# Payment Acceptance
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

Traditionally, the commercial payments industry has seen low acceptance of business‑to‑business (B2B) card payments on both the acquirer and supplier sides. Accepting card‑based payments across regions and channels often requires separate integrations with multiple acquiring and gateway systems. This increases complexity and makes settlement and reconciliation more difficult.

The issuers and acquirers also find it challenging to build connections to support B2B card payments for thousands of commercial buyers and suppliers.

The Payment Acceptance API addresses these challenges by offering a single, unified approach to card acceptance across multiple regions, acquiring partners, and gateway channels. It enables organizations to deliver a consistent payment experience while maintaining high levels of security, reliability, and operational efficiency.

The API supports the full lifecycle of card-based payments, including:

* Capturing card data
* Transaction authorization
* Delivery of enriched remittance data   

The Payment Acceptance API is **card-agnostic** and **brand-neutral** , allowing organizations to accept a wide range of **physical and virtual cards** without adapting their integration for each brand or network.
Note: The Payment Acceptance product page can be found [here](https://developer.mastercard.com/product/commercial-direct-payments/).

## How it Works {#how-it-works}

![Diagram showing how the Debtor Agent submits a payment instruction on behalf of the Debtor to CDP through the Payment Initiation API. CDP routes the instruction through Mastercard Gateway or an Acquiring Partner Gateway, the Creditor receives the payment instruction, and CDP sends status updates back to the Debtor.](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/payment-acceptance-api/uploads/how-it-works.png)

1. The Payment Acceptance API receives the payment instruction routed by Commercial Direct Payments (CDP) based on the Creditor's preferences.
2. The Creditor Agent receives the payment instruction and processes it on behalf of the Creditor, including authorization, acceptance, or rejection as required.
3. CDP sends payment status updates to both Debtors and Creditors.
4. Remittance advice is delivered to the Creditor using the preferred delivery method, supporting accurate and efficient reconciliation.

Tip: Refer to the [Payment Initiation API](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation) to learn how to initiate a payment.

### Parties involved {#parties-involved}

* **Debtor** (ISO term for Buyer): The entity making payments to a Creditor to procure goods or services.
* **Creditor** (ISO term for Supplier): The entity receiving payments from a Debtor for selling goods or services.
* **Debtor Agent** (ISO term for Issuer or Accounts Payable platform): The entity acting on behalf of a Debtor to submit payment instructions. Debtor Agents include procure-to-pay networks, banks, and other specialty players, such as accounts payable automation companies.
* **Creditor Agent** (ISO term for Acquirer or Accounts Receivable platform): The entity acting on behalf of a Creditor to retrieve and process payment instructions. Creditor Agents include procure-to-pay networks, banks, and other specialty players like accounts receivable automation companies.
* **Commercial Direct Payments**: CDP is a Mastercard service that automates, streamlines, and secures B2B card payments by enabling fast, transparent, and data‑rich payment exchanges between Debtors and Creditors.
* **Customer Service Provider**: An entity that performs program service that is an agent of the customer, receives or otherwise benefits from program service, whether directly or indirectly, performed by such service provider.

### Outcome of use {#outcome-of-use}

* CDP's Payment Acceptance API helps Creditors and Creditor Agents with real-time B2B card payment acceptance requests without having to worry about how Debtor Agents might need to connect with them for sending the card payment requests.
* The API supports authorization of the B2B card payment transactions in a straight through processed manner basis how Creditor is set up in the Supplier Directory of CDP for accepting STP payments.
* CDP also helps Creditors and Creditor Agents by offering them choices for accepting the B2B card payments. Creditors can accept B2B card payments through Mastercard Payment Gateway or the Creditor Agents integrating with Payment Acceptance APIs.
* Rich remittance data formats supported in CDP's Payment Acceptance API, helps the Creditor receive the high-quality remittance data for reconciliation.   

For a detailed view of supported workflows, refer to the [Use Cases](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/use-cases/index.md) section.

## Good to Know {#good-to-know}

* **Onboarding information:** Onboarding is done through creating an account on [Mastercard Developers](https://developer.mastercard.com/) activating Sandbox or Production project credentials.
* **Testing information:** The assigned delivery and integration manager will assist in mapping the customer IDs (keys).
* **Backwards-compatibility:** This API service is backwards-compatible.
* **User responsibilities:** Prospective users must complete an API evaluation or commercial agreement before they are able to integrate with the Payment Acceptance service. Once the agreement is signed, a delivery and implementation manager will be assigned to assist with onboarding. The user must set up a unique [event notification URL](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/use-cases/event-notifications/index.md) to receive notifications from this API service.
* **Region availability:** This API service is available globally, however, certain [Use Cases](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/use-cases/index.md) are restricted to specific regions and will continue to expand globally.

## Next Steps {#next-steps}

Now that you have an understanding of what the service does, you can proceed to the [Quick Start Guide](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/quick-start-guide/index.md) to quickly get started, or to the [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-acceptance-api/documentation/api-basics/index.md) section for details on authentication and encryption.