Marqeta

Marqeta is a modern card issuing platform that enables tour operators and travel businesses to create custom payment card programs through open APIs and flexible infrastructure. Unlike traditional payment processors that only accept payments, Marqeta specializes in issuing virtual and physical payment cards that businesses can distribute to employees, partners, or customers for controlled spending. Tour operators use Marqeta to issue corporate cards for staff travel expenses, create virtual cards for supplier payments, or develop innovative payment products for customers. The platform provides just-in-time funding capabilities, allowing businesses to approve or deny each transaction in real-time based on custom business rules, spending limits, and merchant category restrictions. Marqeta serves companies ranging from fast-growing startups to global enterprises across industries including on-demand delivery, expense management, digital banking, and travel technology. The platform's API-first architecture gives developers complete control over card program design, enabling custom cardholder experiences, dynamic spending controls, and sophisticated payment workflows. Marqeta handles the complex relationships with issuing banks, card networks like Visa and Mastercard, and card fulfillment providers, allowing tour operators to launch card programs in weeks rather than the months or years traditional card issuing requires.

Marqeta uses custom pricing models based on transaction volume, card issuance needs, and specific program requirements rather than publishing standard rate cards. The platform typically charges a commission rate ranging from 0.5% to 2% per transaction, with 1% representing the average across most implementations. In addition to transaction-based fees, Marqeta charges for card issuance, with separate costs for physical cards and virtual cards that vary by volume and card design complexity. Tour operators should budget for ongoing costs including monthly platform fees, card network compliance fees, tokenization fees for adding cards to digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and processor fees for transaction handling. The pricing structure favors businesses with higher transaction volumes, as per-transaction costs decrease with scale while fixed monthly platform fees become proportionally smaller. Marqeta's custom pricing approach means that two tour operators with different use cases might receive very different quotes based on expected card issuance volumes, average transaction sizes, and required features like real-time authorization controls or advanced fraud monitoring. Businesses interested in Marqeta should prepare detailed projections including monthly card issuance numbers, expected transaction volumes, average transaction amounts, and required integration complexity to receive accurate pricing proposals during the sales process.

Marqeta serves businesses across a wide size spectrum but provides greatest value for established tour operators with specific card issuing needs or innovative payment product ideas. Small tour operators without complex payment card requirements or significant corporate spending typically find traditional corporate credit cards more cost-effective than building custom card programs through Marqeta. Medium-sized tour operators with growing teams, multiple locations, or significant supplier payment volumes can justify Marqeta's costs through improved spending controls, automated expense management, and reduced payment processing complexity. Large tour operators and travel management companies with sophisticated needs like virtual cards for supplier payments, employee expense cards with dynamic controls, or customer payment products benefit significantly from Marqeta's flexibility and customization capabilities. The platform works exceptionally well for travel technology companies building payment features into booking platforms, expense management systems, or travel marketplaces where card issuing becomes a competitive differentiator. Tour operators processing millions of dollars annually in card transactions or issuing hundreds of cards to employees and partners typically find Marqeta's value proposition compelling enough to justify implementation costs and ongoing platform fees. Startups and smaller operators should carefully evaluate whether their use case truly requires custom card issuing or whether traditional payment processing and corporate card solutions meet their needs more economically.

Marqeta provides comprehensive API integration capabilities designed to connect card issuing functionality with tour operator technology stacks seamlessly. The platform offers RESTful APIs covering all aspects of card program management including creating cards, managing cardholders, setting spending controls, processing transactions, and accessing detailed transaction data for reconciliation. Software development kits are available to simplify integration work, reducing development time and providing pre-built functions for common card program operations. Tour operators can integrate Marqeta with expense management systems, accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero, booking management platforms, and custom business applications through flexible API connections. The platform's webhook system delivers real-time notifications about card events, transaction authorizations, and program activities, enabling automated workflows and instant responses to spending events. Marqeta's developer portal provides sandbox environments where technical teams can test integrations, simulate transactions, and validate program logic before launching production card programs. The platform supports various integration patterns from simple card issuance to sophisticated real-time authorization controls that evaluate each transaction against custom business rules before approval. Pre-built integrations may be available through technology partners for common travel industry software platforms, though most implementations involve custom API integration work. The Data Insights, Visualization, and Analytics API provides deep insights into program performance, spending patterns, and card usage that can inform business decisions and feed into business intelligence systems.

Marqeta provides dedicated support teams spanning compliance, solutions engineering, product expertise, and customer success to assist tour operators from initial setup through long-term program growth. The platform assigns account teams to clients, providing consistent points of contact who understand the specific card program, business model, and operational requirements of each tour operator. Technical support covers API integration assistance, troubleshooting transaction issues, card fulfillment questions, and platform configuration through multiple channels including email, phone, and developer documentation. Marqeta's compliance team helps navigate the complex regulatory requirements of card issuing, including anti-money laundering obligations, know-your-customer verification, and card network rules that govern program operations. Solutions engineering resources assist with integration planning, architecture design, and implementation guidance to ensure card programs launch successfully and operate reliably. The platform provides comprehensive developer documentation, API reference guides, integration tutorials, and code samples that enable technical teams to build and maintain integrations independently. Support responsiveness varies by account tier and issue severity, with critical production issues affecting transaction processing receiving prioritized attention to minimize business disruption. Marqeta's support model emphasizes proactive guidance throughout the card program lifecycle, helping tour operators optimize spending controls, improve authorization rates, and scale programs as business grows rather than simply responding to support tickets reactively.

