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Visa VAMP and Chargeback Monitoring Programs: 2026 Thresholds

Visa consolidated its monitoring programs into VAMP in April 2025. The April 2026 threshold tightening to 1.5% for North America changes the risk landscape for every merchant above 1% dispute rate.

Updated April 2026

What Changed: VDMP + VFMP Became VAMP

Before April 2025, Visa ran two separate monitoring programs: the Visa Dispute Monitoring Program (VDMP) for general chargebacks and the Visa Fraud Monitoring Program (VFMP) for fraud-specific disputes. Each had separate thresholds, calculations, and consequences.

In April 2025, Visa consolidated both into the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). Key changes:

  • Single ratio combining fraud reports (TC40) and disputes (TC15)
  • Acquirer-level accountability (your processor is responsible for your ratio)
  • Simplified threshold structure: Standard, Above Standard, Excessive
  • North America excessive threshold tightened from 1.8% to 1.5% in April 2026

VAMP Ratio Formula

VAMP Ratio
( TC40 Fraud Reports + TC15 Disputes )/TC05 Settled Transactions
TC40 (Fraud Reports): Issuer-generated fraud alerts. Filed when a cardholder reports unauthorized use. Does not require a formal dispute.
TC15 (Disputes): Formal chargeback transactions. Includes all reason codes: fraud, authorization, processing errors, and consumer disputes.
TC05 (Settled Transactions): Total completed (settled) transactions in the measurement period. This is the denominator.
Key detail: The VAMP ratio is count-based, not dollar-based. One $5 dispute counts the same as one $500 dispute. This means high-volume, low-value transaction businesses (food delivery, digital goods) are especially vulnerable.

VAMP Threshold Tiers

TierVAMP RatioConsequences
StandardBelow 0.9%Normal processing. No monitoring or fines.
Above Standard0.9% - 1.49%Monitoring program. Acquirer notified. Remediation plan required within 30 days. Monthly monitoring fees may apply.
Excessive1.5%+ (NA, April 2026)Monthly fines $10,000-$25,000. Reserve requirements. Forced remediation plan. Continued non-compliance leads to acquirer-level penalties and potential merchant termination.

Thresholds as published by Visa. The excessive threshold was 1.8% for North America before April 2026. EU and APAC have similar tightening timelines.

Enforcement Timeline

April 2025

VAMP launches, replacing VDMP and VFMP. Single ratio formula. Initial thresholds: 0.9% (Above Standard), 1.8% (Excessive).

July 2025

First enforcement cycle. Acquirers must demonstrate monitoring of merchants above 0.9%. Monthly reporting to Visa begins.

October 2025

Fine escalation. Merchants above Excessive threshold for 3+ months face higher fines and mandatory remediation timelines.

January 2026

Visa announces April 2026 threshold tightening. North America Excessive drops from 1.8% to 1.5%.

April 2026

New thresholds effective. North America Excessive threshold is now 1.5%. Merchants between 1.5% and 1.8% who were previously compliant are now in the Excessive tier.

Mastercard ECM: Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricVisa VAMPMastercard ECM
Monitoring threshold0.9%1.0% + 100 chargebacks
Excessive threshold1.5% (NA, April 2026)1.5% + 300 chargebacks
Calculation(Fraud + Disputes) / SettledChargebacks / Transactions
Includes fraud reportsYes (TC40)No (disputes only)
Monthly fine range$10,000-$25,000$1,000-$200,000
Time to exit3-6 months3-6 months
Account terminationVia acquirerVia acquirer + MATCH list

Mastercard ECM includes a minimum count threshold (100-300 chargebacks per month), which means very small merchants rarely trigger it. Visa VAMP has no minimum count, making it relevant for all merchant sizes.

How to Calculate Your VAMP Ratio

Step by Step

  1. Get your monthly settled transaction count from your processor dashboard
  2. Count the total disputes received that month (all reason codes)
  3. Add any TC40 fraud reports (ask your processor for this number)
  4. Divide: (disputes + fraud reports) / settled transactions
  5. Multiply by 100 for the percentage

Example

Settled transactions: 10,000
Disputes received: 75
TC40 fraud reports: 20
VAMP ratio: (75 + 20) / 10,000 = 0.95%
Status: Above Standard (monitoring)

What Happens When You Enter Monitoring

Immediate Impact

  • Monthly fines begin ($10,000-$25,000 for Excessive tier)
  • Acquirer notifies you formally in writing
  • 30-day deadline to submit remediation plan
  • Your processor may increase reserve requirements (hold 5-10% of your volume)
  • Additional per-transaction monitoring fees may apply

How to Exit

  • Maintain ratio below threshold for 3-6 consecutive months
  • Document remediation steps taken (prevention tools deployed, policy changes)
  • Provide monthly reporting to your acquirer showing improvement
  • Expect fines to continue during the recovery period
  • Some acquirers require 6+ months of sustained compliance before full exit
Cost of a 3-month recovery: At the Excessive tier with $25,000/month fines, the monitoring program alone costs $75,000 before you exit. Add that to the underlying chargeback costs. This is why prevention at 0.5-0.8% is dramatically cheaper than remediation at 1.5%+.

FAQ

What is the VAMP threshold for North America in 2026?

From April 2026, the Excessive threshold is 1.5% VAMP ratio. The Above Standard threshold remains at 0.9%. This is a significant tightening from the previous 1.8% Excessive threshold. Merchants between 1.5% and 1.8% who were previously compliant are now in the Excessive tier.

Does VAMP include TC40 fraud reports, not just chargebacks?

Yes. Unlike the old VDMP which only counted disputes, VAMP includes both TC40 fraud reports and TC15 disputes in the numerator. This means a cardholder reporting fraud to their bank (without filing a formal dispute) still counts against your ratio.

How does Mastercard ECM differ from Visa VAMP?

Mastercard ECM has a minimum count threshold (100 chargebacks/month to enter monitoring, 300 for Excessive). Visa VAMP has no minimum count. Mastercard also does not include fraud reports in the ratio, only formal disputes. This makes VAMP stricter for most merchants.

What is the MATCH list?

The MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) list, formerly TMF (Terminated Merchant File), is maintained by Mastercard. If your account is terminated for excessive chargebacks, your business is added. Being on the MATCH list makes it nearly impossible to open a new merchant account for 5 years.

Can I appeal a VAMP monitoring placement?

Monitoring is data-driven and automatic. You cannot appeal the placement itself. However, you can work with your acquirer to demonstrate that a temporary spike (from a bad product batch, seasonal fraud, etc.) is being actively addressed. The focus should be on the remediation plan, not contesting the numbers.

Cost overview|Check if your rate triggers VAMP|Reduce rate to exit monitoring|Industry average rates