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What is an acquirer? Important information for merchants
What is an acquirer? Important information for merchants
What is an acquirer? Important information for merchants
What is an acquirer? Important information for merchants
An acquirer enables card payments, but working with them directly can be complex. Find out why a PSP like Mollie offers a simpler solution.
An acquirer enables card payments, but working with them directly can be complex. Find out why a PSP like Mollie offers a simpler solution.
Finance-and-accounting
Finance-and-accounting
Finance-and-accounting
Feb 18, 2025
Overview: acquiring
An acquirer processes card payments for merchants and ensures secure transactions
The acquiring process includes authorization, fraud protection and payout
Working directly with an acquirer is often costly and involves contracts, fees and technical integration
Mollie offers easy setup, flexible payment methods and integrated payment fraud prevention
An acquirer processes card payments for merchants and ensures secure transactions
The acquiring process includes authorization, fraud protection and payout
Working directly with an acquirer is often costly and involves contracts, fees and technical integration
Mollie offers easy setup, flexible payment methods and integrated payment fraud prevention
An acquirer processes card payments for merchants and ensures secure transactions
The acquiring process includes authorization, fraud protection and payout
Working directly with an acquirer is often costly and involves contracts, fees and technical integration
Mollie offers easy setup, flexible payment methods and integrated payment fraud prevention
An acquirer processes card payments for merchants and ensures secure transactions
The acquiring process includes authorization, fraud protection and payout
Working directly with an acquirer is often costly and involves contracts, fees and technical integration
Mollie offers easy setup, flexible payment methods and integrated payment fraud prevention
What does an acquiring bank do?
Without an acquiring bank, merchants would not be able to accept credit card payments. The acquirer plays a central role in the acquiring process and ensures that card payments reach the seller securely and reliably. As a credit card acquirer, it works with card organizations and banks to ensure that transactions run smoothly.
Acquiring includes:
Transaction verification and authorization
In the acquiring process, the acquirer receives the payment request and forwards it for approval. In doing so, it checks whether the card is valid and whether the cardholder has sufficient funds.
Fraud prevention and risk management
To protect merchants and customers, the acquirer analyzes every transaction for suspicious activity. Measures such as 3D-Secure or AI-based fraud detection help to avoid chargebacks and payment defaults.
Regulatory compliance
The acquiring bank ensures that all payments comply with the applicable regulations. For example, vendors must comply with the PCI DSS security standards to protect card data.
Processing and payment
After a successful check, the acquirer forwards the money from the cardholder to the merchant – minus any fees for the service.
As the interface between the merchant, card organizations and banks, the acquirer is therefore responsible for secure and smooth payment processing. Efficient acquiring ensures that sellers worldwide can receive payments quickly and reliably – either by working directly with an acquirer or through a payment provider such as Mollie, which greatly simplifies the entire acquiring payment process.
Without an acquiring bank, merchants would not be able to accept credit card payments. The acquirer plays a central role in the acquiring process and ensures that card payments reach the seller securely and reliably. As a credit card acquirer, it works with card organizations and banks to ensure that transactions run smoothly.
Acquiring includes:
Transaction verification and authorization
In the acquiring process, the acquirer receives the payment request and forwards it for approval. In doing so, it checks whether the card is valid and whether the cardholder has sufficient funds.
Fraud prevention and risk management
To protect merchants and customers, the acquirer analyzes every transaction for suspicious activity. Measures such as 3D-Secure or AI-based fraud detection help to avoid chargebacks and payment defaults.
Regulatory compliance
The acquiring bank ensures that all payments comply with the applicable regulations. For example, vendors must comply with the PCI DSS security standards to protect card data.
Processing and payment
After a successful check, the acquirer forwards the money from the cardholder to the merchant – minus any fees for the service.
As the interface between the merchant, card organizations and banks, the acquirer is therefore responsible for secure and smooth payment processing. Efficient acquiring ensures that sellers worldwide can receive payments quickly and reliably – either by working directly with an acquirer or through a payment provider such as Mollie, which greatly simplifies the entire acquiring payment process.
