An MCC (Merchant Category Code) is a four-digit code that payment schemes use to mark a merchant's line of business. It is assigned at onboarding and visible to buyers' banks: it drives cashback and rewards, card restrictions, and how anti-fraud assesses the transaction.
What it affects
- Buyer cashback and rewards. Banks pay a higher rate on certain categories, and buyers notice.
- Card restrictions. Some corporate and social cards only work with particular categories.
- Risk assessment. Anti-fraud weighs how typical a transaction is for that category.
- Service terms. Scheme rules are stricter for some industries.
How it is assigned
The code follows the merchant's actual activity at onboarding, not the company name. That is exactly why the review looks at your site: what you really sell, rather than what the registration says.
What a merchant should do
- Describe your activity honestly at onboarding: a mismatch between the code and the real catalogue draws questions from the schemes.
- If the catalogue changes substantially, say so — the code may need updating.
- Do not build sales arguments on buyer cashback: the buyer's bank sets those rules, not you.
For what else is checked at onboarding, see what documents are needed.