Marqeta establishes formal service agreements with clients that outline pricing structures, service levels, card program parameters, and the responsibilities of both parties throughout the relationship. Contract terms vary significantly based on business size, projected card issuance volumes, transaction expectations, and required features, with enterprise clients often negotiating multi-year agreements that include volume discounts and dedicated support resources. The service agreement covers critical details including transaction fees, card issuance costs, monthly platform fees, liability provisions for fraud and disputes, and compliance responsibilities between Marqeta, the issuing bank partner, and the tour operator. Minimum term commitments typically apply, particularly for businesses requiring custom integration support, dedicated account teams, or specialized card program features that involve significant Marqeta investment. Contract provisions address important operational details like service level agreements for transaction authorization response times, card production and delivery timelines, and support responsiveness expectations that govern day-to-day program operations. Tour operators should carefully review contract terms related to early termination fees, notice periods for ending agreements, and volume commitments that might trigger penalties if actual usage falls below projected levels. The formal agreement also establishes roles and responsibilities for compliance obligations, fraud monitoring, cardholder disputes, and regulatory reporting that are essential in the regulated card issuing environment. Businesses should negotiate contract terms that align with realistic growth projections and operational requirements, avoiding overly ambitious volume commitments that might prove difficult to achieve.

Marqeta's transaction fees include multiple components reflecting the complex economics of card issuing, including platform fees, card network scheme fees, and interchange economics. The platform typically charges a processing fee ranging from 0.5% to 2% per transaction, with the exact rate depending on transaction volume, card program type, and negotiated pricing terms. Transaction fees vary between consumer card programs and business card programs, with business transactions sometimes carrying higher interchange rates that can benefit the card issuer. Tour operators issuing cards for employee expenses or supplier payments should understand that interchange fees flow from merchants accepting the cards to the card issuer, potentially creating revenue that offsets some program costs. Card network fees including Visa or Mastercard assessments are passed through to clients, with rates varying by transaction type, card-present versus card-not-present usage, and domestic versus international transactions. Authorization fees may apply for each transaction approval request, even for declined transactions, creating small costs that accumulate across high-volume card programs. Currency conversion fees apply when cards are used in currencies different from the card's funding currency, with rates varying based on Marqeta's foreign exchange arrangements and markup policies. The total effective cost per transaction depends on the complete fee stack including platform fees, network fees, interchange economics, and any premium features like enhanced fraud monitoring or real-time spending analytics that might carry additional charges. Tour operators should request comprehensive fee breakdowns during pricing discussions to understand total program costs across realistic transaction scenarios.

Marqeta's funding model differs from traditional payment processing because it involves card issuing rather than merchant acquiring, requiring tour operators to pre-fund card programs or establish credit facilities. Just-in-time funding allows businesses to fund individual transactions in real-time as authorization requests arrive, providing maximum capital efficiency by only committing funds when cards are actually used. Tour operators can maintain funding accounts that Marqeta draws from to cover card transactions, with settlement occurring almost immediately as cards are used rather than waiting for batch settlement cycles. The platform provides real-time transaction reporting and funding notifications, allowing finance teams to monitor program funding levels and add funds as needed to maintain sufficient balances. For supplier payment use cases, tour operators load funds onto virtual cards designated for specific vendors, with those funds immediately available for the supplier to charge when services are delivered. Settlement timing for clearing funds between Marqeta, card networks, and accepting merchants follows standard card network schedules, though this complexity is abstracted from tour operators who primarily need to ensure adequate funding for their card programs. The platform's API enables automated funding based on transaction patterns, allowing businesses to optimize working capital by funding cards precisely when needed rather than maintaining large balances indefinitely. Cash flow management for card programs requires different thinking than traditional payment processing, as businesses effectively advance funds to cardholders rather than collecting funds from customers, making funding strategy an important operational consideration.

Marqeta supports card issuance in major currencies and enables cross-border transactions through card network infrastructure, though specific currency capabilities depend on issuing bank partnerships and card network agreements. Cards issued through Marqeta can be used for transactions globally wherever Visa or Mastercard are accepted, with automatic currency conversion handling transactions in currencies different from the card's base currency. Tour operators issuing cards to employees or partners benefit from Marqeta's ability to process transactions in virtually any currency, with foreign exchange conversion applied according to card network rates plus any applicable markup fees. The platform's multi-currency capabilities enable travel businesses to issue cards that work seamlessly for international transactions, essential for tour operators whose staff frequently travel or purchase services from international suppliers. Currency conversion fees apply when cards are used in non-native currencies, with rates varying by card program configuration, transaction type, and negotiated terms with Marqeta and the issuing bank partner. Settlement between Marqeta and tour operators typically occurs in a single base currency per program, with all transaction accounting and reconciliation reflecting conversions back to that settlement currency. The platform provides detailed transaction data including original transaction currency, conversion rates applied, and fees charged, enabling accurate accounting and expense tracking across multiple currencies. Tour operators with significant international card usage should discuss currency conversion terms during contract negotiations to understand total costs and optimize pricing for their specific geographic transaction patterns. The global acceptance of Visa and Mastercard networks ensures Marqeta-issued cards function reliably worldwide, with authorization and settlement infrastructure handling currency complexity behind the scenes.

