Interchange for Issuers

The Interchange Opportunity

Interchange represents a major, often under-optimized revenue stream for card issuers.​

Substantial interchange revenue can typically be captured through closer tracking and analysis.​

Frequent interchange rate changes and shifting cardholder behaviors can quietly erode revenue.​

Manual tracking leaves issuers exposed to missed risks and upgrade opportunities.​

Forecasting interchange revenue becomes difficult without active tracking.​

Economics of Interchange Fees (Ilustrative)​

Interchange Optimization Levers​

There are multiple optimization levers we can pull for Interchange Optimization ​

01 Portfolio Segmentation and Product Setup
Ensure card products are registered accurately with networks (e.g., Premium, Rewards, Commercial) to qualify for the highest eligible interchange categories.
02 Product Migration & Upgrades
Monitor spend behaviors to identify when cardholders are candidates for upgraded, higher-yield interchange products (e.g., migrate to premium or commercial products when warranted).
03 Network Incentive Program Optimization
Align product and volume strategies with Visa/Mastercard incentive programs to maximize interchange yield across debit, credit, and commercial portfolios.
04 Spend Mix Management
Analyze spend patterns and actively promote higher-value spend categories (e.g., commercial payments, travel, dining) through rewards, partnerships, and targeted marketing.
05 Transaction Data Quality and Enrichment
Monitor for missing or inconsistent product codes and transaction qualifiers that could reduce interchange yield. Identify data quality issues that can be corrected through issuer or network registration updates.
06 Forecasting and Revenue Monitoring
Leverage transaction-level tracking and rule change impact analysis to forecast interchange revenue and inform proactive product, finance, and risk strategies.

We Support

Finance & Product Strategy Teams​

Card Issuers & Fintechs

Portfolio Managers

Risk Managers​

Our interchange tracking platform is a cloud-based tool that sits at the heart of our offering, which helps issuers optimize interchange with minimal effort. ​

​The platform ingests clearing data and provides detailed visibility into customer spend and interchange revenue across products, networks, and merchant categories, helping issuers :​

  • Protect current revenue: Spot unfavorable changes early and act quickly​

  • Capture growth: Identify product upgrade opportunities and marketing targets.​

  • Enhance Forecasting: Provide finance and strategy teams with better interchange revenue predictions.​

How it Works

Our cloud-based tracking platform empowers issuer teams with actionable insights for ongoing monitoring and revenue optimization.​

Safeguard revenue and unlock growth with detailed tracking and actionable insights.​

Our Team

CardTraq — a CRG business created in partnership with Pinnacle PaymentConsulting — is based on over 100 years of card network economic and real-world compliance experience. ​

Our experts can work alongside your team to identify and implement savings opportunities and ensure you get the maximum value from the CardTraq platforms.​