Industry insights, payment processing tips, and news from Bankcard International Group.
Crypto payments can reduce processing costs, eliminate chargebacks, accelerate settlement, and unlock new customer segments. Learn how accepting cryptocurrency can give your business a competitive edge.
Reducing chargebacks doesn't mean stricter policies or harsher declines. Discover the proven strategies BIG recommends to protect revenue while keeping customers happy.
Learning how to read a merchant processing statement can help you uncover hidden fees, understand your true effective rate, and determine whether your processor is being transparent.
Emerging-risk payment processing refers to payment solutions designed for businesses banks consider to have elevated financial exposure — but the category is wider and more nuanced than most merchants realize.
Banks are no longer evaluating merchants based solely on industry type and processing volume. In 2026, underwriting decisions are driven by behavioral data, compliance posture, and real-time risk signals.
The lowest payment processing rate is rarely the lowest cost. For emerging-industry businesses, cheap processing often leads to account shutdowns, frozen funds, and revenue disruption at the worst possible time.
Learn how emerging-risk payments compliance works in 2026. Understand PCI DSS 4.0, AML and KYC requirements, and the evolving data privacy laws reshaping the industry.
Merchant account termination is the single greatest threat to an emerging-industry business, often leading to financial blacklisting on the MATCH List and years of processing difficulty.
In 2026, the emerging-industry index continues to evolve as regulators, banks, and card networks reassess emerging threats. Cannabis, firearms, and nutraceuticals top the list — but the picture is changing fast.
