Which Payment Cards Market Payment Accepts and How They Work
Market Payment accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover
Market Payment processes credit and debit cards from the four major card networks: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. This means if a customer's card carries one of these logos, Market Payment can process it. The merchant (you) doesn't need separate agreements with each network — Market Payment handles the routing and settlement on your behalf.
The card networks themselves don't issue cards; they set the rules and operate the infrastructure. Banks and credit unions issue the actual cards to consumers. So a Visa card might come from Chase, Bank of America, a local credit union, or dozens of other issuers. Market Payment accepts them all as long as they're Visa-branded.
Debit cards work the same way. A customer's debit card from their bank carries a Visa or Mastercard logo and processes through Market Payment just like a credit card does. The difference is where the money comes from — a debit card pulls directly from the customer's bank account, while a credit card creates a bill the customer pays later.
Key Takeaways
- Market Payment accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit and debit cards from any bank or issuer that carries those logos.
- Prepaid cards and gift cards work if they're branded with one of the four major networks, though some prepaid cards have transaction limits set by the issuer.
- International cards process through Market Payment as long as they carry a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo, though currency conversion and international fees may apply.
- Market Payment does not process cards from smaller networks like Diners Club, JCB, or UnionPay, so customers with only those cards cannot pay you through this processor.
- The card network, the customer's bank, and Market Payment all play a role in whether a transaction goes through — a card can be valid but still decline if the bank denies it.
Prepaid and gift cards that work with Market Payment
Prepaid cards and gift cards process through Market Payment if they're issued under a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo. A Visa gift card from a grocery store, a prepaid card from a bank, or a reloadable card from a fintech company all work the same way at checkout — they carry a card number and expiration date, just like a credit card.
The main difference is that prepaid and gift cards have a fixed balance loaded onto them. Once that balance is spent, the card declines unless it's reloaded. Some prepaid cards also have daily or monthly transaction limits set by the issuer, which can cause a transaction to decline even if the balance is high enough. Market Payment processes the transaction, but the card issuer decides whether to approve it based on those limits.
Customers sometimes don't realize their prepaid card has hit a limit and assume the payment didn't go through. If a customer's prepaid card declines, they'll need to check their balance and any transaction limits with their card issuer, not with Market Payment.
International cards and currency handling
Market Payment accepts credit and debit cards issued outside the United States as long as they carry a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo. A customer with a card from a Canadian bank, a European bank, or most other countries can pay you through Market Payment.
If the customer's card is in a foreign currency and your business charges in U.S. dollars, the customer's bank handles the currency conversion. The exchange rate and any conversion fees come from the customer's bank, not from Market Payment. The customer will see the U.S. dollar amount on their statement, and their bank will show the conversion separately.
Some international cards have fraud protections that flag U.S. transactions as unusual, which can cause a decline even if the card is valid and has available balance. If an international customer's card declines, they may need to contact their bank to authorize the transaction before trying again.
Cards that Market Payment does not accept
Market Payment does not process cards from smaller card networks like Diners Club, JCB (Japan Credit Bureau), or UnionPay (used primarily in China). If a customer has only a card from one of these networks, they cannot pay you through Market Payment. They would need to use a different payment method — another card, a bank transfer, or a digital wallet if you offer it.
Some businesses also accept cards through digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. These wallets store card information and can process Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. If Market Payment supports digital wallet payments, a customer can use a wallet even if their card network is one of the four major ones.
Customers sometimes confuse "my card won't work" with "this processor doesn't accept my card." A card might decline for other reasons — insufficient funds, fraud blocks, expired card, or the customer's bank denying the transaction. Market Payment's acceptance of the four major networks is separate from whether an individual transaction goes through.
How card acceptance affects your business setup
Because Market Payment accepts the four major networks, you don't need to negotiate separate agreements with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Market Payment handles those relationships. You set up one merchant account with Market Payment, and customers can pay with any of the four networks.
The trade-off is that each network charges different interchange fees — the per-transaction cost that comes out of your payment. Visa and Mastercard typically charge similar rates, American Express usually charges more, and Discover varies. Market Payment passes these fees through to you, so your cost per transaction depends on which card the customer uses.
If you want to see which cards your customers actually use, most payment processors show you a breakdown by card type in your transaction history or reporting dashboard. This data can help you understand your customer base and whether certain card types are more common in your business.
What happens when a card declines
When a customer swipes, inserts, or enters a card number, Market Payment sends the transaction to the card network, which routes it to the customer's bank. The bank decides whether to approve or decline based on available funds, fraud checks, card status, and other factors. Market Payment doesn't make the approval decision — it passes the request along and reports the result.
A card can decline for many reasons: the customer has insufficient funds, the card is expired, the bank flagged the transaction as suspicious, the card was reported lost or stolen, or the customer's account is frozen. When a decline happens, Market Payment typically shows you a decline code that indicates the reason. Common codes include "insufficient funds," "expired card," "lost or stolen card," and "issuer declined."
If a customer's card declines, they need to contact their bank to find out why, not Market Payment. Market Payment can tell you the decline code, but the bank controls whether the transaction is approved. The customer might need to use a different card, call their bank to authorize the transaction, or resolve a fraud alert before trying again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I accept a card that doesn't have a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo?
No, Market Payment only processes those four card networks. If a customer has a card from a smaller network like Diners Club or JCB, it won't work through Market Payment. They would need to pay with a different card, a bank transfer, or another payment method you offer.
Do I need to do anything special to accept American Express cards?
No. American Express cards process through Market Payment the same way Visa and Mastercard do. You don't need a separate agreement or setup. The only difference is that American Express typically charges higher interchange fees per transaction, which Market Payment will pass through to you.
What if a customer's card is from another country?
Market Payment accepts international cards as long as they carry a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo. Currency conversion happens through the customer's bank, not Market Payment. If the card declines, the customer's bank may have flagged it as unusual activity, and they'll need to contact their bank to authorize it.
Can I see which card types my customers are using?
Yes. Most payment processors, including Market Payment, show you transaction details that include the card type (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and sometimes the last four digits of the card. Check your reporting dashboard or transaction history to see this breakdown.
Why did a customer's card decline if they said they had money in their account?
The customer's bank makes the approval decision, not Market Payment. The card might have declined due to fraud protection, a daily transaction limit, a temporary account freeze, or a bank error. The customer needs to contact their bank to find out the specific reason and resolve it before trying again.