Without an acquiring bank, merchants would not be able to accept credit card payments. The acquirer plays a central role in the acquiring process and ensures that card payments reach the seller securely and reliably. As a credit card acquirer, it works with card organizations and banks to ensure that transactions run smoothly.
Acquiring includes:
Transaction verification and authorization
In the acquiring process, the acquirer receives the payment request and forwards it for approval. In doing so, it checks whether the card is valid and whether the cardholder has sufficient funds.
Fraud prevention and risk management
To protect merchants and customers, the acquirer analyzes every transaction for suspicious activity. Measures such as 3D-Secure or AI-based fraud detection help to avoid chargebacks and payment defaults.
Regulatory compliance
The acquiring bank ensures that all payments comply with the applicable regulations. For example, vendors must comply with the PCI DSS security standards to protect card data.
Processing and payment
After a successful check, the acquirer forwards the money from the cardholder to the merchant – minus any fees for the service.
As the interface between the merchant, card organizations and banks, the acquirer is therefore responsible for secure and smooth payment processing. Efficient acquiring ensures that sellers worldwide can receive payments quickly and reliably – either by working directly with an acquirer or through a payment provider such as Mollie, which greatly simplifies the entire acquiring payment process.
Without an acquiring bank, merchants would not be able to accept credit card payments. The acquirer plays a central role in the acquiring process and ensures that card payments reach the seller securely and reliably. As a credit card acquirer, it works with card organizations and banks to ensure that transactions run smoothly.
Acquiring includes:
Transaction verification and authorization
In the acquiring process, the acquirer receives the payment request and forwards it for approval. In doing so, it checks whether the card is valid and whether the cardholder has sufficient funds.
Fraud prevention and risk management
To protect merchants and customers, the acquirer analyzes every transaction for suspicious activity. Measures such as 3D-Secure or AI-based fraud detection help to avoid chargebacks and payment defaults.
Regulatory compliance
The acquiring bank ensures that all payments comply with the applicable regulations. For example, vendors must comply with the PCI DSS security standards to protect card data.
Processing and payment
After a successful check, the acquirer forwards the money from the cardholder to the merchant – minus any fees for the service.
As the interface between the merchant, card organizations and banks, the acquirer is therefore responsible for secure and smooth payment processing. Efficient acquiring ensures that sellers worldwide can receive payments quickly and reliably – either by working directly with an acquirer or through a payment provider such as Mollie, which greatly simplifies the entire acquiring payment process.
The payment process in detail
A card payment is made in several steps and is processed within a few seconds. Each party in the payment process has a clear function that is necessary for a smooth and secure transaction.
Payment initiation
The customer enters their credit card details in the payment checkout of an online shop or at the debit card reader in a store. The transaction is started by clicking on “Pay”.Forwarding to the acquirer
The merchant sends the payment request via their payment provider or directly to the acquirer. The acquirer receives the request and forwards it to the relevant card network (e.g. Mastercard).
Check by the issuer
The customer's bank (the issuer) checks whether the card is valid and whether there are sufficient funds or credit available for the payment. At the same time, security checks are carried out to prevent fraud.
Authorization or rejection
The issuer approves the payment if all criteria are met. If there are any problems (e.g. insufficient funds or suspected fraud), the issuer rejects the payment. This decision is forwarded to the card network.
Transaction completion
The acquirer receives the confirmation of the successful payment and forwards it to the merchant. The amount is credited to the merchant account – usually after the acquirer fees have been deducted.
Each of these stages requires fast and secure data transmission between the parties involved to ensure reliable payment processing.
A card payment is made in several steps and is processed within a few seconds. Each party in the payment process has a clear function that is necessary for a smooth and secure transaction.
Payment initiation
The customer enters their credit card details in the payment checkout of an online shop or at the debit card reader in a store. The transaction is started by clicking on “Pay”.Forwarding to the acquirer
The merchant sends the payment request via their payment provider or directly to the acquirer. The acquirer receives the request and forwards it to the relevant card network (e.g. Mastercard).
Check by the issuer
The customer's bank (the issuer) checks whether the card is valid and whether there are sufficient funds or credit available for the payment. At the same time, security checks are carried out to prevent fraud.
