MCC 5816: Digital Goods (Games)
MCC 5816 is the merchant category code for digital goods (games). Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express assign it to businesses such as game publishers, in-game purchases, and game key sellers.
- Code
- 5816
- Category group
- Miscellaneous Stores
- Risk rating
- Elevated risk
Which businesses use MCC 5816?
Acquiring banks assign MCC 5816 to merchants whose primary line of business is digital goods (games). Common examples include:
- Game publishers
- In-game purchases
- Game key sellers
Is MCC 5816 considered high risk?
Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.
How does MCC 5816 affect processing fees?
MCC 5816 determines which interchange category Visa and Mastercard apply to each transaction. Codes in the miscellaneous stores range share interchange programs, so two merchants with the same card mix but different MCCs can pay different wholesale rates.
Payment processing for MCC 5816 merchants
Niche Payments runs a dedicated ecommerce payment processing program for businesses classified under MCC 5816. Card-not-present processing that scales with your store.
- Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and custom checkout integrations
- Subscription and recurring billing with smart retries
- Chargeback alerts and 3-D Secure to protect card-not-present sales
Frequently asked questions
What does MCC 5816 mean?
MCC 5816 is the merchant category code for Digital Goods (Games). Card networks use it to classify transactions from businesses such as game publishers, in-game purchases, and game key sellers.
Is MCC 5816 high risk?
MCC 5816 is generally rated elevated risk. Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.
Can a business change its MCC from 5816?
A business can request a different MCC through its acquiring bank. The acquirer reviews what the business actually sells and reassigns the code only if 5816 does not describe the primary line of business.