BR-DGE Whitepaper: Keeping Customers in a Multi-Acquirer World 

“Mind-boggling.” That’s how Thomas Gillan, CEO of BR-DGE, aptly sums up the extensive shifts in the payments industry over the past three decades. From basic card payments to today’s network of multiple payment partners, the way businesses handle payments has dramatically changed. 

As we introduce our latest whitepaper, How to Keep Your Customer in a Multi-Acquirer World, we explore this progress, the challenges acquirers face today and why merchant loyalty is increasingly difficult to secure.  

This whitepaper isn’t just about theory; it’s a practical guide to tackling the changing needs of both merchants and acquirers. 

What’s changed? 

Historically, acquiring was relatively straightforward. Merchants would typically rely on one or two acquirers to handle their transactions, and the model worked for a long time. But as the world has become more interconnected, and as businesses expanded across borders, merchants have started to look for more flexible solutions to manage their payment processing. 

Today, acquirers are facing a fragmented ecosystem. Merchants expect better customer experiences, a wider variety of payment methods and the ability to manage these systems more efficiently. With the rise of e-commerce, mobile payments and digital wallets, acquirers need to keep pace with the increasing demands of the market. 

Merchants no longer want to be restricted to a single acquirer; they need a solution that enables them to select the best payment method for each transaction, driving down costs while improving service and satisfaction. 

The loyalty challenge

Merchant loyalty to acquirers has never been lower. As merchants look for better service, lower costs and more control over their payment systems, many are turning away from traditional acquirers. The rigidity of older systems, combined with a failure to meet the demands of larger merchants, has created an environment where merchants are more likely to switch providers. 

Large merchants, in particular, are increasingly working with multiple acquirers to access the best payment solutions across different regions and customer segments. Acquirers that don’t offer transparency, cost-effective solutions and the ability to adapt risk losing these important relationships.  

The challenge for acquirers, therefore, is not just attracting new merchants, but ensuring they can keep them long-term. 

How orchestration can help

At BR-DGE, we’ve been working alongside both enterprise merchants and payment providers to make sure they have the tools and technology they need to stay ahead of the competition.  

Payment orchestration is one of the best ways acquirers can keep up with the changing demands of the market and, importantly, help retain their merchant customers. 

With orchestration, acquirers can bring together multiple payment methods and providers into a single, integrated platform. This not only simplifies things for merchants but also helps them manage payments more smoothly, reducing friction and boosting performance. 

For merchants, the benefits are clear. Orchestration cuts down on complexity, helps reduce costs and increases transaction success rates. With more control over their payment systems, merchants can fine-tune things to meet their specific needs, whether it’s offering new payment methods or improving the checkout experience for customers. 

For acquirers, offering payment orchestration isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about staying ahead. It’s the perfect way to deliver real value to merchants, making it easier to keep clients on board. Orchestration also helps acquirers stay competitive, build stronger relationships with merchants and ensure their systems are ready for whatever comes next. 

Insights from the whitepaper 

Our new whitepaper provides actionable insights, including input from industry experts, into how acquirers can better serve merchants through payment orchestration. It outlines how businesses can optimise transaction routing to save costs, integrate new payment methods without overhauling their systems and scale globally while maintaining a consistent experience for customers. 

The whitepaper also addresses the importance of interoperability in payment systems. As more merchants expand into new regions and diversify their payment methods, having a unified solution that brings together multiple payment options becomes essential.  

Ready to refine your strategy? 

Acquirers who want to remain competitive must embrace change. Payment orchestration provides the tools merchants need to simplify their operations, strengthen relationships and drive growth. By adopting orchestration, acquirers can stay ahead of the curve, improve merchant retention and position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly complex payment ecosystem. 

Download our whitepaper – How to Keep Your Customer in a Multi-Acquirer World – to explore the strategies that can transform your acquirer-merchant relationships.