Authorization or rejection
The issuer approves the payment if all criteria are met. If there are any problems (e.g. insufficient funds or suspected fraud), the issuer rejects the payment. This decision is forwarded to the card network.
Transaction completion
The acquirer receives the confirmation of the successful payment and forwards it to the merchant. The amount is credited to the merchant account – usually after the acquirer fees have been deducted.
Each of these stages requires fast and secure data transmission between the parties involved to ensure reliable payment processing.
A card payment is made in several steps and is processed within a few seconds. Each party in the payment process has a clear function that is necessary for a smooth and secure transaction.
Payment initiation
The customer enters their credit card details in the payment checkout of an online shop or at the debit card reader in a store. The transaction is started by clicking on “Pay”.Forwarding to the acquirer
The merchant sends the payment request via their payment provider or directly to the acquirer. The acquirer receives the request and forwards it to the relevant card network (e.g. Mastercard).
Check by the issuer
The customer's bank (the issuer) checks whether the card is valid and whether there are sufficient funds or credit available for the payment. At the same time, security checks are carried out to prevent fraud.
Authorization or rejection
The issuer approves the payment if all criteria are met. If there are any problems (e.g. insufficient funds or suspected fraud), the issuer rejects the payment. This decision is forwarded to the card network.
Transaction completion
The acquirer receives the confirmation of the successful payment and forwards it to the merchant. The amount is credited to the merchant account – usually after the acquirer fees have been deducted.
Each of these stages requires fast and secure data transmission between the parties involved to ensure reliable payment processing.
A card payment is made in several steps and is processed within a few seconds. Each party in the payment process has a clear function that is necessary for a smooth and secure transaction.
Payment initiation
The customer enters their credit card details in the payment checkout of an online shop or at the debit card reader in a store. The transaction is started by clicking on “Pay”.Forwarding to the acquirer
The merchant sends the payment request via their payment provider or directly to the acquirer. The acquirer receives the request and forwards it to the relevant card network (e.g. Mastercard).
Check by the issuer
The customer's bank (the issuer) checks whether the card is valid and whether there are sufficient funds or credit available for the payment. At the same time, security checks are carried out to prevent fraud.
Authorization or rejection
The issuer approves the payment if all criteria are met. If there are any problems (e.g. insufficient funds or suspected fraud), the issuer rejects the payment. This decision is forwarded to the card network.
Transaction completion
The acquirer receives the confirmation of the successful payment and forwards it to the merchant. The amount is credited to the merchant account – usually after the acquirer fees have been deducted.
Each of these stages requires fast and secure data transmission between the parties involved to ensure reliable payment processing.
Acquirer, issuer and processor: the differences
In the acquiring process, several parties work together to process card payments securely and efficiently. Each of them has a specific function:
What is an acquirer?
This is the bank that, as part of the acquiring process, accepts card payments for merchants, processes the transactions through the card network and, after successful authorization, pays the money to the seller.
What is an issuer?
This is the customer's bank that issued the credit card, reviews the payment request and decides whether to approve or decline the transaction.
What is a processor?
This is a technical service provider that forwards the payment data between the merchant, acquirer and issuer and processes the transaction in real time.
What is a payment service provider (PSP)?
A payment service provider (PSP) like Mollie handles the entire acquiring process for merchants and enables the processing of various payment methods via a single interface. Instead of concluding separate contracts with acquirers or processors, sellers receive a flexible and easy-to-integrate all-in-one solution with a PSP.
While the acquirer is responsible for the merchant side and the issuer ensures that the customer can authorize the payment, the processor takes care of the technical transmission of the transaction data. Payment providers like Mollie simplify acquiring by bundling all interfaces so that sellers can accept payments quickly and easily – without having to deal with the complex infrastructure of traditional acquirers.
Now you can easily receive payments with no setup time or fixed costs: sign up with Mollie
In the acquiring process, several parties work together to process card payments securely and efficiently. Each of them has a specific function:
What is an acquirer?
