STRESSED OUT ON VISA'S ACQUIRER MONITORING PROGRAM?
CONSIDER GOING CARDLESS, WITH PAY-BY-BANK.
Chargeback Ratio Enforcement, Timeline Updates
The Storm Is Here. In a previous update from Visa, the advisory period for VAMP, during which no penalties apply, was extended through September 30, 2025. Enforcement for the excessive level will begin the following day on October 1. This most recent update also pushed back the date when the excessive threshold for merchants will be reduced. Previously this was scheduled to occur on January 1, 2026, but the new date is April 1, 2026.
Acquirers:
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Enforcement of excessive threshold begins: October 1, 2025
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Enforcement of above-standard threshold begins: January 1, 2026
Merchants:
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Enforcement of excessive threshold begins: October 1, 2025
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Excessive threshold is tightened from 2.2% to 1.5% on: April 1, 2026
Now Is The Most Important Time, to Switch to Pay-by-Bank.
VISA's Monthly VAMP Ratio % Equation:
All Fraud (TC40) + All Disputes (TC15)
Total CNP Sales Settled (TCO5)
CNP transactions
VAMP is designed to track risk in Card-Not-Present (CNP) transactions.
This includes nearly all online payments, with a particular emphasis on adult, gaming, and digital service industries.
Here’s the three key metrics Visa is zeroing in on.
01.
Fraud
(TC40 Reports)
These are transactions that issuing banks have flagged as fraudulent. If a cardholder says, “I didn’t make this purchase,” and the bank reports it to Visa, it counts toward your fraud rate.
02.
Disputes
(TC15 Non-Fraud)
These are chargebacks for reasons other than fraud—like customers claiming they didn’t receive a service, weren’t satisfied, or didn’t recognize the billing.
03.
Enumeration Activity
This refers to bot-style attacks where bad actors run rapid-fire authorization attempts to guess valid card details. Even declined attempts count against you if they’re flagged as “enumerated” by Visa’s AI models.
When we combine Fraud and Disputes, that’s known as VAMP Ratio. The Enumeration Ratio lives on its own. If either of these two numbers go beyond a defined threshold, you and/or your merchant can be flagged, fined, or turned off.
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