What is an acquiring bank?¶

An acquiring bank supports the merchant side of card acceptance. It differs from the issuing bank that provides the customer's card account.

Acquiring records explain merchant routing¶

Processors, gateways, card networks and facilitators may sit between issuer, acquirer and seller. Acquiring-side data can identify merchant account, terminal, routing, settlement, refunds and chargebacks through merchant, terminal, acquiring and transaction references.

The acquirer may hold a facilitator relationship rather than direct detail about an underlying seller, and cannot automatically identify who operated a terminal or website.

Combine acquirer and merchant evidence¶

Preserve descriptor, category, terminal, amount, time and references. Identify the acquirer through issuer or processor where needed, then obtain merchant order, staff, CCTV and customer records.

Keep issuer, acquirer, processor and merchant roles distinct.