MAG Insights

Jun 3, 2025, 11:51 by Chad L Oswald

Europe’s payments landscape is evolving fast, shaped by innovation, regulation, and shifting consumer expectations. To explore how global collaboration can support merchants through these changes, Paul Tunstall, VP of International at the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG), spoke with Kevin Baker, Managing Director, Head of Merchant Services & Commercial Card Sales, EMEA at Bank of America. They discuss the MAG’s role in supporting international growth, advocating for merchants, and sharing cross-border insights that drive the future of payments.

May 29, 2025, 14:12 by Chad L Oswald

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) remains at the forefront of the fast-paced transformation occurring in the payments ecosystem—advocating for merchants, advancing industry standards, and providing valuable forums for dialogue and innovation. With the release of our first-ever Payments Technology Industry Engagement Report, along with several exciting events on the horizon, we’re proud to offer new opportunities to learn, connect, and lead in 2025.

May 16, 2025, 14:58 by Chad L Oswald

Over the past year, there has been a lot of buzz around the new compelling evidence programs introduced by multiple card brands which allow merchants to adjudicate first-party fraud chargebacks for eCommerce or card-not-present disputes. These programs allow merchants to use data elements within the transaction—matched with the same data elements from previous, undisputed transactions—to prove cardholder involvement. But did you know most card brands also have rules for handling disputes, which allow for compelling evidence outside of these programs?

Apr 29, 2025, 08:53 by Chad L Oswald

MAG is pleased to announce key initiatives for 2025, including our upcoming events and expanded efforts to represent merchants in the open banking arena.

Apr 15, 2025, 12:36 by Chad L Oswald

Spring has arrived, bringing with it longer days, warmer weather, and—like clockwork—updates from the payment card networks. Hopefully your acquirer has reviewed the changes with you since many of them were scheduled to take effect on April 11, 2025. Keep in mind that implementation dates can vary depending on the card brand and your specific payments processor.

Mar 31, 2025, 12:42 by Chad L Oswald

As we move into the second quarter of 2025, several groundbreaking events are on the horizon. These upcoming activities offer exciting opportunities to stay at the forefront of the payments industry, network with like-minded professionals, and explore new technologies that are transforming the payments landscape.

Mar 20, 2025, 09:36 by Chad L Oswald

Last year, Visa announced that it had issued its 10 billionth token and that tokenized payments had prevented $650 million of fraud in 2023. Visa and Mastercard have also stated that approximately 30% of all their payment transactions are processed utilizing network tokens. Given that network tokens have only been around for about a decade, those are impressive numbers. But what is it about network tokens that give them their superpower to stop fraud? After all, in the case of network tokens, the token is just another number representing a customer’s credit or debit account. What makes these numbers so much more secure than the numbers that make up the primary account number (PAN) of the payment card? In the typical context, tokens are often referred to as a non-sensitive representation of something of value, such as the PAN in the case of network tokens. But wait, you may be thinking, “if I can make a payment transaction with a network token, that sounds pretty sensitive to me.” Before drawing any conclusions about network tokens, maybe we should first consider what a network token is not. It is not a security token.

Mar 18, 2025, 09:03 by Chad L Oswald

At Payments MAGnified 25, the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) advanced payments through engaging learning sessions, ample networking, and a showcase of emerging technologies. Two standout forums- Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Rising Payments Professionals (RPP)- were central to fostering valuable industry collaboration.

Feb 28, 2025, 10:51 by Chad L Oswald

As the new administration takes shape, regulatory and legislative activity in Washington is evolving, with important implications for payments. Here’s a look at recent developments in Congress, at the Federal Reserve, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Feb 26, 2025, 11:23 by Chad L Oswald

As the payments landscape evolves, the MAG remains at the forefront, driving innovation and fostering collaboration. From conference milestones to thought leadership opportunities, here’s a look inside the MAG.

Feb 20, 2025, 09:24 by Chad L Oswald

As we step into 2025, the payments industry continues to evolve rapidly, with new regulations reshaping the landscape in the U.K., the EU, and beyond. To help merchants stay ahead, MAG's Director of Public Affairs, Leslie Crisp, joined the MAG’s International Leader, Paul Tunstall, to discuss what merchants need to know and how to prepare.

Jan 16, 2025, 11:05 by Chad L Oswald

Happy 2025! MAG celebrates another year of advancing payments with exciting updates. MAG Insights now includes six focused sections: MAG Insider, Policy Perspective, Leadership Lens, International Perspective, Payments Technology, and Advancing Payments. In this month’s MAG Insider, we’re discussing the return of SIGs and Snacks at Payments MAGnified 25 (Feb. 10-13, 2025), offering topic-specific tables and new formats based on feedback.

Jan 16, 2025, 11:05 by Chad L Oswald

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) is committed to empowering payments professionals through robust educational resources tailored to every career stage. . From foundational courses that introduce core concepts to advanced programs that tackle industry challenges, MAG's educational platform equips members with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel.

Dec 18, 2024, 09:13 by Chad L Oswald

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) has achieved significant milestones in 2024, advancing our mission of supporting merchants in the payments industry through collaboration, advocacy, and education. MAG has demonstrated its dedication to fostering a supportive and informed payments ecosystem by hosting industry partners at our record-breaking events – including two international conferences and several regional meetups, increasing engagement with government stakeholders, and launching new payments-focused eLearning courses. Here’s a look at some of MAG’s most impactful achievements this year.

Dec 17, 2024, 09:04 by Chad L Oswald

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) is committed to providing valuable learning opportunities for the payments industry, and 2024 was a year full of exciting new on-demand educational offerings. In addition to four microlearning courses, we launched a full-length course specifically for senior leaders.

Dec 16, 2024, 14:28 by Chad L Oswald

Leslie Crisp joined the MAG staff in 2024 as the Director of Public Affairs. Josh Pynn, Senior Manager, Payments Content at the MAG, explores her journey to public affairs, her professional background, and what excites her about stepping into this role in the payments industry.

Dec 11, 2024, 08:59 by Chad L Oswald

2024 was an incredible year for the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG)! We broke new ground with our inaugural MAG Payments Summit – London 24 and in November, we concluded our largest-ever MAG Payments Summit – Singapore 24, showcasing remarkable progress and achievements across our global events.

Dec 10, 2024, 09:17 by Chad L Oswald

Pam Stults was elected to the MAG Board of Directors in 2024. We spoke with her about her journey into the payments industry, what led her to engage with the MAG, and her path to becoming a Board member.

Dec 10, 2024, 09:02 by Chad L Oswald

At the MAG Payments Conference 2024, industry experts discussed AI's role in enhancing payments processes. Key takeaways include the importance of solid data foundations, human oversight in AI implementation, and continuous improvement in AI strategies. The speakers highlighted Justt's approach to AI-driven chargeback management, demonstrating how AI can improve operational efficiency and revenue recovery for merchants.

Dec 5, 2024, 09:14 by Chad L Oswald

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) held their annual conference, better known as TPAC, the week of September 23, 2024. This year also marked the 30th anniversary of the Consortium and the 35th anniversary of the Web itself. While W3C sets standards for all things Web, two of the groups most relevant to payments are the Web Payments Working Group (WPWG) and the Web Payments Security Interest Group (WPSIG). The focus of the WPWG is to make payments easier and more secure on the Web. The purpose of the WPSIG is to enhance the security and interoperability of various Web payments technologies by creating a forum for organizations to collaborate on identifying gaps between existing technical specifications and improve compatibility between technologies. Both groups held meetings during the conference, and in this article, I will touch on some of my takeaways.