PCI DSS Merchant Levels
SearchSecurity, March 30th, 2023
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) merchant levels rank merchants based on their number of transactions per year to outline compliance verification requirements. Merchants are broken down into four levels: 1, 2, 3 and 4.
PCI uses merchant levels to determine risk and the appropriate level of security for merchant businesses. Merchant levels include assessment and security validation required for merchants to pass PCI DSS compliance.
PCI DSS was created by credit card companies Visa, Mastercard, Discover, JCB and American Express in 2004 to decrease the risk of debit and credit card fraud and data loss. In 2006, the PCI Security Standard Council (PCI SSC) was established to carry out their mission.
PCI DSS details how online fraud and data loss can be prevented and detected and how companies should react in the event of a data breach. It offers protection for cardholders and merchants.