Mastercard is moving AI-assisted shopping from an industry concept toward real payment activity through Alchemy AgentCard. Here is what ecommerce and high-risk merchants should understand about authorization, fraud, disputes and operational readiness.

Mastercard has added transaction and volume fees for businesses classified as specialty merchants. In 2ndAP’s view, this is a pure money grab: the published guidance identifies new charges, but no new merchant-facing fraud-prevention service or measurable protection purchased by those fees.

2ndAP helps cigar bars, lounges and online cigar stores secure reliable payment processing, competitive rates and safer transactions.

Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide patent should not become a blanket ban on peptide processing. We examine Visa’s penalties, corporate pressure, and the growing threat of financial deplatforming.

Mastercard is moving toward faster investigations and broader measurement of merchant risk. Here is what card-not-present and high-risk businesses should know about the new 72-hour standard, GMAP, and protecting their processing relationship.

2nd Amendment Processing has partnered with Biller Genie to help businesses automate accounts receivable, streamline invoicing and collections, integrate payments with accounting software, and get paid faster.

Firearms merchant accounts face new risks in 2026 — rolling reserves, frozen funds, and stricter compliance rules. Here’s what’s driving the crackdown, the red flags to watch for, and how to protect your business before a freeze forces the issue.