Payment Processing
Payment Gateway
A payment gateway is software that securely transmits payment data between a checkout and processors or acquirers.
Read full definitionGlossary topic
Payments, Processing & Merchant Risk
Payment infrastructure, lifecycle, declines, recurring billing, fraud, chargebacks, reserves, fees, PCI, rails, platforms, issuing, and agentic payments — inside the ShouldEye Glossary.
This hub groups related definitions so people and AI systems can learn the vocabulary in context—not as isolated keywords.
Start here
Payments and Transactions
Authorization Hold
An authorization hold temporarily reserves funds for a purchase before the merchant captures the final amount.
Read full definitionReserves, Holds and Merchant Risk
Rolling Reserve
A rolling reserve withholds a percentage of each settlement for a fixed period to collateralize chargebacks and related losses.
Read full definitionPayment Performance
Soft Decline
A soft decline is a refusal that may succeed if retried with updated authentication, data, routing, or timing.
Read full definitionPayment Performance
Hard Decline
A hard decline is a refusal that generally should not be retried without a new credential or issuer-side resolution.
Read full definitionPayment Authentication
Three-D Secure
Three-D Secure (3-D Secure / 3DS) is an EMVCo cardholder authentication protocol for e-commerce card payments.
Read full definitionPayment Fraud
Friendly Fraud
Friendly fraud is a chargeback or dispute filed by a cardholder (or household) on a purchase they actually authorized or received.
Read full definitionFinancial Compliance
Merchant Category Code
A Merchant Category Code (MCC) is a four-digit code classifying a merchant’s primary line of business for card processing.
Read full definitionAgentic CommerceEmerging term
Agentic Payments
Agentic payments are payments initiated or completed by an AI agent under delegated authority from a human or organization.
Read full definition903 published definitions in this topic
- 0% Intro APR Credit CardA 0% intro APR credit card advertises an interest-free promotional period on purchases and/or balance transfers.
- Access Control ServerAn Access Control Server (ACS) is the issuer-side system that authenticates the cardholder in a 3-D Secure flow.
- Account AgeAccount age is how long a credit account has been open, contributing to length-of-history scoring factors.
- Account Closure by IssuerAccount closure by issuer is when the bank closes the card for inactivity, risk, or policy reasons.
- Account Data CompromiseAccount data compromise (ADC) is an incident where payment account data is exposed or stolen from a merchant, processor, or other entity.
- Account Funding TransactionAn Account Funding Transaction (AFT) pulls funds from a card to fund another account (for example a wallet).
- Account Takeover FraudAccount takeover (ATO) fraud occurs when an attacker gains control of a customer’s merchant or wallet account and abuses stored payments.
- Account UpdaterAccount updater is a network or issuer service that provides updated card numbers and expiry for stored credentials.
- Account Updater FeeAn account updater fee is charged for network services that refresh expired or replaced card credentials on file.
- Account-to-Account PaymentAccount-to-account (A2A) payment moves money directly between bank accounts without card networks.
- ACHACH is the U.S. Automated Clearing House network for batch electronic credit and debit bank transfers.
- ACH Return Versus ChargebackACH return versus chargeback contrasts bank-rail return messages with card-network chargeback dispute processes.
- Acquired FundsAcquired funds are proceeds of card or payment transactions cleared for the merchant under the acquiring relationship.
- AcquirerAn acquirer is the merchant’s bank or acquiring institution that enables card acceptance and handles merchant-side dispute messaging.
- Acquirer Reference NumberAn Acquirer Reference Number (ARN) is a card-network tracking number assigned to a cleared card transaction.
- Acquiring BankAn acquiring bank sponsors merchants into card networks and settles card proceeds to merchants.
- Acquiring HostAn acquiring host is the acquirer-side processing system that receives authorization and clearing messages for merchant transactions.
- Acquiring ProcessorAn acquiring processor is a company that processes merchant card transactions on behalf of an acquiring bank or program.
- Additional CollateralAdditional collateral is extra security demanded after risk increases beyond initial underwriting.
- Address Verification ServiceAddress Verification Service (AVS) compares billing address elements to issuer records during authorization.
- Advance Billing NoticeAn advance billing notice is a reminder that a recurring or renewal charge will occur soon.
- Adverse Action NoticeAn adverse action notice explains that credit was denied or offered on less favorable terms and cites principal reasons.
- Adverse Media ScreeningAdverse media screening searches news and open sources for negative financial-crime related information about a customer.