Marqeta provides tools and processes for managing refunds and chargebacks on issued cards, though responsibilities differ from traditional merchant processing since tour operators are the card issuers rather than merchants. When cardholders request refunds for transactions made with Marqeta-issued cards, those disputes are directed to the merchants who accepted the cards, following standard card network chargeback procedures where cardholders are typically protected. Tour operators issuing cards to employees or partners for business expenses benefit from cardholder protection rules that help recover funds from merchants who fail to deliver promised services or engage in fraudulent practices. The chargeback process follows card network rules including Visa and Mastercard dispute procedures, with Marqeta facilitating communication between cardholders, merchants, and card networks to resolve disputed transactions. Marqeta's platform provides dispute management tools allowing tour operators to track chargeback cases, submit evidence when defending against invalid disputes, and monitor resolution timelines throughout the process. For tour operators using virtual cards to pay suppliers, chargeback protection provides valuable recourse if vendors fail to deliver services or if charges are fraudulent, creating an advantage over traditional wire transfers or checks that lack chargeback rights. The platform's fraud monitoring and transaction controls help prevent disputes by identifying suspicious transactions before they settle, allowing businesses to block problematic charges proactively. Tour operators retain responsibility for funding chargebacks initially, with recovery from merchants following standard card network timelines if disputes are resolved in the cardholder's favor. Understanding that Marqeta cards provide cardholder protection rather than merchant protection is essential, as tour operators benefit from dispute rights when their cards are used but don't face chargeback liability like merchants accepting payments do.

Marqeta maintains PCI DSS compliance as a Level 1 Service Provider, the highest security certification in the payment industry, ensuring secure handling of sensitive cardholder data across all platform operations. The platform's compliance covers card issuance, transaction processing, data storage, and API communications, protecting tour operators and cardholders from data breaches and security compromises. Tour operators using Marqeta benefit from reduced compliance burden because sensitive card data is generated, stored, and managed entirely within Marqeta's secure infrastructure rather than touching the client's systems in most integration configurations. The platform's APIs are designed to minimize PCI scope for tour operators, providing tokenized card references rather than actual card numbers for most operations, with sensitive data only exposed when absolutely necessary for card fulfillment or cardholder display. Marqeta's security infrastructure includes encryption of card data at rest and in transit, secure authentication protocols, fraud monitoring systems, and regular security audits that verify ongoing compliance with industry standards. The platform helps tour operators manage compliance obligations related to cardholder data, including secure transmission requirements, access controls, and logging requirements that are complex to implement independently. Tour operators still maintain some security responsibilities depending on integration methods, particularly regarding how cardholder information is displayed in user interfaces, stored in databases, or transmitted through applications. Marqeta undergoes annual PCI DSS assessments by qualified security assessors, maintains detailed security documentation, and provides compliance guidance to help clients understand their responsibilities within the shared security model for card programs.

Marqeta's card issuing platform supports recurring transaction patterns essential for tour operators managing subscription services, recurring vendor payments, or automated billing arrangements with suppliers. Cards issued through Marqeta can be used for recurring charges just like traditional credit or debit cards, with merchants storing card credentials for automated billing according to their recurring payment schedules. Tour operators can configure transaction controls that accommodate recurring charges from approved vendors while blocking unexpected recurring transactions from unauthorized merchants, providing security without disrupting legitimate recurring payments. The platform's real-time authorization system evaluates each recurring transaction against current spending rules, allowing businesses to adjust limits, update merchant restrictions, or revoke recurring authorization permissions instantly through API calls. Virtual cards issued for recurring supplier payments provide advantages including unique card numbers per vendor, specific spending limits, and automatic expiration dates that reduce risk compared to sharing single corporate cards across multiple recurring arrangements. Marqeta's transaction data provides visibility into all recurring charges, enabling finance teams to monitor subscription costs, identify unexpected charges, and reconcile recurring vendor payments efficiently. The platform's just-in-time funding capabilities work well with recurring payments, allowing tour operators to fund cards automatically when recurring charges are expected rather than maintaining constant balances for occasional recurring transactions. Token management features enable updating card credentials for recurring charges without requiring merchants to collect new card information, maintaining continuity when cards expire or need replacement. Tour operators can create sophisticated recurring payment workflows combining Marqeta's APIs with business logic that adjusts spending controls seasonally, implements approval requirements for high-value recurring charges, or automatically flags unusual recurring transaction patterns for review.