VISA has officially rolled out a major update to how transactional data is validated – specifically around Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 data. VISA’s goal is to strengthen the quality of data exchanged between merchants and issuers and can carry implications for interchange rates and operational efficiency.
What is Changing with Visa’s Commercial Enhanced Data Program?
In October 2025 Visa began requiring merchants to manually enter complete and accurate data for all qualifying transactions and also began to reward that accurate data. This applies to business-to-business, commercial card, and government transactions. This enhanced data submission is critical because Visa has now tied interchange incentives (how high of fees you pay) directly to data quality. Those merchants who consistently supply accurate information will receive reduced rates, while those who provide incomplete or invalid data will likely see higher credit card rates.
Understanding Credit Card Processing Levels
Level 1 applies to most everyday consumer purchases, requiring the least amount of data. The data required is basic transaction details like card number, CVV, amount, date, and currency code. Level 1 is not impacted in VISAs new Cardholder Enhanced Data Program (CEDP).
Level 2 is designed for B2B, corporate, commercial, and government transactions and requires all data from Level 1 plus sales tax amount, merchant zip, and customer code or PO. Most level 2 programs will be phased out by April 2026 and cards eligible for Level two will transition to Level 3 under Visa’s new standards.
Level 3 is ideal for larger B2B transactions and requires the most detailed information, including line-item details, item description, item quantity, item unit of measure, item freight/shipping amount and more.
iPayments Compliant with New Regulations
The iPayments release on September 4, 2025 includes functionality to send Level 2 and Level 3 data when processing card transactions. This meets the validation requirements being implemented by VISA in October 2025.
This release helps users/merchants comply with CEDP by enriching transaction data with information from Business Central.
What This Means for Users
By choosing to partner with iSolutions, you’re working with a leading payment provider – which means there is no further action for you to take. Ensure you are on the latest version of iPayments – you can find version release information here.
If you have Business Central but are working with a different AR or payment provider, reach out to them to ensure their solution meets validation requirements for CEDP. You’ll want to review your current card transactions and audit your integrations to ensure you are passing all data and information required by VISA. When you talk to your payment processor, confirm that you will receive any alerts if issues arise. This is also a good time to review all of your internal processes related to payments to ensure compliance and that you are receiving the lowest fees possible.
“We’ve seen an influx of businesses coming to us after struggling with skyrocketing credit card fees from other AR providers. In one recent case, a customer reduced their costs by an incredible $33,000 per month simply by switching to iPayments,” said Ryan McBee, Director at iSolutions. The team at iSolutions will help you review your current credit card fees at no cost.
If you’d like to talk about how iSolutions can help streamline your payment processes, reach out to us.