Visa's New VAMP Rules Are Here — And High-Risk Merchants Need to Pay Attention

What You Need to Know If You're Close to the Chargeback Line

Running a business in a high-risk space like supplements, subscriptions, digital services, crypto, or adult content is already tricky. But now, Visa is tightening its fraud and dispute monitoring rules — and it’s going to get a lot easier to end up in the penalty zone if you're not paying attention.

At Dispute.com, we help merchants prevent chargebacks and stay compliant. And we’re breaking down the new VAMP (Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program) rules in plain English — so you can take action before it’s too late.

What’s Changing — and Why It Matters to You

Visa is updating the VAMP program, and it’s aimed squarely at cutting down fraud and chargebacks.

Here’s what’s new:

🔁 1. The New VAMP Formula Can Count Disputes Twice

Visa’s updated VAMP formula is:

(TC40 Fraud Reports + All Chargebacks) ÷ Total Transactions

This means:

• All chargebacks, including non-fraud, count against you
• Fraud chargebacks might be counted twice (once as a TC40, once as a chargeback)

If you’re a high-risk merchant, this change alone could push you over the threshold even if your dispute rate is steady.

⏳ 2. Enforcement Is Coming Sooner

• Visa’s enforcement for the “Above Standard” group now begins June 1, 2025
• Fees won’t start until January 1, 2026, but you’ll already be under review
• “Excessive” category rules are tightening, with new thresholds kicking in for merchants and acquirers

📈 3. Thresholds Are Higher — and So Are the Minimums

For North America, Europe, Asia/Pacific, and CEMEA:

• Merchants now hit “Excessive” at 2.2% dispute rate (up from 1.5%)
• You must have at least 1,500 disputes (up from 1,000) to be enrolled
• In LAC, the threshold remains at 1.5%

Even if you prevent a chargeback through tools like RDR or Ethoca, the fraud report (TC40) still counts. That means less wiggle room than before.

🛡️ How to Stay Below the Threshold (and Out of Trouble)

Let’s be real — if you’re running a mid- or high-risk business, chargebacks and fraud are part of the game. But you can stay safe if you have the right tools and strategy.

That’s where Triple Verify comes in.

🧰 Why Tools Like Triple Verify Are Built for This Exact Moment

Triple Verify is a powerful anti-fraud platform with a full suite of products designed for mid- and high-risk merchants — like you — to stay under Visa’s thresholds and avoid penalties.

It includes:

✅ Real-time fraud detection
✅ Behavioral analytics that flag suspicious patterns
✅ Device fingerprinting to block bots and fake users
✅ Transaction velocity checks to catch abuse
✅ Chargeback alerts and response tools
✅ Seamless integration with Dispute.com’s dispute management tools

In short: Triple Verify helps you prevent the fraud that leads to chargebacks, and Dispute.com helps you fight the chargebacks that do happen.

Together, they help protect your business from both sides — and keep your VAMP ratio in the clear.

TL;DR — What You Need to Know

• Visa’s new VAMP formula can double-count certain disputes
• Chargeback and fraud thresholds are going up, and enforcement starts June 1, 2025
• Even if you stop a chargeback, fraud alerts still count
• Tools like Triple Verify are built for businesses like yours — helping you stop fraud early and stay under threshold

Dispute.com gives you the edge to stay compliant, win disputes, and avoid penalties