Aggregator
Payment facilitator (PayFac)Networks & roles
A model where one acquirer-licensed entity processes payments for many sub-merchants under a single master MID. Stripe, PayPal and Adyen-for-Platforms are aggregators. Faster onboarding than a dedicated MID, but with lower volume ceilings, stricter content policies, and less negotiation over pricing or reserves.
In practice.
Boarding under an aggregator or PayFac is fast because you ride on the master account of the aggregator rather than getting your own merchant account. The trade-off is control: limits are lower, holds are more common, and the aggregator can off-board you quickly if your risk profile shifts. Growing or regulated merchants usually graduate to a direct MID.
Networks & roles