Kreditkartenabwicklung

Kreditkartenabwicklung refers to the entire process involved in accepting and processing credit card payments. This process begins when a customer presents their credit card for a purchase. The merchant's point-of-sale (POS) system or online payment gateway captures the cardholder's information, including the card number, expiration date, and security code. This data is then securely transmitted to the merchant's acquiring bank, also known as the acquirer.

The acquiring bank forwards the transaction details to the credit card network, such as Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. The network routes the transaction to the cardholder's issuing bank, the issuer, which verifies the cardholder's identity, checks for sufficient funds or credit limit, and assesses the risk of the transaction. If approved, the issuer sends an authorization code back through the network to the acquiring bank and subsequently to the merchant.

Once authorization is obtained, the merchant can complete the sale. The acquiring bank then settles the transaction, transferring the funds from the issuing bank to the merchant's account, typically minus transaction fees. The issuing bank then bills the cardholder for the purchase. This entire sequence, from authorization to settlement, is the core of credit card processing, often referred to as the transaction lifecycle. Factors like security protocols, chargebacks, and reconciliation are also integral parts of the overall kreditkartenabwicklung.