- Agent AccountabilityAgent accountability is the ability to attribute agent-led commerce actions to responsible principals, platforms, and controls.
- Agent IdentityAgent identity is the authenticated representation of a software or AI agent in commerce and payment systems.
- Agent Payment LiabilityAgent payment liability is the question of who bears loss when an agent-initiated payment is wrong, fraudulent, or disputed.
- Agent Payment MandateAn agent payment mandate is a recorded permission defining when an agent may initiate payments for a principal.
- Agent Payment RevocationAgent payment revocation is immediately canceling an agent’s authority or credentials to initiate payments.
- Agent Purchase PermissionAgent purchase permission is explicit allowance for an agent to buy specified goods or services.
- Agent Spending LimitAn agent spending limit caps how much an AI or software agent may spend per transaction, period, or merchant category.
- Agent Transaction Audit TrailAn agent transaction audit trail is the recorded sequence of permissions, decisions, and payment events for an agent-led purchase.
- Agent Transaction ConsentAgent transaction consent is the principal’s informed agreement that an agent may perform a payment or class of payments.
- Agent Transaction DisputeAn agent transaction dispute is a challenge to a payment that an AI or software agent initiated or influenced.
- Agent-Initiated PaymentAn agent-initiated payment is a payment started by a software agent acting for a user or organization.
- Agent-Ready CheckoutAgent-ready checkout is a checkout implementation designed for safe completion by authorized software agents.
- Agent-Ready MerchantAn agent-ready merchant is a seller that exposes reliable identity, policy, and checkout signals suitable for agent-led purchasing.
- Agent-Safe MerchantAn agent-safe merchant is a seller whose public identity, policies, and trust signals are clear enough for cautious AI-mediated purchasing.
- Agentic CartAn agentic cart is a structured shopping cart assembled by an agent before payment authorization.
- Agentic CommerceAgentic commerce is shopping or procurement where an AI agent researches, compares, negotiates, or initiates purchases with limited human supervision.
- Agentic Commerce ProtocolAn agentic commerce protocol (ACP) is a structured protocol proposal for how agents discover merchants, carts, and payment steps.
- Agentic Due DiligenceAgentic due diligence is automated pre-transaction verification an AI agent performs using public evidence and policy constraints.
- Agentic Merchant DiscoveryAgentic merchant discovery is how AI agents find and select merchants or offers to purchase from.
- Agentic Payment CredentialAn agentic payment credential is a card, token, or wallet credential issued or scoped for agent-use payments.
- Agentic Payment FraudAgentic payment fraud is fraud committed through or against AI-agent payment flows, including unauthorized agent spend and agent impersonation.
- Agentic PaymentsAgentic payments are payments initiated or completed by an AI agent under delegated authority from a human or organization.
- Agentic Product FeedAn agentic product feed is a structured catalog agents use to discover accurate products, prices, and availability.
- Aggregator MerchantAn aggregator merchant is a master accepting party that collects payments on behalf of multiple underlying sellers.
- AI CheckoutAI checkout is a checkout flow in which an AI agent assembles cart, shipping, and payment steps with limited human clicks.
- AI Vendor VerificationAI vendor verification is confirming a seller or supplier’s legitimacy with evidence an AI system can cite before recommending or paying them.
- AI-Initiated PaymentAn AI-initiated payment is a payment instruction started by an artificial intelligence system rather than a direct human checkout click.
- Airline MilesAirline miles are loyalty currency that may be earned via co-branded cards or transfers from flexible point programs.
- AlipayAlipay is a major Chinese digital wallet and payment platform used domestically and by outbound travelers.
- AllowlistAn allowlist (whitelist) explicitly trusts certain customers, BINs, devices, or IPs to bypass stricter checks.
- Alternative Payment MethodAn alternative payment method (APM) is any popular checkout method outside classic international card brands.
- American ExpressAmerican Express is a global payments company that issues cards and operates the American Express network.
- Annual FeeAn annual fee is a yearly charge for having the credit card, often billed on an anniversary statement.
- Annual Percentage RateAnnual Percentage Rate (APR) expresses the yearly cost of credit including interest and certain fees.
- Anti-Money LaunderingAnti-money laundering (AML) is the set of laws and controls that detect and prevent disguising criminal proceeds—including through gambling accounts and payouts.
- Apple PayApple Pay is Apple’s digital wallet for provisioning tokens and paying via Apple devices.
- Application FraudApplication fraud is deception during account, credit, or merchant onboarding to obtain access or funds.