Who are merchants required to report their compliance to?

Merchants are required to report their compliance primarily to acquirers. Acquirers are financial institutions or entities that process credit and debit card transactions on behalf of merchants. They have a vested interest in ensuring that merchants adhere to payment security standards, such as those outlined in the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This compliance reporting is essential for maintaining the integrity of the payment ecosystem and protecting cardholder data.

Acquirers play a critical role in monitoring compliance and may also facilitate guidance and support in achieving these standards. They are responsible for onboarding merchants, and part of this process involves confirming that the merchants effectively comply with the necessary security requirements to minimize risks related to data breaches and fraud.

The other mentioned groups, while they may have roles in the broader payment ecosystem, do not directly mandate compliance reporting from merchants. Payment brands may set standards but primarily interact through the acquirers. Account holders are the consumers using their cards and do not have a formal role in compliance reporting. Service providers usually assist in implementing security standards but are not the entities to whom merchants report their compliance status.