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UniPayGateway

June 24, 2020
Written by
James Davis
Written by James Davis
Senior Technical Writer at United Thinkers

Author of the Paylosophy blog, a veteran writer, and a stock analyst with extensive knowledge and experience in the financial services industry that allows me to cover the latest payment industry news, developments, and insights.

My works have been cited across media and payment blogs. I do my best to help businesses make the most efficient financial decisions that can positively and significantly improve their business growth.

Whether you are a seasoned investor or just starting out in the world of payments, my writing is designed to be accessible to everyone and help people navigate the complex world of payments. So if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and insights in the payment industry, be sure to check out Paylosophy and my published works.

Reviewed by
Kathrine Pensatori
Product Specialist at United Thinkers

Product specialist with more than 10 years of experience in the Payment Processing Industry. I help payment facilitators and PSPs solve their various payment processing issues. On a regular basis, I work with a team of knowledgeable technical people in the space, and I am passionate about finding creative solutions to the challenges presented by the Payments Industry.

I would be happy to help with any questions you might have regarding credit card payment processing, merchant services, EMV certifications, the various ways of becoming a payment facilitator or a payment platform, as well as any other Payment Industry related issues you might be struggling with. Feel free to follow me on Quora, and don’t hesitate to send me links to the specific Quora questions you would like me to answer.

Becoming a Payment Facilitator: 10 Steps

Key Takeaways:

The topic of becoming a payment facilitator is as fresh and relevant as ever for many companies. Indeed, during the last decade, we witnessed a real PayFac boom. We should admit, that, to a large extent, it resulted from demand for payment facilitation services and willingness of acquirers to delegate merchant experience to other entities. At the same time, success stories of PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, WePay, and others became model examples to follow.

For businesses that already have some customer background verification logic at hand, the task of becoming a PayFac is a bit easier to accomplish. For example, such businesses include ISO, SaaS companies, franchisors, ISV, online marketplace owners and, perhaps, venture capital firms. Moreover, the prospect of implementing a payment facilitator model became even more appealing with the emergence of intermediary solutions. For instance, these include white label PayFac, PayFac in a box, managed PayFac etc.

No matter how lucrative the prospect may seem, the process of becoming a PayFac means considerable upfront costs, new requirements, and responsibilities. So, if you are serious about becoming a payment facilitator, you should know what to expect as you go through the process.

We will start by explaining the payment facilitator concept to those, who are still unfamilliar with it. If you are, you can skip the respeective section. Then, we will move on to the most important aspects a company should address along the way to becoming a PayFac.

Who is a Payment Facilitator?

A payment facilitator is a business that provides a simplified payment processing experience to other businesses. It allows a portfolio of sub-merchants to accept payments from their customers without the need to obtain their own merchant accounts. Payment Facilitators manage their own merchant accounts and provide a range of services to sub-merchants. These services include merchant onboarding, funding, payment processing, reporting, risk management, chargeback disputing, and customer support. The PayFac model has gained popularity in recent years, as it allows businesses to simplify their payment processing and reduce costs, while also providing a better customer experience.

PayFac vs ISO

Moreover, in a sense, PayFac model relieved acquirers from merchant management functions, which they delegated to PayFacs. Initially, acquirers delegated merchant account setting to resellers called independent sales organisations (ISOs). ISOs were once the go-to solution for businesses that needed help setting up merchant accounts and processing payments. However, ISOs were often seen as a costly and inefficient solution, with lengthy onboarding processes and high fees. Besides that, traditional ISOs do not take part in merchant onboarding and other functions, related to merchant lifecycle.

payment facilitator
PayFac Benefits

PayFac is a more progressive and universal. In essence, the model is beneficial for all entities involved: acquirers, sub-merchants, and PayFacs themselves.

