BAMS Merchant Services Knowledge Center

BAMS helps merchants understand their PCI responsibilities and choose payment tools that support safer handling of cardholder data. Learn more about PCI compliance and the steps involved.

PCI compliance means following the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, commonly called PCI DSS. It is a set of requirements for protecting cardholder data wherever a business accepts, processes, stores, or transmits it. BAMS outlines the practical role of PCI compliance in a payment setup.

Yes. eCommerce merchants still handle payment data and need controls that protect the checkout, connected systems and the way payment information is handled. The exact validation steps depend on the payment environment. BAMS eCommerce merchant services provide context for the connected systems involved.

PCI controls are designed to protect cardholder data, including payment account information handled during a transaction. Limiting access and reducing the amount of sensitive data your business touches can reduce exposure. BAMS explains the potential impact in its PCI breach cost guide.

EMV is the chip card standard used by many payment cards and terminals. Chip transactions create a more secure exchange than relying only on the magnetic stripe, when the card and terminal support the standard. See BAMS payment solutions alongside the controls for your payment environment.

Use supported terminals and software, limit access to payment information, keep systems current, train staff and follow the controls that apply to your environment. A payment review can help reveal where card data enters and leaves the business. Strong controls also reduce the security exposure and additional assessment costs that can follow a breach. Read BAMS’s payment gateway security guidance for additional context.