Interactive payment visualiser

How your card payment really works

Step through a real card transaction — choose the companies, control every outcome, and see exactly what data moves between who and what fees are charged at each step.

Visa · Mastercard · Amex · UnionPay Online & in-store Gateways · Processors · Acquirers Fees & interchange at every step

Payment channel

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Online payment

Card-not-present. Customer enters card details on a website. A gateway tokenises the card before the merchant ever sees it.

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In-store / contactless

Card-present. Customer taps or inserts at a POS terminal. Chip generates a one-time ARQC cryptogram; PIN may be required.

Transaction log

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Choose a payment channel above to begin.

Glossary of terms