What is the Visa VAMP threshold in 2026?
Since 1 April 2026, a merchant in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe or the US is rated Excessive under VAMP when fraud reports plus disputes reach 1.5% of settled transactions, with at least 1,500 events in the month. The threshold was 2.2% before.
In detail
VAMP, the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program, measures fraud and disputes together. Since April 1, 2026, a merchant in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe or the US is rated Excessive when fraud reports plus disputes reach 1.5% of settled transactions, with at least 1,500 events in the month. The threshold was 2.2% before.
Why it matters
A merchant rated Excessive faces fees and remediation requirements, and its acquirer is under pressure to act. Because VAMP counts fraud reports and disputes in the same ratio, a merchant can cross the threshold even when its chargeback count alone looks manageable.
Acquirers are also measured at portfolio level, so the program pushes them to monitor their merchants closely and to ask platforms that onboard merchants for tighter controls.
What helps keep the ratio down
- Resolving disputes early, before they are counted as chargebacks.
- Strong authentication on risky transactions.
- Fraud screening tuned to each merchant's profile.
- Monitoring the ratio monthly rather than discovering it in an acquirer letter.
What it means for payment operators
If you onboard merchants, their ratios become your concern too. Pre-chargeback alerts, SCA rules per merchant and reporting that shows disputes by merchant help you spot exposure early and act before a merchant reaches the threshold.