Streamlined compliance for payment providers
Achieve card association compliance in a fraction of the time - and focus your resources on growing your revenue.
Used by global players in payments
Merchant due diligence solutions, built for growth
Our solutions help acquiring banks, payment service providers, and payment facilitators in compliance, risk assessment, and merchant due diligence. Understand your merchants better to ensure sustainable portfolio growth.
Why compliance matters
Compliance with local laws and card scheme rules like BRAM or VIRP is essential for avoiding fines or non-compliance assessments.
How to assess your merchants
Web Shield's solutions simplify the merchant onboarding process by offering a full suite of tools to meet complex rules with ease, ensuring safe and compliant growth.
What effective monitoring means
A growing merchant portfolio needs to be safeguarded. Use our ongoing merchant and website screening to stay ahead of card scheme requirements and manage your risks.
Merchant underwriting
Enhance your workflows with lightning-fast onboarding and optional expert support.
Merchant monitoring
Automate your merchant monitoring and website screening with our modular solution.
Crypto merchant compliance
Certified compliance-as-a-service for cryptocurrency businesses.
Underwriting training
Train your team in unique online and offline training sessions.
Chargeback prevention
Web Shield's merchant-facing dispute alert management platform for acquirers.
Edgars Valmers
Head of E-Commerce and Payment Card Department, LPB Bank
FAQs
New to the payments industry? We have answers to common questions.
Merchant due diligence is a specialised part of customer due diligence and in extension, Know Your Business (KYB). It includes the initial and ongoing review of a company with which a payment provider like an acquiring bank is conducting business. It aims to verify the identity and authenticity of potential merchants to prevent financial crimes like money laundering and ensure compliance with card association rules like Mastercard's BRAM program or Visa's VIRP. Essential elements of merchant due diligence are the underwriting process at onboarding and ongoing monitoring.
A merchant is a company that sells goods or services to consumers or other businesses. When merchants want access to card payments for their business, they apply with an acquiring bank, payment service provider, or similar institution. This means they must complete an application process that collects key data like the merchant's address, directors, company registration, ultimate beneficial owner, and more. The bank or payment provider will then underwrite the merchant during the onboarding process.
For acquiring banks or other payment providers, underwriting means investigating a merchant and their websites for signs of fraud, non-compliance with card scheme rules or local regulations, and other risk factors. It traditionally involves reviewing all data provided in the merchant application. Merchant underwriting happens during the merchant onboarding process and culminates in accepting or declining a merchant application.
For acquiring banks or other payment providers, underwriting means investigating a merchant and their websites for signs of fraud, non-compliance with card scheme rules or local regulations, and other risk factors. It traditionally involves reviewing all data provided in the merchant application. Merchant underwriting happens during the merchant onboarding process and culminates in accepting or declining a merchant application.
Launched in 2005, the BRAM program is designed to protect Mastercard and its customers from illegal and brand-damaging transactions which may pose significant fraud, regulatory and legal risk or cause reputational damage. It is one of the two main rule sets Web Shield's solutions and underwriters work with.
In 2023, the Visa Integrity Risk Program replaced the Global Brand Protection Program (GBPP). The program formalises the rights and responsibilities of both Visa and connected acquiring banks around high-integrity risk merchants and illegal transactions. Among other obligations, acquirers must register merchants in specific sectors with Visa before signing them. It is one of the two main rule sets Web Shield's solutions and underwriters work with.
Web Shield is an official Mastercard Merchant Monitoring Service Provider. That means that Mastercard Principal Members can expect mitigation for penalties by Mastercard resulting from non-compliance issues.
Regulation, fraud, and expert knowledge
We keep you updated on card scheme rules, fraud trends, underwriting best practices, and Web Shield products.
The Basics of Website Content Monitoring
Transaction Laundering Threats: Emerging Risks in 2024
Merchant Category Codes (MCCs): A Complete Guide
Let us enable your card scheme compliance
We help you comply with card scheme rules faster and more efficiently, so your organisation can focus on the tasks that generate revenue and add value.