Guides
Plain-English guides to how payments work, from card authorisation to open banking and licence checks.
11 pages
Cards3D Secure explained: EMV 3DS 2, SCA and exemptionsHow EMV 3-D Secure works: the data flow, frictionless vs challenge, the SCA rules behind it and the EU exemptions, explained in plain English.Updated 3 November 2026 · 10 min read
APMsAlternative payment methods explained: wallets to PixWhat counts as an alternative payment method, who runs iDEAL, Wero, BLIK, Pix and UPI, and how wallets, BNPL and bank transfers differ from cards.Updated 3 November 2026 · 7 min read
CardsHow card payments work: authorisation to settlementWho does what in a card payment: issuer, acquirer and scheme, plus authorisation, clearing, settlement, interchange caps and chargebacks.Updated 3 November 2026 · 9 min read
CryptoHow stablecoin payments work: issuers, chains, settlementHow a stablecoin payment moves from wallet to merchant: issuers and reserves, blockchains, on and off-ramps, fiat settlement and the MiCA basics.Updated 3 November 2026 · 7 min read
RegulationHow to check a financial licence on a regulator's registerStep by step: check a PSP, EMI, broker or crypto firm on the regulator's own register, match the legal entity and permissions, and screen for clone firms.Updated 3 November 2026 · 8 min read
CardsNetwork tokenisation explained: VTS, MDES, cryptogramsHow network tokens replace card numbers, how they differ from PSP tokens, how Visa Token Service and Mastercard MDES work, and what the schemes publish.Updated 3 November 2026 · 10 min read
Open bankingOpen banking payments explained: UK and EU rulesHow open banking and account-to-account payments work in the UK and EU: PSD2, PISPs and AISPs, the CMA Order, VRPs, SCA and the latest usage data.Updated 3 November 2026 · 10 min read
GatewaysPayment gateway vs PSP vs acquirer: who does whatA gateway moves payment data, an acquirer contracts with the merchant and settles funds, and PSP is the umbrella legal term. How the roles differ.Updated 3 November 2026 · 7 min read
GatewaysPayment orchestration explained: routing, failover, vaultsHow payment orchestration routes card payments across several processors, retries failures, stores cards in a neutral vault and keeps tokens portable.Updated 3 November 2026 · 9 min read
Open bankingReal-time payments explained: SEPA Instant to Pix (2026)How instant payment rails work: SEPA Instant, UK Faster Payments, FedNow, RTP and Pix compared, with operator figures and what they mean for merchants.Updated 3 November 2026 · 9 min read
AcquiringTap to Pay and SoftPOS explained: iPhone, Android, MPoCHow SoftPOS turns a phone into a card terminal: Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, device rules, PIN entry, the PCI MPoC standard and who offers it.Updated 3 November 2026 · 8 min read