What does direct American Express acquiring mean?
Short answer
The merchant's Amex transactions are acquired by American Express itself, not through a third-party acquirer, so settlement and disputes come straight from Amex.
In detail
The merchant's Amex transactions are acquired by American Express itself, not through a third-party acquirer, so settlement and disputes come straight from Amex.
About American Express
American Express operates its own card network and acquires transactions directly in many markets. A direct connection to American Express lets card acceptance, settlement and dispute handling for Amex cards run through the network itself rather than through a third-party acquirer.
See the American Express connector page for its payment methods, documentation and the markets it covers, and the full connector catalog.