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How to Detect Crypto Broker vs Wallet vs Exchange

A practical framework to identify the operational model, custody structure, and compliance obligations when onboarding crypto merchants without becoming a blockchain expert

Merchant Underwriting Handbook for Compliance Teams

Essential Merchant Underwriting Strategies and Compliance Frameworks for Risk-Savvy Teams

How Underwriting Evolves for High-Risk Business Models

When the stakes are higher, the rules change. Explore how underwriters evaluate high-risk business models and what it takes to maintain a healthy processing relationship in volatile industries.

Why Underwriters Say No: Common Red Flags in Merchant Onboarding and How to Fix Them

A structured look at the 6-step underwriting workflow: application intake, business verification, financial assessment, compliance screening, risk scoring, and final decisioning.

A Risk Assessment Framework for Acquirers and PayFacs

Learn how to move beyond homepage reviews by examining operational evidence that reveals whether merchants accurately represent their business models.

Merchant Counterfeit Risk: A Practical Framework for Payment Processors and Acquiring Banks

In an era of sophisticated fakes, standard KYB isn't enough. Our framework helps acquirers move beyond basic checks to proactive detection of intellectual property (IP) violations and illicit trade.

Marketplace Seller Risk Management: A Compliance Framework for Payment Processors and Platforms

A systematic approach to detecting and preventing prohibited seller activity in marketplace environments, with actionable protocols and risk controls for payment processors, acquirers, and marketplace operators.

Managing ISO Risk: Operational Guidelines for Processors and Acquirers

Understand how to move beyond manual oversight by implementing a structured framework that automates merchant risk assessment and simplifies complex compliance for Platform-as-ISO models.

Subscription Billing Risk Management: A Control Framework for Payment Processors

Reduce portfolio dispute rates and regulatory risk through systematic assessment of trial-to-subscription billing practices against FTC Negative Option Rule requirements.

PayFac Partner Risk Assessment: A Structured Framework for Acquirers and Payment Platforms

A focused framework to verify whether payment facilitators maintain actual oversight of sub-merchants during onboarding and ongoing monitoring

Detecting Aggregator-Within-Aggregator: A Compliance Framework for Payment Processors

Hidden nested aggregators create "blind spots" that lead to massive card scheme fines and regulatory scrutiny. This guide outlines a robust framework for identifying multi-layered merchant relationships, improving your KYB accuracy, and ensuring your risk monitoring covers every layer of the payment chain. Don't let sub-merchants hide in plain sight.

How to Detect Trial to Subscription Controls

A comprehensive framework to assess subscription billing controls, evaluate disclosure quality, and reduce dispute risk during merchant onboarding and monitoring.

Understanding Underwriting Models Across PSPs, PayFacs, and Acquirers

The merchant landscape is more diverse than ever, and so are the risks. While Payment Service Providers (PSPs), Payment Facilitators (PayFacs), and Acquirers all share the goal of enabling commerce, their approaches to risk assessment vary significantly based on their regulatory exposure and place in the payment flow. This guide breaks down the core differences in underwriting models, exploring how each entity balances automated speed with manual due diligence to manage fraud, credit, and compliance risks.

What is Merchant Underwriting

Merchant underwriting is the critical risk-assessment process that determines a business’s eligibility to process payments. This overview breaks down how the process works and examines the key factors underwriters evaluate, such as financial stability and industry risk. It also explores how automation is transforming onboarding from a weeks-long bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

How to Detect Business Model Misrepresentation: When Merchants Say They Sell X but Evidence Says Y

A practical framework for risk teams to validate merchant representations by examining operational evidence across checkout flows, policies, and technical infrastructure.

How to Detect Reseller vs Counterfeit Operations Without Being IP Lawyers

A practical framework to verify authenticity and supply chain legitimacy when onboarding merchants selling branded goods, luxury items, and high-demand products.

How to Detect Prohibited Activity Hiding Inside Marketplaces

This guide provides a systematic approach for marketplaces to detect and prevent prohibited seller activity before it scales, offering a detailed framework to identify hidden violations, enforce category rules, and maintain platform integrity through active monitoring and rapid response.

Why PayFacs and ISOs Face VAMP Fees for Acquirer-Level Exposure They Didn't Create

When Acquirers Enter Visa's Monitoring Program, Downstream Partners Pay the Price. Here's How to Prove Your Merchants Aren't the Problem.

Detecting Dropshipping Risk Signals Guide

A dropshipping risk guide for acquirers and PSPs covering dispute drivers, core checks (supplier, fulfillment, delivery claims, returns, support), and evidence to collect for underwriting and ongoing monitoring.

