> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fexco.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What is MCP?

> How multi-currency pricing (MCP) works, how it differs from DCC, and which APIs support it.

Multi-currency pricing (MCP) is a foreign exchange service that lets a
cardholder shop and pay in their home currency on an e-commerce website,
mobile app, or kiosk, even when the merchant prices goods in a different
currency. This page explains how MCP works, how it differs from
[DCC](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/getting-started/what-is-dcc.md), and where it fits in the Fexco platform.

## MCP vs DCC

DCC and MCP solve the same problem, showing the cardholder a price in
their own currency, but they work at different points in the buying
journey.

With DCC, the exchange rate is requested at the moment of payment. The
cardholder taps or inserts their card, the terminal or host calls the rate
service, and the cardholder sees the converted amount for the first time
on the payment screen. DCC is most common at physical point-of-sale
terminals and ATMs.

With MCP, the merchant collects exchange rates from Fexco ahead of time
and displays prices in the cardholder's preferred currency while they
browse. By the time the cardholder reaches checkout, the converted
amount is already visible in their basket. MCP is most common in
e-commerce, where a shopper can switch between currencies before
deciding to pay.

The following table summarizes the key differences.

> [!NOTE]
>
> If your integration needs DCC as well as MCP, see [What is DCC?](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/getting-started/what-is-dcc.md) for a full explanation of how DCC works across POS, ecommerce, and ATM channels.

| | DCC | MCP |
| - | - | - |
| When the rate is obtained | At the moment of payment | Before the cardholder pays, while browsing |
| Primary channel | POS terminals, ATMs, ecommerce (eDCC) | E-commerce websites, mobile apps, kiosks |
| Cardholder experience | Sees the converted price on the payment screen | Sees converted prices while shopping |
| Rate request timing | One request per transaction | Rates for multiple currencies collected in advance |

## How MCP works

An MCP transaction follows these steps:

1. **Select a currency**: The cardholder visits a merchant's website and selects their
   preferred currency.

2. **Collect exchange rates**: The merchant's payment gateway collects exchange rates from Fexco
   for the currencies the merchant supports.

3. **Display converted prices**: The website displays product prices in the cardholder's chosen
   currency using the collected rates.

4. **Submit payment**: The cardholder selects goods, sees prices in their own currency,
   and submits payment.

5. **Route the transaction**: The payment gateway submits the MCP transaction to the acquirer
   for settlement.

6. **Authorize the transaction**: The card scheme authorizes the transaction in the cardholder's
   currency.

7. **Complete the transaction**: The MCP transaction completes and the cardholder receives an
   invoice or receipt in their chosen currency.

The following diagram shows the full sequence, from the cardholder
choosing a currency to the final receipt.

Click each step to walk through an MCP transaction

## Who integrates with MCP?

MCP is both an acquirer-facing service and a merchant-facing solution.
Fexco's direct customers are acquirers and payment service providers
(PSPs) who integrate with the rate APIs and then offer MCP as part of
their acquirer services to merchants. MCP can also be sold directly to
enterprise merchants who manage their own payment infrastructure.

MCP is most relevant for acquirers whose merchants operate online stores,
mobile apps, or self-service kiosks that serve international customers.
If a merchant's website already displays prices in the local currency
and wants to show prices in the cardholder's home currency before
checkout, MCP is the service that enables that.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Merchants and cardholders do not call Fexco's APIs directly. The
> acquirer or PSP handles the integration.

## MCP integration methods

MCP is available through two integration methods:

* **API:** [Rate Service Classic](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/rate-service/dcc-offer-rate-service-classic.md) is the API-based method for MCP.
* **Non-API:** MCP is also supported over XML and ISO 8583.

See [Choose a rate API](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/rate-service/choose-rate-api.md) for a full comparison of all integration methods.

## MCP activation and merchant boarding

MCP activation is controlled at the template level during merchant
boarding. When an acquirer boards a merchant, the template assigned to
that merchant determines whether DCC, MCP, or both are active. A
merchant must be boarded with an MCP-enabled template before the rate
service returns MCP rates for that merchant.

For details on how templates work, see
[How merchant boarding works](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/merchant-boarding/how-it-works.md).

## Next steps

Now that you understand how MCP works, explore the pages below to continue:

* [Integration journey](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/getting-started/integration-journey.md): see the full phases from onboarding to production.

* [Security setup](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/getting-started/security-setup.md): configure the security layers your integration needs before you start building.

* [Before you integrate](https://docs.fexco.com/dcc/guides/getting-started/before-integrate.md): find out what you need from Fexco before you start building.


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