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Card acquiring

Visa vs Mastercard: what merchants need to know

24 October 2026 · 5 min read

The two biggest schemes look similar at checkout, but their rules, programmes and fees differ behind the scenes.

Same experience, different networks

For your customer, paying with Visa or Mastercard feels identical. Behind the scenes they are separate networks with their own rulebooks, monitoring programmes and fee structures.

Rules and monitoring programmes

Both schemes run programmes that track fraud and dispute ratios. Exceeding thresholds can lead to fines or extra requirements, so keeping an eye on both matters.

Why you should accept both

Most customers carry at least one of the two. Accepting both through a single acquirer keeps reporting simple and maximises reach.

Accept cards and wallets with Finoptiq

Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay through one integration.

Talk to sales

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