Building a More Valuable, Intelligent Payments Ecosystem
As we look ahead to 2026, our vision at Woodforest Acceptance Solutions (WAS) is clear: continue evolving our switch-to-issuer payment acceptance platform to create materially better outcomes for ISVs, vertically focused independent sales organizations (ISOs), and the merchant customers they serve.
Payments sit at the very core of a merchant’s daily operations. Yet for decades, the merchant payment provider has occupied an outsized role in the business while delivering surprisingly little value beyond basic transaction processing. Merchants are left to navigate complex statements, opaque pricing, inconsistent interchange qualification, and fragmented data—often spending significant time and money simply trying to understand their own payment activity.
We believe that dynamic must change.
Elevating the Role of ISVs and ISOs
In 2026, WAS will continue expanding the ways ISVs and vertically dispositioned ISOs can deliver higher-quality, more strategic payment solutions to their merchants. Our platform is designed to help partners move beyond reselling payments and toward owning the customer relationship, the experience, and—importantly—the economics.
By leveraging WAS, partners can:
- Drive better interchange qualification and reduce overall payment friction for merchants
- Deliver greater reliability and resiliency across network services
- Unlock actionable data intelligence to help merchants understand customers, costs, and trends
- Offer a broader, more integrated set of solutions that deepen customer relationships
This is not about adding complexity. It’s about simplifying payments and turning them into a strategic asset rather than a necessary expense.
Changing the Merchant Experience
Merchants should not have to hunt for answers about their payment data, their customers, or their processing costs. WAS enables ISOs and ISVs to fundamentally change that experience—becoming trusted advisors who help merchants operate more efficiently, make better decisions, and grow their businesses.
When payments are integrated, transparent, and intelligent, everyone wins:
- Merchants gain clarity and control
- ISVs and ISOs strengthen retention and long-term relevance
- Partners unlock new monetization opportunities and, in many cases, greater ownership of their payment business
Looking Ahead
As we enter the new year, we invite ISVs and ISOs to partner with WAS and play a more significant role in the businesses you serve. Our commitment is to continue investing in a modern, issuer-connected platform that empowers you to differentiate, monetize, and build lasting customer relationships—without taking on the operational, compliance, or risk burden alone.
2026 is about elevating payments from a utility to a competitive advantage. We look forward to building that future together.
— Todd Linden
CEO, Woodforest Acceptance Solutions
