New York – September 15, 2026 -- FlexFactor has become the only organization shortlisted in six categories at The Card & Payments Awards US 2026, according to the company's review of the published finalist list.
FlexFactor recovers 15% to 20% of eligible declines across live merchant deployments
The payments technology firm is live with more than 100 merchants using AcceptIQ, its AI-native platform for real-time payment decline decisioning. AcceptIQ evaluates transaction, issuer, merchant, data-quality, acquiring, and routing signals to determine whether a declined payment is recoverable and identify the appropriate recovery path.
AcceptIQ bridges a structural gap between pre- and post-authorization payment tools
Existing fraud, risk, and authentication technologies act before an issuer response, while retries and account updater tools attempt recovery only after a payment has already failed. FlexFactor built its decisioning layer to operate inside that authorization window. When the platform identifies an eligible false decline, FlexFactor can execute the recovery, purchase the merchant's invoice, guarantee the sale, and assume the recovery risk -- with the process invisible to the end customer, who completes the purchase without retrying the transaction or switching payment methods.
FlexFactor is shortlisted across AI, customer service, and POS categories
The company's six finalist selections span Best Application of AI or ML in Financial Services, Best Customer Service, Best Early-Stage or Future Payments Initiative, Best Industry Innovation, Best Payment Facility, and Best POS Solution.
Guy Vatman, CTO of FlexFactor, said reversing a failed payment after decline by sophisticated payment systems requires evaluating multiple signals and determining the correct recovery path within the authorization flow before the failed-payment experience reaches the customer.
Awards organizer brings 20-year-old program to the US for the first time in 2026
The Card & Payments Awards, established in 2005, is holding its inaugural US event this year. Michael Harty, Founder & Managing Director of The Card & Payments Awards, said being recognized across six categories is a significant result reflecting the breadth of work presented to the independent judging panel.
Winners will be announced November 17, 2026, at Gotham Hall in New York, with FIS serving as prime sponsor. FlexFactor is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners.