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.

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.

1. Merchant/Supplier

Each transaction, whether buyer- or supplier-initiated, must include complete, accurate data to qualify under CEDP. If that data is missing or inconsistent, transactions can be marked unqualified — leading to higher interchange fees and delayed verification for the merchant/supplier.

2. 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 and higher interchange rates for the merchant/supplier.

3. 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.

Straight-Through Processing (STP) is a mechanism that automates the end-to-end processing of transactions. For commercial card payments, STP can enable an Issuer or Buyer to push card payments directly to a Supplier's acquiring bank, eliminating the manual entry of card information traditionally received via email or fax.

BEFORE STP

Manual virtual card payments often require AR teams to retrieve card details from emails, portals, or files, enter them into their system, and reconcile the payment afterward.

This manual process increases the risk of missing or inconsistent enhanced data, making transactions more likely to be unqualified under Visa’s CEDP — leading to higher interchange fees, delayed reimbursements, and compliance risk.

AFTER STP

With the right STP technology, card payments can move seamlessly from the buyer or issuer to the supplier’s acquirer— no manual entry, no data gaps. STP technology can automatically parse, enrich, and validate the enhanced data required for CEDP qualification in real time, ensuring every transaction is accurate, verified, and compliant before submission.

THE CATCH?

Not every provider offers true STP. Many systems still rely on manual file uploads, partial automation, or batch reconciliation — all of which can compromise data accuracy and delay qualification.

That’s why it’s critical to partner with a provider that offers true end-to-end STP technology capable of delivering fully CEDP-ready transactions from the start.

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. This means that Boost customers don't have to take any action to meet CEDP qualifications since data cleansing and validation are automatically included in all transactions proceed by Boost Intercept, our multi-patented straight-through processing platform. Boost completely automates the complex process of parsing, enriching, and validating enhanced transaction data, ensuring every payment is compliant and CEDP-ready without requiring system overhauls or operational disruption.

HOW IT WORKS

Step 1: The supplier issues an invoice to the buyer
Step 2: Buyer approves the invoice and triggers virtual card payment instructions to the Boost Intercept platform
Step 3: Boost Intercept processes the payment while parsing, standardizing, and enriching transaction data in real time. Every required field for CEDP qualification is validated and complete, ensuring the transaction qualifies for optimized interchange rates
Step 4: Boost delivers enhanced remittance data directly to the supplier’s ERP or accounting system in their preferred format, simplifying reconciliation and maintaining full CEDP compliance
Step 5: The supplier receives payment as funds are deposited directly into their DDA

Boost is committed to providing qualifying data so all our customers will default to the lowest published rates available at the time of transaction*.

And, 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.

ADVANCED PAYMENT PARSING

Our technology reformats and validates data to meet Visa's requirements before submission

AUTOMATED DATA ENRICHMENT

Every transaction includes all required enhanced data fields, validated in real time

END-TO-END AUTOMATION

Boost Intercept , our straight-through processing solution, removes the cost and risk associated with manually-processed transactions

BACK BY EXPERTS

Our B2B specialists actively monitor Visa's evolving standard to ensure you are always ready for what's next

*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.

“CEDP is not just another compliance requirement; it is a glimpse into the future of commercial payments, one where data integrity, intelligence, and partnership define the winners.”

There’s been no shortage of buzz around Visa’s new Commercial Enhanced Data Program, or CEDP. It is reshaping how commercial card transactions are submitted, verified, and priced, and more importantly, it is forcing the entire ecosystem to evolve.

At Boost, we have been preparing for this change well in advance. Our systems have been designed to capture, enrich, and submit authentic invoice data for years. We have already implemented the necessary adjustments across our infrastructure to ensure every transaction we process includes genuine line-item data mapped directly to the invoice. This readiness gives our clients peace of mind knowing they will continue to qualify for the most favorable interchange possible under the new rules.

But readiness isn’t universal. Many players in the ecosystem are still scrambling to adapt, which means their suppliers may experience higher costs, delays in rebates, or reconciliation challenges as Visa classifies which merchants meet the new data standards. That is where things can get complicated. Even if a supplier’s transactions ultimately qualify, Visa’s process involves issuing rebates weeks after the fact, once they’ve confirmed the transaction’s qualified status. For suppliers managing cash flow or working capital, that lag can last up to 90 days and introduces friction that did not exist before.

To simplify this, Boost is proactively funding our suppliers as if all of their transactions have already been qualified by Visa. In other words, we are providing the benefit upfront rather than making them wait for a rebate weeks down the road. It is a cleaner, more predictable experience for suppliers, and it aligns with our philosophy that modernization in B2B payments should simplify, not complicate, financial operations.

There is also a broader point here that’s worth paying attention to. CEDP is more than a rule change; it is a signal. It represents a growing recognition from the networks that commercial payments are not a side business. They are a massive, foundational component of the global economy. The numbers tell the story: B2B payments total more than $120 trillion worldwide, far surpassing consumer payments. That is not just an opportunity; it is a responsibility for the industry to ensure that the infrastructure supporting those transactions is efficient, secure, and transparent.

Change often comes with friction, but it also comes with opportunity. The companies that adapt quickly, those who invest in automation, accuracy, and trusted partners, will not only weather the shift but thrive in it. CEDP is not just another compliance requirement; it is a glimpse into the future of commercial payments, one where data integrity, intelligence, and partnership define the winners.

Sincerely,