
Topic
How Online Payment Processing Actually Works Behind the Scenes
A single card payment crosses at least four companies between checkout click and settled funds. Here is the route, and where the fees sit along it.

A single card payment crosses at least four companies between checkout click and settled funds. Here is the route, and where the fees sit along it.

Correspondent banking chains, fee stacking and FX spreads explain the lag; newer instant rails are starting to cut it.