-
Policy Perspective
/beth-194x221.png?sfvrsn=1ba678eb_8)
Beth Provenzano Payments Policy Developments: From Stablecoins to Swipe Fees
May 19, 2026As the midterm elections loom overhead, 2026 is proving to be quite busy in Congress, the courts, and in state legislatures. Many state legislatures are considering swipe fee bills to remove interchange from sales tax and tips, while federal payments policy priorities are under consideration in Congress or by regulators. In addition, the courts have been busy on a number of payments-related cases. Here are some Spring highlights.
Read More -
Advancing Payments
/kelly-194x22121c22217-8d34-42f6-bcf3-c5ff87cdf19e.png?sfvrsn=41f79037_5)
Kelly D Andrus Chargebacks Modernization Working Group Launch
May 12, 2026Thirty-plus years ago, I started my payments journey as a chargeback clerk for an acquirer. With only fifteen minutes of training, I'll never forget the epiphany of realizing I was moving money every time I hit enter on that crusty old CRT. That job awakened my curiosity about the payments industry, and while my career quickly moved past the function of researching and dispositioning chargebacks, I've maintained a passion for what I knew even then: the chargeback process, while necessary, is fundamentally broken.
Read More -
International Perspective
Brian Clark Latest Regulatory Issues Facing APAC Merchants
May 11, 2026The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region continues to set the pace for payments innovation. But with that innovation comes complexity, and APAC merchants must navigate a fast-changing and highly fragmented landscape.
Read More -
MAG Insider
/lisa-194x221.png?sfvrsn=7949518e_8)
Lisa Crockett MAG’s Q2 Payments Content Roadmap
Apr 21, 2026If Q1 was about setting direction, Q2 is where the MAG’s Payment Content Roadmap starts to deepen.
Read More -
Leadership Lens
/john-194x221.png?sfvrsn=dc436a1e_5)
John Drechny The Power Behind the MAG: Celebrating Volunteer Leadership
Apr 7, 2026April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, a moment to recognize the individuals who give their time, expertise, and energy to strengthen the communities and industries they care about. At the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG), that spirit of volunteerism is the foundation of everything we do.
Read More -
Payments Technology
David Kelts Mobile Driver's Licenses: An Objective Look at Capabilities for Merchants
Mar 30, 2026The retail landscape is constantly evolving, driven by consumer demand for convenience, speed, and privacy. For merchants, the challenge is balancing operational efficiency with compliance and security. A crucial new technology at the intersection of these needs is the Mobile Driver's License (mDL).
Read More
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
-
Fast-casual QSR featuring burgers, tacos, chicken sandwiches, and all-day breakfast.
-
.png?sfvrsn=1f2ebbe_1 "24 Hour Fitness")
For over 40 years, 24 Hour Fitness has been committed to helping our members live healthier and happier through the transformative power of fitness. We operate 240+ full service clubs with modern equipment, expert trainers, and diverse programs that meet members where they are in their fitness journeys. At 24 Hour Fitness everyone is welcome - fitness looks different for each person, and everyone belongs here.
-
Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA) is the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S. and a leading destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, haircare, wellness and salon services. Since opening its first store in 1990, Ulta Beauty has grown to approximately 1,500 stores across the U.S. and redefined beauty retail by bringing together All Things Beauty. All in One Place®. With an expansive product assortment, professional salon services and its beloved Ulta Beauty Rewards loyalty program, the company delivers seamless, personalized experiences across stores, Ulta.com and the Ulta Beauty App – where the possibilities are truly beautiful. Ulta Beauty is also expanding its presence internationally through a joint venture in Mexico, a franchise in the Middle East, and its subsidiary, Space NK, a luxury beauty retailer operating in the U.K. and Ireland.
-
As a company made up of musicians and music lovers, we're driven by our shared belief that music is the greatest unifying force in the world.
And that idea fuels our mission to fill the world with music. To give people the tools they need to create and connect. To be seen and heard.
And recently, to help and to heal.
Music can stir the soul and change the frequency of the planet. So, let's make some noise.
