<html><head></head><body>An acquirer is a bank or financial institution that processes and settles payments made by <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#shopper" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="shoppers">shoppers</a> on behalf of its <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#merchant" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="merchants">merchants</a>. In other words, an acquirer is the merchant’s bank. To accept <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#cards-definition" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="card payments">card payments</a>, an acquirer should be licensed by corresponding <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#card-networks-or-card-schemes" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="card networks">card networks</a> (or card schemes) and either partner with a <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#payment-processor" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="payment processor">payment processor</a>, or be a payment processor itself. Sometimes, a <a href="https://docs.adyen.com/get-started-with-adyen/payment-glossary#payment-service-provider-psp" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="payment service provider">payment service provider</a> may operate as an acquirer in certain regions (for example, Adyen is eligible to provide acquiring services to its clients in for instance the U.S., Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe). For more information on our global payment processing offering, please have a look at our dedicated <a href="https://www.adyen.com/global-payment-processing" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-track-title="What is an acquirer?" data-track-text="Global Payment Processing page">Global Payment Processing page</a>. </body></html>

What is an acquirer?

An acquirer is a bank or financial institution that processes and settles payments made by shoppers on behalf of its merchants. In other words, an acquirer is the merchant’s bank.

To accept card payments, an acquirer should be licensed by corresponding card networks (or card schemes) and either partner with a payment processor, or be a payment processor itself.

Sometimes, a payment service provider may operate as an acquirer in certain regions (for example, Adyen is eligible to provide acquiring services to its clients in for instance the U.S., Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe). For more information on our global payment processing offering, please have a look at our dedicated Global Payment Processing page.