In an ever-changing landscape, keep ahead of the curve with insights and industry news from Optimized Payments.
Insights provided by Evan Andersen There’s been a major development in the long-running interchange litigation — and this time, the proposed settlement includes several meaningful wins for merchants. On November 10, 2025, Visa announced a revised settlement (after the...
Quick Answer: Following Capital One's acquisition of Discover, Capital One debit cards are migrating from Mastercard to Discover's network. For merchants, this means debit transactions on Capital One cards that previously routed through regulated Mastercard rates will...
Between interchange fees, assessments, surcharges, and optimization strategies, it’s easy to see why many businesses lump it all together as “payment costs.” However, not all cost-saving methods are created equally. The terms interchange optimization and fee...
Insights provided by Scott Stone, Chief Strategy Officer Visa’s new Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) officially went live on April 1, 2025. After six months of advisory monitoring, formal enforcement begins October 1, 2025. With thresholds finalized, new...
Insights contributed by Evan Andersen As a merchant, you should be paying close attention to changes that affect your costs. Every adjustment in interchange can impact your bottom line, and Visa’s new Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP) is no exception. This...
Q4 marks the start of budget season — when finance teams dig into year-end reports, review spending, and start shaping next year’s financial plan, identifying where to cut costs or reinvest for growth. Revenue goals, cost centers, and margin targets all compete for...