Visa Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP)
Your central hub for all things CEDP
The payments landscape is evolving — and Boost is here to help you stay ahead.
Understand Visa’s CEDP, who it impacts, and how to navigate it with confidence, all backed by our team of B2B experts.
CEDP
Overview and
Explainer Video
Overview and
Explainer Video
CEDP
Interchange
Impact Calculator
Interchange
Impact Calculator
Qualified vs
Unqualified
Transactions
Unqualified
Transactions
Verified vs
Unverified
Suppliers
Unverified
Suppliers
How Does
CEDP Impact
Me?
CEDP Impact
Me?
Preparing
for
CEDP
for
CEDP
What is CEDP?
Visa’s Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP) is fundamentally changing how B2B card payments are qualified, validated, and priced. The program replaces the legacy Level 2 and Level 3 interchange structures with a data-driven model that rewards accuracy and transparency. CEDP replaces the Large Ticket/Level III interchange tables that have previously provided the lowest published rates available for qualifying commercial card transactions.
Under CEDP, rate qualification now depends on three key factors:
1. Participation in the CEDP program, through an additional fee of 0.05% for every submitted transaction, and
2. The quality of each transaction’s data, ensuring all required fields — such as tax amounts, freight, and item-level detail — are accurately transmitted, and
3. The merchant/supplier’s verification status, confirming their ability to consistently support enhanced data standards over an extended period of time.
CEDP Interchange Rate Structure
TRANSACTION TYPE |
MERCHANT/SUPPLIER STATUS |
CEDP RATE |
PRE-CEDP LARGE TICKET RATE |
UNQUALIFIED |
UNVERIFIED |
2.70% + $0.10 |
2.70% + $0.10 |
UNQUALIFIED |
VERIFIED |
2.70% + $0.10 |
2.70% + $0.10 |
QUALIFIED |
UNVERIFIED |
2.70% + $0.10
|
1.45% + $35 |
✅ QUALIFIED |
✅ VERIFIED |
1.30% + $35 |
1.45% + $35 |
The Boost Difference
Boost is committed to providing qualifying data so all our customers will default to the lowest published rates available at the time of transaction*, turning CEDP from a risk to a positive.
The Boost Difference
Getting paid shouldn't cost you a lot.
We can help optimize your cost of acceptance by qualifying for the lowest published interchange rates available.
Plus, reduce your operational expense with a fully automated, secure payment processing solution.
Qualified vs. Unqualified Transactions
At the heart of Visa’s Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP) is one principle: your data determines your rate. Every commercial card transaction will now be classified as either qualified or unqualified, based on the quality and completeness of the data submitted. These enhanced data requirements replace the old Level 2 and Level 3 structures entirely.
In other words, the more precise and consistent your transaction data, the better your rates. CEDP replaces what used to be a checkbox exercise with an active validation model, where Visa’s systems evaluate every transaction automatically as it happens.
QUALIFIED
Meets all enhanced data requirements
Includes accurate tax, freight, PO and invoice numbers and item-level details
Passes Visa's real-time validation checks
Eligible for preferred CEDP interchange rates
1.30% + $35
UNQUALIFIED
Missing, incomplete or inaccurate data
Omits or misreports key details like tax, invoice number or item breakdown
Fails Visa's real-time validation checks
Defaults to standard commercial interchange rates
2.70% + $0.10
The Boost Difference
Boost automatically validates, enriches and structures enhanced transaction data in real time so your payments qualify under CEDP.
The best part? Boost customers don't have to take any action to meet CEDP qualifications. Data cleansing and validation are automatically included in all transactions proceed by Boost Intercept, our multi-patented straight-through processing (STP) platform.
✅
99.96%
of transactions processed by Boost leading up to CEDP implementation already met the CEDP data requirements
Verified vs. Unverified Merchants/Suppliers
Once transactions are categorized as qualified or unqualified, Visa also verifies the supplier's merchant account based on their ability to consistently submit accurate, compliant enhanced data over time.
Even with all the right data, payments may get charged a higher interchange rate at the time of transaction and receive a credit or adjustment in the future, resulting in costly delays for your business. Under its standard CEDP program, Visa is only offering preferred CEDP rates at the time of transaction to merchant accounts that they have been pre-verified. Verification is continuous which means poor data quality can lead to temporary loss of Verified status.
