In April 2025, Visa introduced its new Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP), an initiative designed to improve the quality of data submitted with commercial card transactions.

The CEDP is replacing the existing Small Business and Commercial Level 2 and Level 3 interchange programs. Previously, merchants could receive lower interchange fee rates by providing Level 2 and Level 3 details, which added more data and details about the transaction to enhance transparency and intended to reduce the likelihood of fraud or disputes. The new CEDP provides additional interchange incentives on small business and commercial transactions for delivering accurate enhanced data details that can be validated by Visa Commercial Solutions (VCS). 

What Businesses Need to Know:

  • CEDP participation is currently optional. For merchants participating, a participation fee will be assessed on each participating transaction.
  • Beginning April 12, 2025, existing Corporate and Purchasing Card Level 3 and Commercial Large Ticket (Non-GSA) interchange incentive programs became part of the new CEDP.
  • Small Business and Commercial (Corporate and Purchasing) Level 2 Interchange Programs will be discontinued effective April 2026. 

What Businesses Need to Do:

  • Under the CEDP, eligible transactions can qualify for even lower rates than merchants were receiving with automatic interchange optimization. However, VCS will determine whether the enhanced data that merchants are submitting is accurate.
  • To this end, Visa will begin assigning one of two status codes to merchants who are submitting enhanced card data: Verified Merchants (those submitting enhanced data that meets CEDP standards for qualifying transactions) and Non-Verified Merchants (those that do not submit accurate enhanced data that meets CEDP standards on a consistent basis).
  • Some examples of common data issues that Visa has identified include inaccurate line-item totals; inaccurate taxes, shipping, and discount fields; missing data fields that can’t be validated; and local tax amount that can’t be validated.
  • In order to qualify for the lower rates, non-verified merchants have until October 17, 2025, to correct any errors that would result in submitted data not meeting CEDP accuracy standards.

“Interchange optimization has been a game changer for our B2B clients and is an area that we have been able to help them to see tangible cost savings on their processing. Understanding how it works and ensuring that you are maximizing the steps to create those pricing efficiencies is critical for any B2B business,” said Aragon Gould, PNC Commercial Merchant Services territory manager. “CEDP is going to change how the entire industry works through this process, and there are opportunities to ensure that your payment processor is helping you take full advantage of these new guidelines. Our goal is to help educate merchants on how they can navigate this change, maximize their cost savings potential, and keep on track to achieve their financial goals.”

Let’s build your brilliant

Whatever the size, scope, or needs of your business or organization, PNC Merchant Services is here for you, offering solutions geared for your industry. Learn more here.