Electronic Transactions Association acquires peer

Dive Brief:

The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) is acquiring the American Transaction Processors Coalition (ATPC), according to a Thursday press release.
The ETA is folding ATPC into its operations to improve its advocacy, education and member engagement efforts. The move will also strengthen the ETA’s ability to address state and federal concerns in the payments industry, the release said.
ATPC’s executive director, Jay Morgan, will become an advisor to the organization and will help support the trade group’s policy work, per the press release.

Dive Insight:

The ETA already represents more than 500 member companies, including retail juggernaut Amazon, Bank of America, tech titan Apple, neobank Chime and Mastercard, according to the release and its website. Meanwhile, ATPC as a separate entity had previously represented card company American Express, processor Fiserv and check provider Deluxe, among other payments companies.

As the organizations merge, the new, larger trade group will continue to serve as a voice for the industry, Jodie Kelley, CEO of ETA, said in a release.

“This integration strengthens ETA's ability to lead on behalf of the payments industry,” ETA Board Chair Jamie Walker said in the statement. “By further expanding our advocacy and expertise, ETA is better positioned to advance policies that support innovation and trust across the payments ecosystem.”

The merger comes less than a year after the ATPC appointed a new leader. Last August, that trade organization named Morgan as its executive director, succeeding H. West Richards, who helped start the ATPC more than a decade ago.

For its part, the ETA is folding the ATPC into its operations shortly after introducing a new board of directors. Earlier this month, the organization announced its 2026 board, which includes Christopher Sweetland of PayPal Holdings, Kathryn Cleary of PNC Bank and Walker of U.S. Bank, according to a March 18 press release.

As the organizations join forces, the payments industry continues to navigate regulatory shifts at the federal and state levels. The ETA has been instrumental in seeking increased U.S. government attention for fighting fraud in the payments sphere.

At the state level, the ETA has argued against some regulations.

For example, in Illinois, where a federal judge upheld a state law prohibiting interchange fees on sales tax and gratuity for card-based purchases, the ETA has opposed such regulations.

ETA Executive Vice President Scott Talbott said earlier this month that such laws require “payments companies to process transactions for free, with the bulk of benefits going to large businesses, and not small businesses.” Similar bills have been proposed in Delaware, Rhode Island and Colorado.