This is the bank that, as part of the acquiring process, accepts card payments for merchants, processes the transactions through the card network and, after successful authorization, pays the money to the seller.
What is an issuer?
This is the customer's bank that issued the credit card, reviews the payment request and decides whether to approve or decline the transaction.
What is a processor?
This is a technical service provider that forwards the payment data between the merchant, acquirer and issuer and processes the transaction in real time.
What is a payment service provider (PSP)?
A payment service provider (PSP) like Mollie handles the entire acquiring process for merchants and enables the processing of various payment methods via a single interface. Instead of concluding separate contracts with acquirers or processors, sellers receive a flexible and easy-to-integrate all-in-one solution with a PSP.
While the acquirer is responsible for the merchant side and the issuer ensures that the customer can authorize the payment, the processor takes care of the technical transmission of the transaction data. Payment providers like Mollie simplify acquiring by bundling all interfaces so that sellers can accept payments quickly and easily – without having to deal with the complex infrastructure of traditional acquirers.
Now you can easily receive payments with no setup time or fixed costs: sign up with Mollie
In the acquiring process, several parties work together to process card payments securely and efficiently. Each of them has a specific function:
What is an acquirer?
This is the bank that, as part of the acquiring process, accepts card payments for merchants, processes the transactions through the card network and, after successful authorization, pays the money to the seller.
What is an issuer?
This is the customer's bank that issued the credit card, reviews the payment request and decides whether to approve or decline the transaction.
What is a processor?
This is a technical service provider that forwards the payment data between the merchant, acquirer and issuer and processes the transaction in real time.
What is a payment service provider (PSP)?
A payment service provider (PSP) like Mollie handles the entire acquiring process for merchants and enables the processing of various payment methods via a single interface. Instead of concluding separate contracts with acquirers or processors, sellers receive a flexible and easy-to-integrate all-in-one solution with a PSP.
While the acquirer is responsible for the merchant side and the issuer ensures that the customer can authorize the payment, the processor takes care of the technical transmission of the transaction data. Payment providers like Mollie simplify acquiring by bundling all interfaces so that sellers can accept payments quickly and easily – without having to deal with the complex infrastructure of traditional acquirers.
Now you can easily receive payments with no setup time or fixed costs: sign up with Mollie
In the acquiring process, several parties work together to process card payments securely and efficiently. Each of them has a specific function:
What is an acquirer?
This is the bank that, as part of the acquiring process, accepts card payments for merchants, processes the transactions through the card network and, after successful authorization, pays the money to the seller.
What is an issuer?
This is the customer's bank that issued the credit card, reviews the payment request and decides whether to approve or decline the transaction.
What is a processor?
This is a technical service provider that forwards the payment data between the merchant, acquirer and issuer and processes the transaction in real time.
What is a payment service provider (PSP)?
A payment service provider (PSP) like Mollie handles the entire acquiring process for merchants and enables the processing of various payment methods via a single interface. Instead of concluding separate contracts with acquirers or processors, sellers receive a flexible and easy-to-integrate all-in-one solution with a PSP.
While the acquirer is responsible for the merchant side and the issuer ensures that the customer can authorize the payment, the processor takes care of the technical transmission of the transaction data. Payment providers like Mollie simplify acquiring by bundling all interfaces so that sellers can accept payments quickly and easily – without having to deal with the complex infrastructure of traditional acquirers.
Now you can easily receive payments with no setup time or fixed costs: sign up with Mollie
The advantages of a merchant bank
Having your own acquirer gives sellers control over the payment process, but it also involves administrative work, contracts and technical hurdles. That's why many companies rely on a PSP like Mollie to simplify the entire acquiring process.
Acquirers offer fraud protection through 3D Secure and risk assessments. However, merchants often bear a risk themselves. A PSP like Mollie minimizes payment fraud without additional effort.
Payment speed also varies: while some acquirers enable daily payouts, others delay the process. A PSP offers transparent and fast payouts without the need for separate bank agreements.
For international merchants, an acquirer can make it easier to accept credit cards, but contracts with several banks are often necessary. With a PSP like Mollie, all common payment methods can be managed centrally.
