Preparation for the 2026 landscape requires more than just reading a newsletter; it demands a proactive audit of your current payment stack. Whether you are a small e-commerce boutique or a large enterprise, the steps to compliance remain largely the same. This guide outlines the strategic moves you should make now to ensure you aren’t caught off guard when the next wave of Visa regulations takes effect.
Align With ISO 20022 Data Standards
One of the most significant shifts occurring globally—which impacts Visa and all major financial institutions—is the migration to ISO 20022. This is a global standard for electronic data interchange between financial institutions. While much of the heavy lifting falls on banks and payment processors, the ripple effects will reach merchants by 2026. Check with your payment processor or acquirer about their roadmap for ISO 20022.
If your internal ERP or accounting systems truncate data fields or rely on legacy formats, you may find yourself unable to resolve disputes effectively or facing higher processing fees because your data doesn’t match the new network requirements. Upgrade your internal systems now to handle “data-rich” payments.
Overhaul Your Dispute & Chargeback Strategy
Visa has aggressively updated its dispute resolution processes over the last few years, most notably with the introduction of “Compelling Evidence 3.0” (CE3.0). This initiative was designed to help merchants fight friendly fraud by providing historical evidence of previous non-disputed transactions.
Don’t treat chargebacks as a cost of doing business. You need to actively store and organize customer interaction data. Under newer Visa guidelines, winning a dispute often requires linking a current charge to past legitimate behavior.
Tighten Subscription And Recurring Billing Protocols
Regulatory bodies and card networks are cracking down on “negative option billing” and difficult cancellation processes. Visa has already rolled out stricter requirements for free trials and introductory offers, demanding explicit consent and easier cancellation methods.
Review your customer journey for subscriptions. If a customer has to jump through hoops (like calling a phone number) to cancel a digital subscription, you are likely already non-compliant or on the verge of it.
Adopt Network Tokenization
If you are still storing raw Primary Account Numbers (PANs), you are living in the past—and carrying unnecessary risk. Visa is pushing hard for Network Tokenization. Unlike standard encryption, network tokens are updated automatically by the card schemes. If a customer gets a new card due to expiration or loss, the token remains valid.
Contact your payment gateway provider. Ask if they support Network Tokenization (not just their own proprietary tokenization). Switching to network tokens improves authorization rates (sales go through more often) and future-proofs you against fee hikes aimed at legacy PAN processing.
Conduct A Third-Party Risk Assessment
Merchants often rely on a patchwork of plugins, gateways, and shopping cart software. Visa holds the merchant of record responsible for compliance. If a third-party plugin you use to manage recurring billing is not compliant with 2026 data standards, you pay the fines, not the plugin developer.
Map out every piece of software that touches your payment data. Verify their compliance attestations. Are they Level 1 PCI DSS compliant? Are they ready for ISO 20022? If a vendor is slow to update or vague about their roadmap, start looking for a replacement now. Migrating vendors takes time; you don’t want to be doing it under the duress of a deadline.
Future-Proofing Your Payments
Visa’s regulations are ultimately designed to build trust in the ecosystem. By adopting richer data standards, utilizing tokenization, and respecting consumer transparency in subscriptions, you aren’t just checking a compliance box—you are building a more robust, profitable business. Start your audit today, and you won’t have to scramble when the new rules go live.
Quikstone Capital Solutions has officially reached its 20th anniversary, a moment that reflects two decades of dedication to supporting small businesses across the country. If you need cash for your business, contact us today. We have only one goal: to help your business succeed.
We aren’t experts on the topic but we could certainly refer merchants to one of our processing partners on a case by case basis.
