Acquirer vs issuer
The acquirer is the merchant's bank that collects card payments; the issuer is the cardholder's bank that funds them — opposite ends of one transaction.
Acquirer vs issuer describes the two banks on either side of a card payment: the acquirer is the merchant’s bank that receives the funds, and the issuer is the cardholder’s bank that issued the card and pays out on it.
How it works
- The customer pays; the request travels to the issuer to check funds and approve.
- The issuer authorises and later releases the money to the card network.
- The acquirer receives it, nets off fees, and settles into the merchant’s merchant account.
The payment processor is the courier between them; the two banks are the endpoints — one debits the buyer, one credits the seller.
Why it matters
Knowing which side does what explains where money is delayed and where fees come from. Declines usually originate at the issuer; settlement timing and interchange are shaped by the acquirer’s terms. When a payment stalls, the acquirer/issuer split tells you where to look.
How Fynex does it
Fynex takes care of the whole chain so you don’t manage acquiring relationships by hand — money is collected, routed to the cheapest rail, and posted back to your books automatically. As an FCA-authorised e-money institution and Merchant of Record, it can settle and hold funds directly. See payouts.