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Free Tool · Updated June 2026
VAMP Calculator: Visa & Mastercard ECM Risk
Check your current Visa VAMP ratio and Mastercard ECM/HECM position in under a minute. All calculations run locally in your browser — no data leaves this page.
Visa VAMP Combined Ratio
VAMP counts TC40 fraud reports + TC15 disputes against settled card-not-present transactions as a single combined ratio (count-based, measured monthly). Enforced since October 1, 2025; the merchant threshold dropped to 1.5% on April 1, 2026.
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Enter values to see tier
VAMP combined ratio = (fraud + chargebacks) ÷ settled transactions.
| Status | Ratio | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | < 1.0% | Comfortable headroom below the program line |
| Warning margin | 1.0% – 1.49% | Inside the margin below Excessive — the window to fix root causes |
| Excessive (only merchant tier) | ≥ 1.5% | Visa's single VAMP merchant tier — remediation, assessments, offboarding risk |
VAMP has one merchant tier: Excessive at ≥1.5% (since April 1, 2026; CEMEA remains 2.2%). "Above Standard" exists only at the acquirer level (≥0.5%). The merchant ratio only applies with ≥1,500 fraud+dispute transactions in the month, and excludes RDR/CDRN-resolved disputes and CE3.0-qualified TC40s. Sources: Visa VAMP fact sheet (PDF) · Stripe monitoring-programs docs.
Mastercard ECM Chargeback Ratio
Mastercard's Excessive Chargeback Program (ECP) divides current-month chargebacks by the prior month's captured transactions. ECM requires both 100+ chargebacks AND a 1.5%+ ratio; HECM requires 300+ AND 3.0%+.
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Enter values to see tier
Ratio = current-month chargebacks ÷ prior-month captured transactions. Floor: 100 chargebacks in a single calendar month.
| Tier | Ratio | Chargeback count | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below program | < 1.5% | or < 100 | No ECP enrollment — both conditions must be met |
| ECM | 1.5% – 2.99% | 100 – 299 | Enrollment; fines start month 2 ($1,000) and scale to $100,000 at month 19+ |
| HECM | ≥ 3.0% | ≥ 300 | Higher fine track: $100,000 months 12–18, $200,000 month 19+; plus $5 issuer recovery per chargeback above 300 from month 4 |
ECP is the program name; ECM and HECM are its tiers — there is no "1.0% ECP tier". Source: Stripe monitoring-programs docs.
About the math. These calculators use the published card network formulas. Outputs are estimates of your current-month position — the official acquirer measurement looks at multi-month rolling windows and includes additional fields (e.g., TC40 fraud reports for VAMP keep arriving from issuing banks for up to 30 days after the fraud occurred). Treat the calculator output as a leading indicator, not as the acquirer's official measurement.
When to act on the result
- 1Below 1.0% VAMP and outside ECM: No action required. Keep monitoring monthly — the ratios move faster than most teams expect.
- 2VAMP warning margin (1.0–1.49%) or chargebacks approaching 100 at 1.5%: Optimal window. The network hasn't flagged you yet, and you have the widest solution space. Deploy structural fixes — Stripe Radar rule rebuild, dynamic 3DS gating, Ethoca and Verifi integration.
- 3VAMP Excessive (1.5%+) or Mastercard ECM/HECM: Urgent. The acquirer is escalating, processor risk teams are reviewing, and the window before assessments, fines, or offboarding is narrow. Engage rescue work immediately.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this a Visa VAMP calculator?
- Yes. It computes your Visa VAMP ratio — TC40 fraud reports + TC15 disputes ÷ settled card-not-present transactions — and checks it against the current 1.5% Excessive merchant threshold (2.2% in CEMEA). The Mastercard ECM/HECM check runs from the same screen. Everything stays in your browser.
- Are these the current thresholds?
- Yes, as of the April 1, 2026 update. VAMP has a single merchant tier — Excessive at 1.5% (CEMEA 2.2%) — and only applies with ≥1,500 fraud+dispute transactions in the month. Mastercard ECM is 100–299 chargebacks AND 1.5%–2.99%; HECM is 300+ AND 3.0%+. Verified against Visa's VAMP fact sheet and Stripe's docs; last reviewed June 2026.
