2025 Global eCommerce Payments & Fraud Report and SMBs: What the Data Says, and What You Should Do Next

If you’re running a small or medium-sized eCommerce business, chances are your days are full—and so is your to-do list. From keeping up with orders to figuring out the best marketing strategy, it’s easy to let payment and fraud matters fall into the “we’ll get to it later” category.

But the 2025 Global eCommerce Payments & Fraud Report makes one thing very clear: later may already be too late.

This year’s data shows that while SMBs may see fewer types of fraud than their enterprise counterparts, they’re also less prepared to catch it when it happens. And as customers expect smoother checkout, faster payouts, and better support, how you handle payments could be the difference between growth and churn.

About the 2025 Global eCommerce Payments & Fraud Report

The 2025 Global eCommerce Payments & Fraud Report is an annual industry study published by the Merchant Risk Council (MRC) in collaboration with Cybersource, a Visa solution. Based on responses from over 1,000 global merchants across 38 countries, the report provides a detailed look into emerging trends, fraud tactics, and payment practices shaping the eCommerce landscape. Covering everything from payment method adoption and fraud rates to technology investments and operational challenges, it serves as one of the most comprehensive benchmarks in the industry today.

What the Report Says About SMBs

• SMBs use fewer payment methods
  Many still don’t offer real-time payments, BNPL, or local APMs - features that are becoming standard.
• Real-Time Payments Bring Real-Time Exposure
  While more SMBs are beginning to explore real-time payments, the risk can’t be ignored. RTP fraud affected 45% of merchants globally, making it one of the year’s most common attack vectors. For SMBs with fewer fraud controls in place, offering instant settlement without robust security measures can open the door to serious losses- especially in the case of account takeovers or scam-authorized payments.
• Tokenization and fraud tools are underused
  Only 34% of SMBs use any form of tokenization - while 55% don’t use it at all. That’s a stark contrast to just 8% of enterprise merchants. With so many still relying on outdated setups, SMBs are missing out on one of the simplest and most effective tools to reduce fraud and boost approval rates.
• Fraud detection gaps persist
  SMBs are significantly less likely to detect or report multiple types of fraud - especially post-purchase issues.
• Refund Abuse Is Flying Under the Radar
  Most SMBs are more exposed to refund abuse - but often don’t know it’s happening.
  Many don’t track post-purchase fraud at all, leaving them vulnerable to repeat claims and revenue leakage.
• Why it matters:
  Without delivery confirmation tools, dispute data, or return validation, SMBs risk being hit repeatedly by “friendly fraud” and unaware customers.
• Manual reviews are low - but so is automation
  Digital fraud monitoring is still rare among SMBs, especially during delivery and refund stages.

Five Things SMBs Can Do Right Now

Expand Your Payment Options Strategically

Customers expect choice. If you’re only offering cards, it might be time to add Apple Pay, Google Pay, and possibly a real-time bank transfer option.
But with real-time payment fraud affecting 45% of merchants, it’s critical to pair speed with security. SMBs should ensure they have basic controls in place, like payment velocity limits, account monitoring, and clear refund protocols, before launching RTP options.

CatalystPay Tip: You don’t need to do it all. Start with 1–2 additions that fit your audience and and ensure fraud safeguards are in place from day one.

Start with Gateway-Based Tokenization

Network tokens are powerful, but even basic tokenization via your gateway can help improve approval rates and reduce fraud exposure.

CatalystPay Tip: Ask your provider what kind of tokenization they support and what impact it’s had for similar merchants.

Focus on Post-Purchase Defense

Refund abuse is growing, and chargebacks take time and energy. Simple tools like delivery confirmation, basic return policies, and alert services can go a long way.

CatalystPay Tip: Consider enabling pre-dispute tools (e.g., Verifi, Ethoca) through your gateway to avoid full chargebacks.

Use What You Already Have (Better)

Many fraud tools are built into your current gateway or PSP, but go unused. Review what’s available. SCA rules? Risk scoring dashboards? Don’t leave them untouched.

CatalystPay Tip: We help SMBs understand what tools they already have and how to activate them without extra spend.

Plan Now for Growth with Multi-Acquirer Support

Even if you’re not processing at scale yet, setting up a provider that can handle multiple acquiring partners will save you from technical headaches down the line.

CatalystPay Tip: Our infrastructure allows SMBs to start small and scale smart - with no need to replatform later.

How CatalystPay Supports SMBs

We know that growing a business means juggling a lot at once and payment processing shouldn’t slow you down. That’s why CatalystPay offers SMBs a simplified way to access powerful tools like tokenization, smart fraud screening, and multi-acquirer support—without the complexity. Our gateway comes with built-in protections and the flexibility to scale as your business grows. You don’t need an enterprise team to have enterprise-grade payments—we’ve got you covered.

Final Word

You don’t need a massive fraud team to take fraud seriously. With the right partners and a few strategic moves, SMBs can close the gap - protecting their revenue, their customers, and their sanity.

At CatalystPay, we’re built for businesses like yours. And we’re here when you’re ready. Contact us today for free consultation.