New ACI Worldwide Data Shows Nearly 50 Percent of Major Fuel Merchants are Currently Unprepared to Meet Extended EMV Deadline

COVID-19 complicating EMV implementation, putting fuel merchants at risk for fraud losses

NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New data from ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a leading global provider of real-time digital payment software and solutions, highlights that as of July 2020, nearly 50 percent (47%) of major fuel merchants are unprepared to meet EMV automated fuel dispenser (AFD) compliance by the new April 2021 deadline (extended from October 2020) with less than half their stores fully upgraded. The survey indicated that 33 percent are unlikely to meet the deadline, at which point fraud liability is expected to shift from card issuers to fuel merchants.

The data includes survey responses from fuel merchants that collectively represent 46,000 gas stations nationwide—major oil companies, grocers and convenience stores. While almost half are nowhere near ready, nearly 70 percent (67%) expect to be ready by the April 2021 deadline, and nearly all (97%) expect to be ready before the end of next year. A third of the major fuel and convenience merchants surveyed have fully implemented EMV across their gas stations, and another 20 percent are more than halfway toward full implementation.

“EMV is a major undertaking for fuel merchants, and one of the largest hurdles is the capital investment required. However, it is imperative for fuel merchants to progress with implementation since many consumers pay for gas with credit cards, and non-EMV card readers are vulnerable to fraud,” said Debbie Guerra, executive vice president, ACI Worldwide. “Without EMV implementation, these merchants stand to face major fraud losses, which is further complicated by the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. Those that don’t meet the deadline can unfortunately expect increased chargebacks and higher fraud costs as they become targets for fraudsters.”

Key Findings:

EMV readiness

• 33 percent of major fuel and convenience merchants have fully implemented EMV across all their gas stations
• 20 percent have at least half of their fuel stations fully upgraded
• 27 percent currently have under half of their fuel stations fully upgraded
• 20 percent are still in planning stages and haven’t implemented EMV

EMV deployment by April 2021

• 67 percent of major fuel and convenience merchants expect to be fully upgraded for EMV by the deadline (including those already completed)
• 30 percent are set to complete implementation later in 2021
• 3 percent are unsure when implementation will be completed

Data security and fraud

• 60 percent of major fuel and convenience merchants are considering improving fraud management alongside EMV changeover
• 37 percent are considering point-to-point encryption and 26 percent are considering tokenization

Digital payments and additional improvements

• 85 percent of fuel merchants are planning to implement contactless payments alongside EMV
• 70 percent are considering mobile payments
• 67 percent are evaluating how to integrate loyalty initiatives at the fuel dispenser
• 77 percent are considering investing in, or are already supporting, alternative payment methods

Download the insight paper, How Fuel Merchants Can Deliver on the Convenience Promise, and the EMV Readiness Survey Infographic for more information.

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide powers digital payments for more than 6,000 organizations around the world. More than 1,000 of the largest financial institutions and intermediaries, as well as thousands of global merchants, rely on ACI to execute $14 trillion each day in payments and securities. In addition, myriad organizations utilize our bill presentment and payment services. Through our comprehensive suite of software solutions delivered on customers’ premises, through the public cloud or through ACI’s private cloud, we provide real-time payment capabilities and enable the industry’s most complete omni-channel payments experience.

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