2026 Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program Guide

The landscape of credit card processing is shifting beneath your feet. If you accept Visa payments, the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program could determine whether your merchant account stays open or gets terminated. For high-volume merchants and those in higher-risk industries, understanding these new rules is no longer optional.

This Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program guide outlines the new unified framework with stricter thresholds and real financial consequences. Here's what you need to know to stay compliant, and why many merchants are exploring ACH payment alternatives.

What is the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program?

VAMP combines Visa's previous Fraud Monitoring Program and Dispute Monitoring Program into a single oversight system that went into effect on April 1, 2025. The program tracks both fraud reports and chargebacks under one metric, holding merchants and their payment processors accountable for excessive disputes.

Enforcement began on October 1, 2025, meaning merchants who exceed the thresholds now face financial penalties, account restrictions, or termination.

What VAMP Measures

Metric Type	What It Tracks	Why It Matters
VAMP Ratio	Fraud reports (TC40) + all disputes (TC15) divided by total transactions	A single transaction can count twice if reported as fraud and then disputed
Enumeration Ratio	Card testing attacks, where criminals validate stolen card numbers	Protects against automated fraud attempts
Minimum Threshold	1,500 disputes per month to enter the program	Below this, you're not subject to penalties

The most critical change? Fraud reports that become chargebacks now count twice in your ratio. A customer claims fraud; that's one strike. The same transaction becomes a chargeback; that's two strikes. This double-counting significantly increases risk for merchants experiencing friendly fraud, which Visa reports represents roughly 75% of all disputes.

New VAMP Rules and Merchant Thresholds

Merchant VAMP Ratio Limits:

Through December 31, 2025: Excessive classification at 1.5% or higher
Starting January 1, 2026: Above Standard at 0.3%, Excessive at 0.9%

Acquirer Thresholds:

2025: Excessive at 0.5%
2026: Above Standard at 0.3%, Excessive at 0.5%

Even if you stay below merchant limits, you can still face consequences. Your processor monitors their entire portfolio, and if your disputes push them over their threshold, they may restrict or terminate your account to protect their own standing with the Visa monitoring program.

Industries Most at Risk Under VAMP

Certain business types face higher chargeback rates and greater VAMP exposure:

Industry	Reason
Nutraceuticals and supplements	Subscription billing disputes
Online gaming	Age verification and regulation challenges
Telemedicine	Service disputes and fraud claims
High-volume ecommerce	Buyer's remorse and friendly fraud
CBD and emerging products	Regulatory complexity

These industries already navigate limited banking options. VAMP's stricter rules make merchant account stability even more precarious, and the above industries are only a fraction of the high-risk industries VAMP may affect.

Next Steps to Stay Below VAMP Thresholds

1. Calculate Your Current VAMP Ratio

Use this formula: (Fraud reports + All disputes) ÷ Total Visa transactions. If you're approaching 0.3%, take immediate action.

2. Deploy Chargeback Alerts and Resolution Tools

Rapid Dispute Resolution and Compelling Evidence 3.0 through Order Insight can resolve disputes before they become chargebacks. While these tools won't block fraud reports (TC40s), they prevent disputes (TC15s) from counting against your VAMP ratio.

3. Strengthen Fraud Prevention Upfront

Implement 3D Secure authentication, address verification, and velocity checks. Use device fingerprinting to identify suspicious patterns before the transactions process. Prevention stops disputes before they affect your ratio.

4. Improve Transaction Clarity

Clear billing descriptors reduce "friendly fraud" where customers don't recognize charges. Detailed receipts and straightforward refund policies cut confusion-based disputes.

5. Monitor Your Ratio Monthly

Track TC40 and TC15 reports consistently. Identify patterns in dispute reasons, fraud types, and transaction spikes. Early detection allows course correction before penalties apply.

Why Merchants Are Switching to ACH Processing

Credit card processing under VAMP creates volatility for businesses already managing chargebacks. ACH payment processing offers strategic advantages:

Lower Dispute Rates: ACH transactions have significantly fewer disputes than credit cards. The payment authorization process and bank account verification create natural fraud barriers.
Reduced Transaction Fees: ACH processing costs 50-75% less than credit card fees. For high-ticket transactions, the savings compound quickly.
Finality of Payment: ACH disputes are more difficult to initiate and win compared to credit card chargebacks. The process favors merchants with proper documentation.
No VAMP Exposure: ACH transactions aren't covered by Visa's monitoring programs. Your ACH volume doesn't affect your credit card processing risk ratios.
Compliance-Friendly: Plaid verification enables instant account validation and balance checking before payment initiation, reducing return rates and fraud.

How SeamlessChex Supports VAMP-Compliant Payment Processing

SeamlessChex specializes in payment solutions for merchants facing VAMP challenges. Our white-glove service approach helps you maintain compliant credit card processing while building a robust ACH payment channel.

VAMP-Aware Credit Card Processing: We work with banking partners who understand high-volume and higher-risk industries. Our chargeback management tools help you respond effectively to disputes and maintain healthy ratios.
ACH Payment Solutions: SeamlessChex offers next-day funding for ACH transactions through our Paynote platform. Accept payments over the phone, online, or set up recurring billing with lower fraud risk than credit cards.
Transaction Routing: During high-volume periods or when approaching VAMP thresholds, route transactions between credit card and ACH processing to balance your risk exposure across payment methods.
Compliance Support: Our team monitors regulatory changes and helps you implement the fraud prevention and dispute resolution tools that keep you below VAMP limits.
Industry Expertise: We specialize in industries facing VAMP pressure, including telemedicine, gaming, nutraceuticals, insurance, and property management. We understand your specific compliance challenges.

Take Action on this Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program Guide

The January 2026 threshold reductions are approaching fast. Merchants near the 0.3% limit need to act now to avoid penalties or account restrictions. Don't wait for your processor to notify you of compliance issues. By then, you may already face penalties or termination. While a Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program guide can help, a savvy payment partner can do significantly more to protect you from non-compliance.

Apply now to explore how SeamlessChex can diversify your payment processing and for more in-depth information beyond this Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program guide.