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Articles by Cathy Beardsley

opinion

Unpacking the New Digital Services Act

Do you hear the word “regulation” and get nervous? When it comes to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), you shouldn’t worry. If you’re complying with the most up-to-date card brand regulations, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Taxman Cometh for Every Business

February may be the month of romance, but it is also a time when we need to think about something that inspires very little love: taxes. April is not far away, and the taxman is always waiting. This year, federal and most state income taxes are due Monday, April 15.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The ABCs of KYB and KYC

As a payment processor, we devote a lot of time and energy to applying two crucial principles: Know Your Business (KYB) and Know Your Customer (KYC). If you’ve engaged in this process, you know how difficult it can be, but we go through it to be sure we are onboarding a good merchant.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

How to Stay Off the Compliance Naughty List

No reward comes without a little work. For merchants taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by payment processing, that work includes the underwriting and compliance processes — which can be a bit of a challenge.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Unpacking Mastercard's Enhanced Communication Path

Sharing information is important between card associations and service providers like payment facilitators and independent payment operators. In those relationships, information typically flows from the card brands to the acquirers, and then to service providers.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Understanding Visa's New Pricing and High-Risk Tiers

In April, Visa announced that it was rebranding its Global Brand Protection Program as the Visa Integrity Risk Program (VIRP). The program is designed to strengthen the integrity and security of the Visa payment system.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Dawn of the Electronic ID and Its Financial Ramifications

Next year, the European Union plans to release its biometrically secured electronic ID, or “eID” for short. What is it? An eID is an all-in-one digital identity gateway — and something that could significantly alter the payment processing landscape.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Processing Compliance for AI-Powered Websites

Love it or fear it, the abilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and its game-changing technology continue to grow. In fact, when I sat down to write this column, I clicked on ChatGPT and asked it to write something about AI and the adult industry.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Justice and Equal Banking for All

July is the month when Americans celebrate our freedoms. Valuing those freedoms also means being vigilant about protecting them. That’s why I recently visited our nation’s capital as part of a Free Speech Coalition (FSC) trip to combat banking discrimination.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Crackdown on 'Dirty Money' & What It Means for You

In late March, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced new regulations to take effect January 2024. These rules will require certain types of corporations, limited liability companies and other similar entities registered in the U.S. to report beneficial ownership information.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Don't Get Let Down by Takedown Requests

Over the past year, we’ve been seeing a certain issue pop up more and more: investigations by Mastercard’s Business Risk Assessment and Mitigation (BRAM) Program and Visa’s Global Brand Protection Program (GBPP).

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Break Free From High-Risk Banking Stigma

One of the biggest challenges we face in our industry is the inability to obtain banking facilities to operate a business. The adult industry is a constant target and is considered by many to have unstable business practices. While this is not true, it is a major public perception problem.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Importance of Customer Satisfaction

I doubt there is anyone out there deliberately trying to provide bad customer service. After all, without our customers, we wouldn’t be in business. Though pleasing them 100% of the time is aspirational, by paying close attention to their needs, you can get close.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Open Road of Open Banking

This month, we take a deep dive into what open banking is, and how it impacts us all as we accelerate in the payments fast lane.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Billers Beware of Dormant Accounts

Winter is the time when many things go dormant. Animals like bears, chipmunks and raccoons take little breaks when the weather gets cold. Certain plants and insects also slow down. In the payments world, however, dormancy can be a problem.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Visa Unveils New Regulations for Content Providers

While many of us were winding down summer vacations in August, Visa quietly released its updated guidelines that address user-uploaded content. Processors like us just received the update in October.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Stay Cozy Under Your Network Security Blanket

Everyone can’t be an expert in IT infrastructure and security. I’m thankful to have a team that focuses on security best practices and takes care of those issues for me.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Haunted by 'High-Risk': Unmasking Spooky Merchant Category Codes

It’s no real surprise that banks and card brands label our industry as “high-risk.” When it comes to banking, that label takes the form of a Merchant Category Code (MCC). So, what makes MCCs scary?

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Optimize Your Paysite to Maximize Your Earnings

It’s so exciting to be back at trade shows and talk to people in person again. I find it a great way to collaborate. Recently, we participated in the SubSummit, a conference that focuses on subscription sites and subscription boxes.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Getting Your Fan Site Up and Running

Over the last few years, launching fan sites and working with content creators has been all the rage. The popularity of these sites shot up during pandemic closures especially, as platforms provided the performer community with a great opportunity to take control of their careers.

Cathy Beardsley ·
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