Who initiates a dispute in card payments?

• A. The merchant.
• B. The card issuer.
• C. The network.
• D. The payment processor.

Answer: (B)

In card payments, disputes follow the chargeback process. The cardholder contacts their bank to challenge a transaction, and the card issuer is the one who formally initiates the dispute by submitting it through the card network against the merchant’s acquirer. The network and the processor act as the infrastructure that routes and enforces the rules, but they don’t start disputes themselves. The merchant can respond to the dispute with evidence to defend the charge, but the initial move comes from the card issuer. That’s why the correct answer identifies the issuer as the initiator.