✅ VERIFIED
These suppliers/merchants have proven that their data is accurate and complete — they automatically receive preferred interchange rates for qualified transactions.
❌ UNVERIFIED
These suppliers/merchants may still submit qualifying data at the time of transaction but it will initially process at the higher standard commercial rate. After Visa’s post-settlement validation confirms that the transaction meets the CEDP data requirements, the system will issue a retroactive reimbursement or adjustment to the preferred qualified rate. This reimbursement typically happens after 20 – 90 days, depending on how quickly the acquirer reconciles data with Visa.
How Verification Works
Under CEDP, verification depends on how accurately enhanced payment data moves through the entire payment chain — from the supplier, through their acquirer, to Visa. Each participant plays a key role in ensuring that transactions are complete, compliant, and eligible for preferred CEDP rates.
MERCHANT/SUPPLIER
Suppliers capture enhanced payment data like tax, freight, and line-item details through their ERP or billing systems. If that data is missing or inconsistent, transactions can be marked unqualified — leading to higher interchange fees and delayed verification.
The Boost Difference
Boost transactions are buyer-initiated and straight-through processed, which means that when a buyer sends a virtual card payment, Boost captures and organizes the data automatically from the payment email, file, or API — no manual entry needed. Additionally, Boost provides pre-funding for customers to ensure that they get the preferred CEDP interchange rate at the time of the transaction, even if they haven't been verified by Visa yet.*
PROCESSOR
Processors and acquirers are responsible for sending enhanced data to Visa in the correct format. If the data is dropped or misformatted, even valid transactions can fail qualification, resulting in delayed verification status for the merchant/supplier.
The Boost Difference
Boost’s patented parsing technology translates hundreds of virtual card formats and remittance files into Visa’s required CEDP format.
VISA
Visa reviews every transaction using machine learning to check data accuracy and completeness. A history of qualified transactions is required for Visa to verify the merchant/supplier, making them eligible for preferred CEDP rates at the time of transaction.
The Boost Difference
Boost pre-validates data before it reaches Visa, maintaining Verified merchant account status and ensuring the supplier's eligibility for preferred CEDP rates instantly.
The Boost Difference
Not Verified yet? Not a Problem.
Unlike other providers who delay rate adjustments until Visa’s verification cycle is complete,
Boost’s pre-funding model ensures that customers benefit from qualified rates immediately*,
protecting cash flow and eliminating costly reimbursement delays of up to 90 days.
Assessing Your Impact
Visa’s CEDP affects every link in the B2B payment chain — from AP and AR optimization companies to acquirers, merchant service providers, and embedded software platforms. The degree of impact depends on how your organization captures, formats, and transmits enhanced transaction data today.
As a merchant, you are likely impacted if your business:
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Accepts or processes Visa commercial card transactions
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Relies on manual processes or multiple data entry points to pass invoice or item-level information.
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Uses an acquirer or processor that hasn’t confirmed CEDP readiness or can’t validate data in Visa’s new schema.
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Uses legacy ERP or gateway systems that don’t automatically format or transmit enhanced data.
Impact across the ecosystem
Visa’s CEDP affects every link in the B2B payment chain — from AP and AR optimization companies to acquirers, merchant service providers, and embedded software platforms. The degree of impact depends on how your organization captures, formats, and transmits enhanced transaction data today.
While the shift introduces new complexity, it also creates an opportunity for better visibility, control, and cost efficiency in B2B payments. Working with a partner equipped to automate data capture, validation, and formatting is now essential to stay compliant and cost-competitive.
Below, we break down the key challenges and implications for each audience — and how Boost helps keep every transaction qualified, compliant, and CEDP-ready from day one
- MERCHANTS / SUPPLIERS
- COMMERCIAL CARD ISSUERS / BUYERS
- ACQUIRERS & MERCHANT SERVICE PROVIDERS
- EMBEDDED SOFTWARE & ERP PLATFORMS
IMPACT TO CARD-ACCEPTING MERCHANTS AND SUPPLIERS
❗
The Risk
Incomplete or inconsistent data leads to unqualified transactions, delayed reimbursements, and unpredictable cash flow.