Ultimately, the choice depends on the needs of the merchant. A PSP takes over the entire acquiring process, including payment security, so that sellers can process payments easily, securely and efficiently.
Having your own acquirer gives sellers control over the payment process, but it also involves administrative work, contracts and technical hurdles. That's why many companies rely on a PSP like Mollie to simplify the entire acquiring process.
Acquirers offer fraud protection through 3D Secure and risk assessments. However, merchants often bear a risk themselves. A PSP like Mollie minimizes payment fraud without additional effort.
Payment speed also varies: while some acquirers enable daily payouts, others delay the process. A PSP offers transparent and fast payouts without the need for separate bank agreements.
For international merchants, an acquirer can make it easier to accept credit cards, but contracts with several banks are often necessary. With a PSP like Mollie, all common payment methods can be managed centrally.
Ultimately, the choice depends on the needs of the merchant. A PSP takes over the entire acquiring process, including payment security, so that sellers can process payments easily, securely and efficiently.
Having your own acquirer gives sellers control over the payment process, but it also involves administrative work, contracts and technical hurdles. That's why many companies rely on a PSP like Mollie to simplify the entire acquiring process.
Acquirers offer fraud protection through 3D Secure and risk assessments. However, merchants often bear a risk themselves. A PSP like Mollie minimizes payment fraud without additional effort.
Payment speed also varies: while some acquirers enable daily payouts, others delay the process. A PSP offers transparent and fast payouts without the need for separate bank agreements.
For international merchants, an acquirer can make it easier to accept credit cards, but contracts with several banks are often necessary. With a PSP like Mollie, all common payment methods can be managed centrally.
Ultimately, the choice depends on the needs of the merchant. A PSP takes over the entire acquiring process, including payment security, so that sellers can process payments easily, securely and efficiently.
Having your own acquirer gives sellers control over the payment process, but it also involves administrative work, contracts and technical hurdles. That's why many companies rely on a PSP like Mollie to simplify the entire acquiring process.
Acquirers offer fraud protection through 3D Secure and risk assessments. However, merchants often bear a risk themselves. A PSP like Mollie minimizes payment fraud without additional effort.
Payment speed also varies: while some acquirers enable daily payouts, others delay the process. A PSP offers transparent and fast payouts without the need for separate bank agreements.
For international merchants, an acquirer can make it easier to accept credit cards, but contracts with several banks are often necessary. With a PSP like Mollie, all common payment methods can be managed centrally.
Ultimately, the choice depends on the needs of the merchant. A PSP takes over the entire acquiring process, including payment security, so that sellers can process payments easily, securely and efficiently.
Choosing the right acquirer bank
Selecting an acquirer is a complex process with far-reaching effects on payment processing. Merchants must ensure that their acquiring partner is not only technically compatible but also makes economic sense. Therefore, you should carefully check the following criteria in advance:
Fee structure
Acquirers work with complex fee models that include not only fixed basic costs but also variable transaction fees, currency surcharges and additional costs for chargebacks. The actual costs are often not immediately apparent and can vary considerably depending on the business model. A detailed comparison is essential to avoid financial surprises.
Payment methods supported
Not every acquirer covers all relevant payment methods. While some only enable credit card payments, others also offer alternative means of payment such as SEPA direct debits or wallets. Merchants need to consider well in advance which payment methods their customers prefer and whether the acquirer actually supports them.
Security and fraud protection
The scope of security measures varies from acquirer to acquirer. While some providers rely on state-of-the-art technologies such as AI-supported fraud detection, adaptive risk assessment and advanced authentication methods, others only provide basic security measures. Therefore, you should ask whether the chosen acquirer can keep pace with your payment security requirements.
Contract duration and flexibility
Many acquirers insist on long-term contracts with fixed minimum sales volumes that are not always plannable for merchants. Early termination is often only possible with high additional costs. If you want to remain flexible, you have to look specifically for providers that allow short-term adjustments to the contract conditions.
Technical integration
Connecting an acquirer to existing systems can involve considerable technical effort. While some providers offer standardized interfaces for common online shop platforms, others rely on individual API solutions that require extensive development and continuous maintenance. You should therefore consider whether your company has the necessary technical resources or whether additional costs for external developers will arise.