Supplement Merchant Underwriting

Payment processors and acquiring banks face a critical challenge with supplement merchants: distinguishing legitimate products from disguised pharmaceutical operations that create regulatory, chargeback, and network compliance exposure.

A risk-led dropshipping underwriting framework for PSPs and acquirers

Gain a structured, evidence-based framework for evaluating dropshipping merchants, with actionable verification protocols and risk controls tailored for payment processors, acquirers, and underwriting teams.

Sanctions Screening When Data Is Incomplete

Learn how to build rigorous sanctions screening programs when customer data is fragmented, with actionable best practices for financial institutions, payment processors, and compliance teams.

How to Detect Disguised Pharmaceutical Products in the Supplement Industry

Don’t let "all-natural" claims fool you. From weight loss pills to herbal teas, many supplements hide dangerous undeclared ingredients. We break down the red flags, the importance of third-party testing, and how to verify what’s actually in your bottle before you take the next dose.

The Merchant Types Most Likely to Trigger Visa's VAMP Program in 2026

How PSPs and acquirers can identify high-exposure profiles before they breach portfolio thresholds

Transaction Laundering Detection for New Merchant Onboarding

Gain an evidence-based approach to identifying transaction laundering at the new Merchant ID (MID) stage, with operational controls and investigation protocols designed for acquirers, PayFacs, and payment risk teams.

How to Detect Sanctions Exposure with Limited Data

Learn the four-step framework for building effective sanctions screening programs when customer data is incomplete. From mapping exposure points to implementing continuous monitoring and documenting program limitations.

Mastercard MMSP and Brand Integrity

This guide breaks down the 2026 MMP update into a practical checklist: what data to collect, how to monitor public and gated content, what to document for audits, and how to run investigations and remediation within 15 days to limit BRAM risk.

How to Detect Transaction Laundering for a New MID

This guide provides a systematic and data-driven approach for acquirers and payment facilitators (PayFacs) to detect early-stage merchant risk, offering a detailed framework to identify unauthorized processing patterns and prevent costly regulatory fines before high-risk activities can scale within your payment portfolio.

Detecting Aggregator-Within-Aggregator: A Payment Compliance Framework

Nested payment relationships can hide high-risk sub-merchants and trigger regulatory fines. We provide a practical compliance framework to uncover "aggregators-within-aggregators," giving you full visibility into your merchant ecosystem. Learn how to strengthen your KYB and transaction monitoring to stay ahead of card scheme audits.

How to Distinguish Adult Platform Operators from Marketing Agencies

Distinguish legitimate marketing agencies from disguised platform operators before misclassification creates portfolio exposure.

Building A Defensible Adult Content Underwriting Framework

Get a practical assessment protocol to distinguish controlled adult operators from high risk ones by testing real enforcement controls, not just policy documents.

How to Detect Adult Industry Operators Disguised as Marketing Agencies

A focused framework to detect adult content operators misrepresented as "marketing agencies" during merchant onboarding and monitoring.

Adult Content Payment Processing: A Defensible Underwriting Framework

Learn how risk and compliance teams build a defensible underwriting framework to evaluate adult content payment processing and reduce onboarding uncertainty.

How to Determine if an Offshore Gambling Operator is Taking US Cards: A Compliance Verification Framework

A practical guide for payment and risk teams to verify whether offshore gambling operators are truly blocking US transactions or simply claiming they do

How to Distinguish Sports Tips from Unlicensed Betting: A Payment Compliance Framework

How payment and risk teams can identify tipster activity, licensing gaps, and hidden betting exposure before it becomes a portfolio issue.

How to Underwrite Gambling Merchants: A US Licensing and Payments Framework

Master the complexities of US gambling merchant underwriting. This comprehensive guide breaks down essential licensing requirements, payment frameworks, and risk mitigation strategies to help financial institutions confidently navigate and scale within the highly regulated online gaming industry.

BRAM and VIRP: A Practical, Professional Guide for PSPs in 2026

For risk and compliance teams, BRAM and VIRP aren't theoretical guidelines. They are ongoing obligations. We break down the evolving expectations for 2026, highlighting the specific themes that lead to fines (like illegal activity and IP infringement) and how to build a governance model that protects your portfolio.

8 Most Costly Emerging Fraud Threats And How To Strengthen Your Defense In 2026

Modern Merchant Risk: What Traditional Scoring Misses (and How to Fix It)

Why checklist based underwriting no longer works and what risk teams must monitor to spot merchant shifts before losses appear.