Payments Ecosystem Map
A plain-English reference to every role in the card-payment chain, licensed and not, and how money and data move between them. The series entry point.
What's inside
- Scheme, issuer, acquirer, processor, gateway, wallet roles
- Data flows for authorization, clearing, and settlement
- Key vendors and infrastructure providers by segment
- PDF download, ~2,800 words
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Who it's for
Practitioners who need the structure behind card and stablecoin payments in one place: product and strategy teams scoping a card program, analysts sizing the economics, and anyone briefing a team without rebuilding the research from scratch. It expands on the free analysis published on this site, so read the blog first if you want to sample the approach before buying.
Our analysis draws on public fee schedules, filings, and scheme documentation. Card programs change terms frequently — verify current numbers with the provider before acting on them.
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