These aspects make it clear that working directly with an acquirer is not only a strategic decision, but can also involve considerable administrative and technical effort. Sellers who want to focus on their core business are therefore often looking for an alternative that simplifies the entire acquiring process.
Selecting an acquirer is a complex process with far-reaching effects on payment processing. Merchants must ensure that their acquiring partner is not only technically compatible but also makes economic sense. Therefore, you should carefully check the following criteria in advance:
Fee structure
Acquirers work with complex fee models that include not only fixed basic costs but also variable transaction fees, currency surcharges and additional costs for chargebacks. The actual costs are often not immediately apparent and can vary considerably depending on the business model. A detailed comparison is essential to avoid financial surprises.
Payment methods supported
Not every acquirer covers all relevant payment methods. While some only enable credit card payments, others also offer alternative means of payment such as SEPA direct debits or wallets. Merchants need to consider well in advance which payment methods their customers prefer and whether the acquirer actually supports them.
Security and fraud protection
The scope of security measures varies from acquirer to acquirer. While some providers rely on state-of-the-art technologies such as AI-supported fraud detection, adaptive risk assessment and advanced authentication methods, others only provide basic security measures. Therefore, you should ask whether the chosen acquirer can keep pace with your payment security requirements.
Contract duration and flexibility
Many acquirers insist on long-term contracts with fixed minimum sales volumes that are not always plannable for merchants. Early termination is often only possible with high additional costs. If you want to remain flexible, you have to look specifically for providers that allow short-term adjustments to the contract conditions.
Technical integration
Connecting an acquirer to existing systems can involve considerable technical effort. While some providers offer standardized interfaces for common online shop platforms, others rely on individual API solutions that require extensive development and continuous maintenance. You should therefore consider whether your company has the necessary technical resources or whether additional costs for external developers will arise.
These aspects make it clear that working directly with an acquirer is not only a strategic decision, but can also involve considerable administrative and technical effort. Sellers who want to focus on their core business are therefore often looking for an alternative that simplifies the entire acquiring process.
Selecting an acquirer is a complex process with far-reaching effects on payment processing. Merchants must ensure that their acquiring partner is not only technically compatible but also makes economic sense. Therefore, you should carefully check the following criteria in advance:
Fee structure
Acquirers work with complex fee models that include not only fixed basic costs but also variable transaction fees, currency surcharges and additional costs for chargebacks. The actual costs are often not immediately apparent and can vary considerably depending on the business model. A detailed comparison is essential to avoid financial surprises.
Payment methods supported
Not every acquirer covers all relevant payment methods. While some only enable credit card payments, others also offer alternative means of payment such as SEPA direct debits or wallets. Merchants need to consider well in advance which payment methods their customers prefer and whether the acquirer actually supports them.
Security and fraud protection
The scope of security measures varies from acquirer to acquirer. While some providers rely on state-of-the-art technologies such as AI-supported fraud detection, adaptive risk assessment and advanced authentication methods, others only provide basic security measures. Therefore, you should ask whether the chosen acquirer can keep pace with your payment security requirements.
Contract duration and flexibility
Many acquirers insist on long-term contracts with fixed minimum sales volumes that are not always plannable for merchants. Early termination is often only possible with high additional costs. If you want to remain flexible, you have to look specifically for providers that allow short-term adjustments to the contract conditions.
Technical integration
Connecting an acquirer to existing systems can involve considerable technical effort. While some providers offer standardized interfaces for common online shop platforms, others rely on individual API solutions that require extensive development and continuous maintenance. You should therefore consider whether your company has the necessary technical resources or whether additional costs for external developers will arise.
These aspects make it clear that working directly with an acquirer is not only a strategic decision, but can also involve considerable administrative and technical effort. Sellers who want to focus on their core business are therefore often looking for an alternative that simplifies the entire acquiring process.
