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Chargeback ratio thresholds that trigger reviews
Updated October 2026
Your processor watches your dispute rate long before the card networks do. Here are the network thresholds as of 2026 and the lower levels where processor reviews tend to start.
Card network programs (2026)
Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP): counts fraud reports plus disputes, divided by settled card-not-present transactions. Since 1 April 2026 the merchant "Excessive" threshold is a 1.5% VAMP ratio with at least 1,500 fraud reports and disputes a month in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America (2.2% in CEMEA, with 150 events and US$75,000). Source: Visa VAMP fact sheet.
Mastercard Excessive Chargeback Program: Excessive Chargeback Merchant (ECM) at 100-299 chargebacks and a 1.5%-2.99% ratio; High Excessive (HECM) at 300+ and 3%+. Both the count and the ratio must be met. Mastercard divides this month's chargebacks by last month's transactions. Summary: Shopify's monitoring programs page.
Processors act much earlier
Most small merchants never hit 1,500 disputes, but processors also face portfolio-level limits (Visa flags acquirers from a 0.5% ratio), so they review individual merchants well below the network levels. Stripe's documentation describes dispute rates around 0.75% as high, and Visa's merchant "non-compliant" level starts at 0.5%.
Calculate yours
Disputes this month ÷ transactions (Visa uses the same month; Mastercard uses the previous month). Check it weekly if you're growing fast.
How to bring it down
- Use a clear card statement descriptor and send receipts
- Refund quickly when customers complain
- Use chargeback alerts (Verifi RDR, Ethoca) to refund before a dispute is filed
- Use 3D Secure on risky orders
- Make cancellation easy for subscriptions
- Respond to every dispute with evidence
Real cases from the tracker
The latest recent freezes merchants have reported. Search all cases.
Where to go next
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FAQ
What chargeback ratio is too high?
Card networks act at 1.5% (Visa VAMP excessive since April 2026, Mastercard ECM with 100+ chargebacks). Processors like Stripe often consider rates around 0.75% high, and Visa's non-compliant level starts at 0.5%.
Do refunds count toward my chargeback ratio?
No. Refunds you issue are not disputes. Refunding before a customer disputes is one of the best ways to keep your ratio down.
How long do I stay in a chargeback monitoring program?
For Mastercard's program you generally need three consecutive months below the thresholds to exit.
Related guides
- Rolling reserves explained
- Stripe account frozen: what to do first
- High-risk merchant account options
- Shopify Payments disabled or payouts on hold