An acquirer is an essential element in the electronic payment ecosystem, playing a crucial role in processing transactions made with payment cards and other electronic payment methods. It is a financial institution or an authorized company that has direct access to payment card settlement systems, enabling secure and efficient transactions between consumers, businesses, and banks. The acquirer operates under the regulations of the Financial Supervisory Authority (KNF). In practice, an acquirer acts as an intermediary that ensures the authorization, settlement, and eventual transfer of funds from the payer's account to the recipient's account.

Most Popular Acquirers

In Poland, the payment services market is relatively diverse, and the popularity of specific acquirers can vary depending on market specifics, served segments (e.g., e-commerce, traditional points of sale), and customer preferences. Nonetheless, companies such as Elavon, Worldline, and eCard stand out on the Polish market, gaining recognition for their advanced and reliable payment services.

Elavon is an international leader in providing payment solutions, offering comprehensive services for businesses of all sizes. The company operates in many countries, including Poland, providing a wide range of services such as credit and debit card acceptance, e-commerce solutions, mobile payment terminals, and advanced transaction security features.

Worldline is a global leader in payment and transactional services, offering a wide range of payment solutions for businesses. In Poland, the company is known for providing electronic payment acceptance services, both in physical stores and online. Worldline focuses on innovation, developing technologies that facilitate cashless payments, such as mobile payments, online payments, as well as solutions for the public sector and transportation. Thanks to its global presence, Worldline also offers support for cross-border transactions.

eCard is a Polish company specializing in electronic payment services, offering a wide range of solutions for e-commerce and traditional points of sale. eCard enables the acceptance of all major payment cards and provides support for BLIK payments, electronic transfers, and even some forms of installment payments. The company stands out for its flexible offerings, tailoring its services to the specifics of its clients' businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations. eCard is valued for its advanced payment security solutions and effective customer service.

Espago collaborates with the aforementioned acquirers, allowing it to offer clients top-quality payment services, enhancing the security and efficiency of transactions. The choice of the appropriate payment service provider depends on many factors, including the specifics of the business, payment processing needs, customer expectations, and transaction costs.

Role of an Acquirer

An acquirer handles the comprehensive processing of payment transactions, from the initiation of payment by the customer to the final settlement and transfer of funds. Their activities include:

Authorization of Payments. The acquirer is responsible for processing the authorization request sent by the merchant (or their payment terminal) when a transaction is made by a customer. Authorization checks if the payment card is valid and if there are sufficient funds in the customer's account to cover the transaction.

Transaction Transmission and Settlement. After obtaining authorization, the acquirer transmits the transaction data to the appropriate financial institution or card-issuing bank (customer's bank) to initiate the payment posting process. Settlement involves transferring funds from the customer's bank to the merchant's bank. Acquirers oversee this process, ensuring that all transactions are correctly processed and that funds are transferred between the relevant accounts.

Risk and Fraud Management. The acquirer's task is to monitor transactions to prevent fraud and ensure data security. They use advanced systems and algorithms to monitor transactions in real-time, detect, and prevent payment fraud. This includes analyzing purchasing behaviors, identifying suspicious transactions, and blocking them if necessary.

Technical Support and Customer Service. Acquirers provide essential technical support to merchants, helping with the integration of payment systems, staff training, and resolving operational issues. They also offer post-sale support and assist in resolving payment disputes.

A key aspect of an acquirer's role is their direct access to payment card data, which enables the processing and authorization of transactions. Unlike a payment operator like Espago, which uses tokenization and other security technologies to facilitate payments without direct access to full card data, the acquirer is responsible for the final processing of these data. This is a fundamental difference, highlighting the role of acquirers as direct participants in the payment process, while ensuring that payment operators like Espago can focus on providing secure and convenient payment solutions for their clients.

Therefore, the acquirer forms a critical pillar in the structure of electronic payment processing, providing the foundation for secure and efficient financial transactions between all parties involved. Through close cooperation with acquirers, Espago strengthens its market position, offering clients access to the latest payment technologies while maintaining the highest standards of security and service.