Report cover image

New Bank Charters Shift the Payment Processing Market

Publisher IDC
Published Mar 09, 2026
Length 5 Pages
SKU # IDC21003539

Description

This IDC Perspective examines the evolving landscape of merchant acquiring in the United States, highlighting a shift from banks’ direct involvement to payment processors seeking specialized bank licenses such as Industrial Loan Companies (ILCs) and Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Banks (MALPBs). This trend enables processors to expand financial service offerings, streamline operations, and access payment networks directly, enhancing value for merchants and ISVs. “As merchant processors pursue bank licenses, the lines between banking and payments are blurring, giving merchants and ISVs options for financial partnerships.” — Aaron Press, research director, Worldwide Payment Strategies, IDC

Table of Contents

5 Pages

Executive Snapshot

Key takeaways

Recommended actions

Situation Overview

The ILC story

The Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Banks

The trend is growing — sort of

It’s not just about payment processing

Becoming a bank changes the business and the technology

Traditional banks are not sitting still

Advice for the Technology Buyer

Learn More

Related research

Synopsis

Search Inside Report

Pricing

Currency Rates
How Do Licenses Work?

How Do Licenses Work?

The primary function of a report license is to define how many people within a company are authorized to use the purchased report. This is separate to how a report might be delivered. Unless specifically identified otherwise, the purchase option is Single User. Below is a helpful description of that license, along with a sampling of others most commonly offered.

  • This license allows only one user to have access to and to use/read the report. It is not one user at a time or one user group; it is an individual who will be reading and utilizing the report.

  • This license allows for the entire purchasing company to read and use the report. This is the license level that would allow for a report to be placed on an internal company shared drive for access by all employees of that direct company. This license does not extend to parent or sister company use.

  • This license is designed to allow an entire department within a company full access to a report. The departmental license is a great option for companies that have more than one location and the department is spread out all over the country/world

  • This license is for companies that have one location where they want the report to be accessible by all employees within that physical location.

  • This is the most flexible of the licensing options. Some publishers will allow you to get a license for a preset number of people (typically 5). These licenses are ideal for small work groups.

License options are at the discretion of each publisher. As such, not all licenses indicated above are available for every product. If you are uncertain of the best license for your needs or would like a license that is not proactively available, please contact us and we will be happy to assist.

Request A Sample
Head shot

Questions or Comments?

Our team has the ability to search within reports to verify it suits your needs. We can also help maximize your budget by finding sections of reports you can purchase.
Chat Now
Contact Us