Selecting an acquirer is a complex process with far-reaching effects on payment processing. Merchants must ensure that their acquiring partner is not only technically compatible but also makes economic sense. Therefore, you should carefully check the following criteria in advance:
Fee structure
Acquirers work with complex fee models that include not only fixed basic costs but also variable transaction fees, currency surcharges and additional costs for chargebacks. The actual costs are often not immediately apparent and can vary considerably depending on the business model. A detailed comparison is essential to avoid financial surprises.
Payment methods supported
Not every acquirer covers all relevant payment methods. While some only enable credit card payments, others also offer alternative means of payment such as SEPA direct debits or wallets. Merchants need to consider well in advance which payment methods their customers prefer and whether the acquirer actually supports them.
Security and fraud protection
The scope of security measures varies from acquirer to acquirer. While some providers rely on state-of-the-art technologies such as AI-supported fraud detection, adaptive risk assessment and advanced authentication methods, others only provide basic security measures. Therefore, you should ask whether the chosen acquirer can keep pace with your payment security requirements.
Contract duration and flexibility
Many acquirers insist on long-term contracts with fixed minimum sales volumes that are not always plannable for merchants. Early termination is often only possible with high additional costs. If you want to remain flexible, you have to look specifically for providers that allow short-term adjustments to the contract conditions.
Technical integration
Connecting an acquirer to existing systems can involve considerable technical effort. While some providers offer standardized interfaces for common online shop platforms, others rely on individual API solutions that require extensive development and continuous maintenance. You should therefore consider whether your company has the necessary technical resources or whether additional costs for external developers will arise.
These aspects make it clear that working directly with an acquirer is not only a strategic decision, but can also involve considerable administrative and technical effort. Sellers who want to focus on their core business are therefore often looking for an alternative that simplifies the entire acquiring process.
Shortcut: Mollie as PSP
Working directly with an acquirer can be time-consuming. Merchants have to take care of contracts, fee models and technical connections. A PSP like Mollie, which handles the entire acquiring process, offers a simpler solution. This allows merchants to accept payments without having to deal with the details of an acquirer.
Easy setup without complicated contracts
When working with an acquirer, you often have to go through lengthy contract negotiations and agree to fixed terms and minimum sales volumes. Mollie makes it easier: you can sign up in minutes, with no contract duration or hidden costs. Merchants only pay for transactions that are actually processed.
Fast and easy integration
A traditional acquirer often requires a complex API connection that ties up technical resources. Mollie offers direct integration with popular online store platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. User-friendly plugins make it easy to set up payment processing quickly, without in-depth technical knowledge.
More payment methods for more sales
Many acquirers focus on credit card payments, but today's customers expect more. Mollie enables not only credit cards but also SEPA direct debits, PayPal, Klarna and other global and local payment methods, so that merchants can respond flexibly to customer needs.
Security without additional effort
Fraud protection is a key issue in acquiring. While some acquirers only offer basic solutions here, Mollie relies on integrated security mechanisms such as 3D-Secure, real-time risk assessment and AI-supported fraud detection. This minimizes payment defaults and chargebacks – without any additional effort on your part.
Accept payments without your own acquirer – stay flexible with Mollie
What does 'acquiring' mean?
Acquiring refers to the processing of card payments by a bank (acquirer) that accepts credit card payments on behalf of merchants. The acquirer checks and authorizes transactions, ensures security and, after successful processing, transfers the money to the seller.
Do I need to sign a separate contract with an acquiring bank?
Yes, if you want to work directly with an acquirer, a separate contract is required. Alternatively, sellers can use a PSP like Mollie that handles the entire acquiring process without any additional contracts or technical hurdles.
What does acquirer mean in German?
An acquirer is often referred to as a merchant bank or acquiring bank. It processes card payments for sellers, communicates with the customer's bank (issuer) and ensures that the money is paid out to the merchant after a successful transaction.
How much does an acquirer cost?
The costs for an acquirer vary depending on the provider and business model. Typical fees include fixed base costs, transaction fees (usually as a percentage of the turnover) and, if applicable, additional costs for currency conversions or chargebacks. A PSP like Mollie offers transparent billing without fixed base fees.
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Drive revenue, reduce costs, and manage funds with Mollie.