- Where do I find these numbers in Stripe?
- Stripe Dashboard → Payments → All transactions for settled count; Radar → Reviews → Fraud reports for TC40s; Payments → Disputes for chargebacks. Pull one full calendar month at a time.
- Does my volume affect ECM and VAMP?
- Yes, both have activity floors. ECM requires 100+ chargebacks (HECM 300+), so 50 chargebacks keeps you outside formal enrollment regardless of ratio. VAMP only applies the merchant ratio with ≥1,500 fraud+dispute transactions in the month (CEMEA: 150+ and USD 75,000+). Below the floors you're outside the programs — but the trend still matters.
- Why is my real number higher than this calculator says?
- Two reasons. TC40 fraud reports arrive from issuing banks 1–30 days after the fraud, so the current month keeps growing. And the official measurements differ from a simple same-month ratio: VAMP excludes RDR/CDRN-resolved disputes and CE3.0-qualified TC40s, while Mastercard divides current-month chargebacks by the prior month's captured transactions.
- What should I do if I'm approaching a threshold?
- A VAMP ratio of 1.0%–1.49% puts you in the warning margin below the 1.5% line — the optimal window for structural fixes: tightened Stripe Radar rules, dynamic 3DS gating, Ethoca and Verifi dispute interception. Same logic as Mastercard chargebacks approach 100 at a 1.5% ratio. The Chargeback Rescue service details the moves.
About the calculator
Built by Georges Rayess, who drove the chargeback rate at a privacy-focused subscription app from 13% to below 1% and exited Mastercard ECM. The calculator runs entirely client-side — your inputs never leave your browser. Connect on LinkedIn for updates.
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The first 30 minutes diagnose where the ratio is actually moving — no pitch, no slides.
Watch · walkthrough
VAMP & ECM Risk Calculator: Check Your Visa & Mastercard Chargeback Tier in 60 Seconds (Free Tool)
I built a free, browser-based calculator that models your live Visa VAMP and Mastercard ECM position from three numbers you already have - your monthly fraud...Video transcript
Free Tool · Updated May 2026 Know your ratio A free calculator that models your live VAMP and ECM position in under a minute — entirely in your browser. Two programs, two formulas Visa VAMP Combined ratio ( fraud + chargebacks ) ÷ settled transactions Mastercard ECM Chargeback ratio chargebacks ÷ transaction count Three numbers, one month 01 Your monthly fraud count (Visa TC40). 02 Your monthly chargebacks (TC15). 03 Total settled transactions. Pull them from Stripe, Adyen, Braintree — any processor. Nothing leaves the page. No upload, no account — every calculation runs locally in your browser. [Editor's note, June 2026: the threshold figures quoted in this recording are historical. Current values — Visa VAMP has a single merchant tier, Excessive at 1.5% (CEMEA 2.2%), applying only with 1,500+ fraud+disputes in the month; Mastercard ECM is 100–299 chargebacks AND 1.5%–2.99%, HECM is 300+ AND 3.0%+.] Visa VAMP · the Excessive line Per-transaction assessments + offboarding risk. Exit: stay under threshold for 3 straight calendar months. Mastercard ECM · the volume floor Formal program + escalating fines Under 100 chargebacks, Mastercard can't enroll you at all. VAMP has its own activity floor — 1,500 fraud+disputes a month. A leading indicator — not the final verdict. Your acquirer measures a multi-month window, and fraud reports keep arriving for up to 30 days. Read this as an early signal. What the result means 01 Below the line SAFE Keep watching monthly — ratios move faster than teams expect. 02 Above Standard or Early Warning ACT NOW Best window — the acquirer hasn't escalated yet. 03 Excessive or full ECM URGENT The clock is already running. < 1% Built from a real exit. From 13% to under 1% — and out of Mastercard ECM. The calculator is free and private. georgesrayess.com/fraud/payment-risk-calculator