: A Merchant's Guide to Payment Rails
How each payment rail works, when to use each, and how to stop overpaying on international transfers.
iGaming Payment Processing: What Every Operator Needs to Know
Licence requirements, realistic rates, chargeback dynamics, reserve structures, and why multi-acquirer strategy is non-negotiable for iGaming operators.
Card Acquiring for Crypto Exchanges: What You Need to Know Before You Apply
MCC codes, velocity limits, chargeback patterns, FCA registration requirements, and realistic rates for crypto exchanges at volume.
Payment Processing for Forex and CFD Brokers: A Practical Guide
FCA requirements, trading-loss-driven chargebacks, deposit vs withdrawal processing, multi-currency acquiring, and what rates to expect.
Comprehensive FAQ
Questions answered.
FAQ
Common questions answered.
Can't find what you're looking for?
Our consultants are available for a one-on-one strategy session to address your specific business needs — at zero cost.
Speak to a Consultant