MEET OUR NEW SPONSORS
-
Fortiva® Retail Credit is a technology-enabled second look point-of-sale consumer credit program issued by The Bank of Missouri. The omnichannel program leverages instant decisioning capabilities, deep underwriting analytics, and a paperless process platform to provide best-in-class retail finance solutions for its clients both in-store and online. This flexible technology platform provides a loan decision to consumers within seconds. Clients in markets such as furniture, big box/specialty retail, flooring, home improvement, HVAC, electronics, elective medical, health and fitness, home automation, and jewelry offer the Fortiva Retail Credit program for second look financing. The Fortiva® Retail Credit program is available throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, please visit https://www.fortivaretailcredit.com.
-
Vindicia Retain is the global leader in payments recovery, partnering with enterprise payment teams to intelligently recover failed and unsolvable recurring payments to retain customers and increase revenue. Vindicia Retain trains their always improving AI and ML models with over two decades of payments data from 1.8B+ transactions to smoothly resolve failed recurring transactions.Vindicia Retain’s complementary, risk-free, and easy-to-deploy approach works with existing billing platforms and payment processors to recover up to 50% of failed recurring payments and optimize revenue instantly. By minimizing involuntary churn, Vindicia Retain helps merchants improve the customer experience, avoid service interruptions, and enhance customer lifetime value. -
Aeropay is America’s pay by bank network, making payments simpler and smarter for the digital economy.
Our integrated products and national network turn bank linking, money movement, and risk prevention into a seamless and reliable part of any payment experience.
Businesses of every size use Aeropay to lower payment costs, accelerate cashflow, and guarantee success—at scale. -
Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses. We are building the future of global banking for a borderless, real-time, intelligent economy.More than 200,000 companies worldwide – from startups to public enterprises – use Airwallex to manage their global banking and financial operations, or to build and monetize their own financial products using Airwallex infrastructure.Founded in Melbourne in 2015, Airwallex holds 80 licenses across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, forming one of the most comprehensive financial infrastructures in the world. This regulated backbone powers Airwallex products at global scale, including: payment acceptance, billing, global accounts, corporate cards, and spend management.The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore with over 2,000 employees across 26 offices. Learn more at www.airwallex.com. -
Marqeta makes it possible for companies to build and embed financial services into their branded experience—and unlock new ways to grow their business and delight users. The Marqeta platform puts businesses in control of building financial solutions, enabling them to turn real-time data into personalized, optimized solutions for everything from consumer loyalty to capital efficiency. With compliance and security built-in, Marqeta’s platform has been proven at scale, processing nearly $300 billion in annual payments volume in 2024. Marqeta is certified to operate in more than 40 countries worldwide. Visit www.marqeta.com to learn more.
-
Dropp is a next-generation payment platform built to help merchants accept payments as commerce moves beyond cards.Our platform offers two powerful alternatives for everyday purchases: Pay-by-Bank via U.S. real-time payment (RTP) rails and Pay-by-Stablecoin (USDC), both designed to deliver instant settlement, lower transaction costs, and a better checkout experience for consumers.Dropp gives merchants a practical, unified way to accept real-time payments across digital, in-store, and mobile environments without the high fees, delays, and chargeback risks associated with traditional card networks. With simple integrations into POS systems at convenience and fuel stores, eCommerce platforms, Dropp makes it easy to add modern payment options alongside existing methods.Beyond payments, Dropp enables merchants to engage customers directly through built-in digital offers, promotions, and incentives at checkout. Merchants can reward shoppers, drive repeat visits, and influence purchasing behavior without relying on third-party loyalty programs or expensive card-funded discounts.For consumers, Dropp offers fast, secure payments with flexible funding options. For merchants, it delivers lower costs, immediate access to funds, greater control over payment acceptance, and new tools to attract and retain customers.Dropp is purpose-built for high-volume, small-ticket transactions, fuel, convenience retail, quick-service restaurants, digital content, subscriptions, and more, where card economics no longer make sense.