# Payment facilitator (PayFac)

https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/payment-facilitator/

*Last updated: 2026-08-03*

A company that signs merchants under its own acquiring relationship and takes responsibility for them, so each merchant becomes a sub-merchant rather than holding their own account. It is the model behind sign-up-in-an-afternoon onboarding. The facilitator carries the underwriting and the risk, which is why it also sets the limits, the settlement terms and the decision to stop serving a sub-merchant.

## Why it matters to a merchant

The word explains why two providers can quote wildly different onboarding times without either of them exaggerating. Under a facilitator you are joining an existing relationship, which is fast; on your own account you are being underwritten, which is not. Neither is wrong — but they leave you in different positions afterwards, and the position is the part worth asking about.

## Related terms

*Who does what*

- [Acquirer](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/acquirer/)
- [Issuer](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/issuer/)
- [Payment gateway](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/payment-gateway/)
- [PSP (payment service provider)](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/psp/)
- [Card scheme](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/card-scheme/)
- [Aggregator](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/aggregator/)
- [Reseller](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/reseller/)
- [Payment orchestration](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/payment-orchestration/)

- [All 74 terms](https://www.uniwebpay.com/glossary/)

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