In 2025, Visa is making major changes to how it handles fraud and transaction disputes. These updates are part of the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), a global effort to protect the payment system from rising fraud and poor dispute management. For merchants and payment service providers (PSPs), these changes come with tighter rules, lower thresholds, and higher expectations.
In this article, we explain how VAMP 2025 works, what’s changing, and what both acquirers and merchants need to do to stay compliant and competitive.
The Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP)
At its core, VAMP is about preserving trust in the Visa payment network. It monitors transaction behaviour to catch and prevent fraud, while also improving the way chargebacks and disputes are handled. As a result, acquirers and their merchants are expected to meet strict standards or face penalties and increased scrutiny.
Visa began rolling out the new global VAMP framework in 2025, with enforcement set to begin in October. This gives businesses a six-month window to review and improve their systems.
For acquirers, this means regular tracking of transaction data, implementing monitoring tools, and correcting issues early. Failure to comply could lead to fines or the loss of Visa processing rights.
What’s new in VAMP 2025?
This year, Visa is simplifying its oversight model by merging the previously separate Visa Dispute Monitoring Program (VDMP) and Visa Fraud Monitoring Program (VFMP) into a single, stronger framework: the updated VAMP 2025. The goal is to make compliance easier to understand, but the new rules are also stricter.
New thresholds for Acquirers
Acquirers will now be assessed using two levels of dispute ratios:
- “Above Standard” threshold: 0.3% dispute ratio
- “Excessive” threshold: 0.5% dispute ratio
If an acquirer crosses the 0.3% mark, Visa expects proof of stronger dispute management practices. If the ratio goes over 0.5%, the acquirer faces severe penalties and may be required to work directly with merchants, causing the problem. Visa may even step in to demand changes to the acquirer’s merchant portfolio.
This means acquirers can no longer afford to work with merchants who consistently generate fraud or disputes.
New thresholds for Merchants
Merchants are also facing stricter rules:
- “Above Standard” threshold: stays at 0.9%
- “Excessive” threshold: reduced to 1.5%
Merchants who reach the 1.5% dispute ratio will be subject to Visa penalties, even if their acquirer is below the threshold. This shift places more direct responsibility on merchants to keep their dispute rates low.
Additionally, enforcement fees will now apply to each dispute for all merchants who meet or exceed a VAMP ratio of 0.30% (30 basis points), regardless of dispute count. This makes even small increases in dispute volume more expensive.
How VAMP currently works
To understand the significance of these changes, it helps to look at how VAMP has operated until now. Introduced in 2019, the program evaluates acquirers based on several key metrics:
- Fraud rates and dispute ratios
- Monthly reporting and data accuracy
- Timely corrective actions
Acquirers and PSPs are expected to maintain reliable monitoring systems and report any issues. Failure to meet standards results in fines and increased oversight. But until now, Visa also provided early warning thresholds, giving businesses time to fix problems before penalties were applied.
In 2025, these early warnings will be phased out, especially in Europe, raising the stakes significantly.
Removal of early warning thresholds
Previously, acquirers had early warnings under programs like VDMP and VFMP, such as:
- VDMP Early Warning: 75+ disputes & 0.65% ratio
- VFMP Early Warning: $50,000+ fraud & 0.65% fraud-to-sales ratio
- VAMP Early Warning: $250,000+ in fraud or 375+ disputes with a 0.45% ratio
These thresholds gave businesses time to adjust before crossing into penalty zones. Starting in 2025, these safety nets will disappear. The result? Merchants and acquirers must track their metrics more closely and act faster to avoid slipping into violation.
Expanded dispute definitions
Another important change: the updated VAMP will include more non-fraud dispute reason codes (such as codes 11, 12, and 13) in total dispute calculations. It will also factor in TC40 fraud data.
There is still some uncertainty over whether Rapid Dispute Resolution (RDR) transactions will count toward these totals, but for now, it’s safest to assume they will.
Visa has set a minimum requirement of 1,000 disputes before thresholds apply, which still covers many mid-to-large businesses. Smaller merchants should still aim to stay well below the 0.9% line to remain in good standing with their acquirers.
How Acquirers should prepare
Acquirers will need to:
- Invest in smarter monitoring tools
- Review and adjust merchant portfolios
- Support clients with improved risk management training
- Prepare clear, timely reports for Visa
The stricter rules mean even one or two problem merchants can put an entire acquirer portfolio at risk. PSPs must be more selective when onboarding new merchants and quicker to respond when metrics begin to rise.
What must merchants do now?
For merchants, the stakes are equally high. You should:
- Keep your dispute ratio below 0.9% at all times
- Use 3D Secure (3DS) and other tools to prevent fraud
- Label your transactions clearly on customer billing statements
- Process refunds quickly and resolve complaints before chargebacks happen
- Track dispute data weekly and stay in contact with your PSP
If you run a business in a high-risk sector (e.g., travel, ticketing, subscriptions, or digital services), you’ll need to pay extra attention. These industries are most likely to trigger chargebacks due to delivery issues, unclear billing, or refund problems.
Visa’s Global Strategy
Visa’s decision to unify fraud and dispute rules under VAMP brings consistency across regions. This means businesses operating in multiple countries can now follow one clear standard. The changes also align Visa’s fraud programs with local regulations, which simplifies compliance across jurisdictions.
Visa is also rolling out enhanced detection tools like the Visa Account Attack Intelligence (VAAI) Score, aimed at spotting suspicious activity before it escalates into fraud or chargebacks. Acquirers and merchants will need to stay current with these tools and adjust their systems to work with them.
Best Practices for managing VAMP risk
To stay compliant under the new VAMP framework, both merchants and PSPs should:
- Train teams regularly on dispute handling and fraud prevention
- Invest in real-time chargeback alerts and fraud detection tools
- Communicate clearly with customers to avoid confusion that leads to disputes
- Use clean and consistent billing descriptors
- Stay under all thresholds—not just to avoid fees, but to maintain trust with your acquirer or bank
Working with a trusted payment partner or risk management provider can make all the difference. Look for a provider offering real-time protection, fast onboarding, and tools that scale with your business.
Bottom Line
VAMP 2025 is a major step forward in making digital payments safer and more accountable. For merchants and acquirers, it’s a reminder that strong fraud controls and clear dispute processes aren’t optional; they’re a requirement.
If you plan, track your data, and stay well below the new thresholds, you’ll avoid penalties and build better relationships with customers and payment providers alike. But if you ignore the warnings, you could find yourself paying the price, literally.
Visa is giving the industry time to adapt. Use the months ahead to review your systems, train your team, and make sure you’re ready for the shift. VAMP is coming. It’s better to be prepared.
For further insights, read our article: “How to Exit a Sanctioned Country Without Risking Your Business?”
If you want to know more, don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation with our team. We’re ready to help you plan your next move with confidence.
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