PayFac Model: History and Benefits

The PayFac model emerged in the early 2000s, pioneered by payment facilitator US companies such as PayPal and Stripe, which offered a simple and streamlined payment processing experience. Over time, the PayFac model has gained popularity among businesses of all types and sizes, as it offered a range of benefits beyond just streamlined payment processing. As we have explained, it allows businesses to manage their own merchant accounts, simplifies the process of onboarding new merchants, and provides more control over the payment experience.

Today, the Payment Facilitator model is an established part of the payment industry landscape, with many leading payment gateway providers offering PayFac services to businesses around the world. As the payment industry continues to evolve, the PayFac model is likely to play an increasingly important role in helping businesses streamline their payment processing and improve their bottom line.

Major Aspects of Becoming a PayFac

So, what does it take to become a PayFac? In this section we will breiefly dwell on the most important aspects of the process. These aspects include:

As we can see, each of the aspects can be attributed to either business (regulatory) or technical side of the process.

Payment Gateway Project Seems Complex?

Partnerships and Application Process

In order to start the process, a prospective PayFac needs to get registered by card associations and an authorized acquiring bank. It is on behalf of this acquirer that the PayFac will service its sub-merchants. The application process for becoming a Payment Facilitator can be complex and time-consuming. It typically involves an initial application, underwriting, and approval process. To simplify this process, some providers offer special payment facilitator programs that make it easier for businesses to get started with Payment Facilitation.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

Besides registration and certification, becoming a PayFac requires a business to comply with various regulatory standards. These include Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI, PCI DSS), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws, and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. Ensuring compliance with these requirements is crucial for the success of your Payment Facilitation business. It is important to partner with a trusted payment gateway provider, regularly review and update your compliance policies and procedures, and train your staff on compliance requirements.

Primary goal of security standards is to help the company ensure secure payment experience and mitigate various risks. These include cinsumer and fraud, as well as, again, compliance risks. The respective risk mitigation tools should include real-time fraud detection, customizable risk settings, as well as comprehensive reporting and analytics.

Technology and Infrastructure

Setting up a Payment Facilitation platform requires robust technology and infrastructure to ensure smooth, reliable, and secure payment processing experience. Some of the key features include advanced fraud detection and prevention tools, customizable risk settings, and a robust reporting, and analytics dashboard.

Onboarding merchants onto the PayFac platform is a critical aspect of the Payment Facilitation business. It is important to streamline the process of collecting and verifying merchant information, setting up merchant accounts, and managing payment processing. Key features include customizable onboarding workflows, automated underwriting processes, support for target payment methods and MCC codes.

Payment Gateway Project

Payment Monetization and Revenue Sharing

Payment Facilitators generate revenue in a variety of ways, including per-transaction fees, monthly service fees, different pricing plans, service packages, and revenue sharing arrangements with partners. It is important to offer sub-marchants a solution that optimally suits their business needs and types, and supports their preferred payment methods. Such a solution allows a PayFac to diversify its revenue streams most thoroughly.

Customer Support

State-of-the-art customer support is essential for the success of any Payment Facilitation business. Ideal 24/7 customer support should incorporate all available channels, including phone, email, and chat. Their team of specialists should be available to help customers with any questions or issues that arise, including payment disputes, chargebacks, and other inquiries.

Now that we have outlined the most important aspects of the process, let us move on to the brief step-by-step insturction.

10 Basic Steps to Becoming a Payment Facilitator a Company Should Take

Payment Gateway Project

Concluding Remarks

Becoming a Payment Facilitator can be a great way for businesses to simplify their payment processing and reduce costs. By following the steps outlined in this article and partnering with a trusted payment technology provider, businesses can navigate the complex process of becoming a Payment Facilitator and start reaping the benefits of the PayFac model.

We have just outlined the basic steps any prospective PayFac should follow. So, if you need more in-depth guidance and specific recommendations regarding your particular business case, you are welcome to consult payment experts and/or download a free white paper. They will be happy to help you, just like they helped other companies that are now successfully working as a white label or full-fledged payment facilitators. If you are looking to implement an PayFac gateway solution for your payment facilitator company, check out our short video guide.

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