REST API | Visa Platform Connect

Understanding Accounts and Organizations

You are assigned a
portfolio
account when you sign up. All merchant accounts are subordinate to the portfolio account. A merchant account consists of a
merchant
organization and its subordinate organizations, which always includes at least one
transacting
organization. You can use
structural
organizations to extend the hierarchy of merchant accounts.
  • The
    portfolio
    account is always the top node in the hierarchy.
  • A
    merchant
    organization represents a business entity. For example, a brand or company. There can only be one merchant in any branch of the hierarchy.
  • A
    transacting
    organization represents an entity that processes payment transactions. For example, a physical store or a payment form on a web page or app. No other organization can be directly subordinate to a transacting organization.
  • A
    structural
    organization represents a conceptual entity that enables you to build an expansive hierarchy between merchant and transacting nodes. For more information on using structural organizations to extend the hierarchy, see Extending the Hierarchy.
    The image below shows a simple merchant account. The merchant organization is directly beneath the portfolio organization, and contains one transacting organization.

    Figure:

    Simple Merchant Account