✅
The Boost Difference
We structure and enrich invoice-level data in real time so every transaction qualifies. And, with our pre-funding model, we ensure you receive the lowest published interchange rates available at the time of the transaction.*
IMPACT TO COMMERCIAL CARD ISSUERS & CORPORATE BUYERS
❗
The Risk
Commercial card payments with unqualified data will experience significantly higher acceptance costs for suppliers, resulting in reduced card acceptance and lost processing volume.
✅
The Boost Difference
We validate and enrich payment data before transmission, ensuring transactions qualify automatically and supplier acceptance stays high.
IMPACT TO ACQUIRERS & MERCHANT SERVICE PROVIDERS
❗
The Risk
Limited ability to validate and transmit compliant data drives merchant attrition and portfolio instability.
✅
The Boost Difference
Our Payments-as-a-Service (PaaS) gateway solution is CEDP-ready. We handle parsing, validation, and submission directly, ensuring every transaction meets Visa’s schema, helping you meet qualification requirements and earn Verified status for your merchants.
IMPACT TO EMBEDDED PAYMENT SOFTWARE & ERP PLATFORMS
❗
The Risk
Outdated integrations without enhanced data fields cause transaction downgrades and rising processing costs.
✅
The Boost Difference
Boost integrates seamlessly with your systems to deliver fully CEDP-ready data without rebuilding existing payment workflows.
The Boost Difference
We can help you get CEDP-compliant quickly and easily, with no major technical investment or development.
While the shift introduces new complexity, it also creates an opportunity for better visibility, control, and cost efficiency in B2B payments. Working with a partner equipped to automate data capture, validation, and formatting is now essential to stay compliant and cost-competitive.
Preparing for what comes next
CEDP is just the beginning of a broader shift toward real-time validation and dynamic pricing across the B2B payments landscape.
Businesses that act early will be better positioned to stay compliant, efficient, and cost-stable as networks continue raising data standards.
Steps to take now:
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Audit your data flows. Identify where enhanced data might be incomplete, inconsistent, or manually entered.
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Engage your acquirer. Confirm they’re ready for CEDP and can transmit enhanced data in the required format.
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Automate your process. Replace manual touchpoints that increase error risk and slow down validation.
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Educate your teams. Finance, IT, and procurement all play a role in maintaining accurate, compliant data.
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Work with a proactive partner. Choose a provider that’s already aligned with Visa’s enhanced data standards and can help you stay ahead as those standards evolve. Contact us today to learn more.
We're here to help
Visa’s CEDP marks a turning point for the entire B2B payments ecosystem — raising expectations for accuracy, validation, and compliance at every step of the transaction. While many organizations are still adjusting to this new reality, Boost has been ready from day one.
Automated Data Enrichment
Every transaction includes all required enhanced data fields, validated in real time
Advanced Payment Parsing
Our technology reformats and validates data to meet Visa's requirements before submission
Real-Time Rate Optimization
Our pre-funding model applies the best available rate at the time of transaction* — no waiting for reimbursements
Integration at Scale
We connect issuers, buyers, suppliers, acquirers and partners across the ecosystem for consistent CEDP compliance
Backed by Experts
Our B2B specialists actively monitor Visa's evolving standard to ensure you are always ready for what's next
End-to-End Automation
Boost Intercept, our multi-patented STP solution, eliminates the cost and risk associated with manually-processed transactions
The Boost Difference
Boost has long been a trusted partner to card networks and financial institutions, helping set the standard for enhanced data integrity and secure B2B transaction processing.
Our proactive approach to CEDP readiness reflects our broader commitment to advancing digital transformation across enterprise payments.
Future-proof your B2B payments with Boost. Contact us today to learn more.
SCHEDULE YOUR FREE B2B HEALTH CHECK
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will provide a customized CEDP cost-saving analysis.
*Boost will default to the lower CEDP interchange rates at the time of the transaction pending a determination as to whether Supplier qualifies for lower CEDP pricing. If it is determined that Supplier does not qualify for CEDP rates, Supplier will owe to Boost, and Boost is authorized to recoup from Supplier, an amount equal to the difference between the uncollected higher standard interchange rates. See full terms and conditions for additional details.