CyberSource Corporation
- Founded
- 1994-01-01 in Foster City, California, United States
- Headquarters
- Foster City, California, United States
- Phone
- (650) 965-6000
CyberSource Corporation is a global payment gateway and fraud management platform, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Foster City, California. It was one of the first companies to build a dedicated online payment infrastructure, initially created to serve its own e-commerce operations before expanding to serve medium- and large-sized merchants. In 2007, the company acquired Authorize.Net, a payment services provider for small businesses, significantly broadening its market reach. Four years later, in 2010, Visa Inc. acquired CyberSource for approximately US$2 billion, and it now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary within Visa’s Acceptance Solutions division. Today, the platform processes payments across more than 160 countries and territories and is used by over 450,000 businesses globally. CyberSource’s core offerings include a modern, modular payment acceptance gateway, a sophisticated fraud detection tool called Decision Manager, and payment security services such as tokenization. The company’s technology is built on a single digital platform that supports omnichannel commerce, recurring billing, and developer-friendly APIs, making it a key partner for businesses ranging from small enterprises to the world’s largest brands. Its solutions are designed to balance customer experience with stringent security and compliance requirements.
Detailed Review
CyberSource Corporation provides a comprehensive suite of payment management solutions delivered through a unified, modular platform. The company’s origins date back to the early days of e-commerce, when founder William S. McKiernan launched Software.net, an online software store, and developed the payment infrastructure needed to process transactions. That internal system was later commercialised, leading to the creation of CyberSource.
Following its 2010 acquisition by Visa, CyberSource gained access to Visa’s global network of issuers and acquirers, as well as its enterprise-grade security infrastructure. The platform now supports payment acceptance in 160+ countries, with support for 97% of global payment territories. Its core product categories include:
Payment Acceptance
A global gateway that supports credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and local payment methods across online, in-person, and mobile channels.
Fraud Management
The flagship Decision Manager solution uses hundreds of detection detectors—including biometrics, IP geolocation, and behavioural analytics—to screen transactions and reduce fraud without blocking legitimate orders.
Payment Security
Services such as tokenization keep sensitive card data off merchants’ networks, simplifying PCI-DSS compliance. The platform also offers network token management via Visa’s infrastructure.
Unified Commerce
An omnichannel solution that integrates online and in-store payment data, enabling merchants to track inventory, loyalty, and transactions across channels.
Developer Tools
Robust APIs, client libraries, SDKs in six languages, and a sandbox environment for testing hundreds of use cases. Additional capabilities include recurring billing, invoicing, eCheck/ACH processing, payout disbursement, and digital wallet integrations (Click to Pay, Unified Checkout).
The company’s partner network includes leading technology and payment firms, and its platform is designed to be customisable and scalable. CyberSource also continues to operate Authorize.Net as a distinct brand for small businesses, while Payworks (acquired in 2019) provides in-person payment technology for unified commerce.
With a headcount estimated at 50 employees (per one third-party source), the company maintains a relatively lean structure, though its actual size may be larger given its integration with Visa. CyberSource is recognised as a pioneer in online payment security and remains a key player in the global e-commerce infrastructure.
Key Products
Pay by Link
No-code payment link for donations or product sales.
Recurring Billing
Subscription and payment plan management.
Unified Commerce
Omnichannel solution for online and in-store payment orchestration.
Microform
Embedded iframe for PCI-compliance while maintaining user experience.
Click to Pay
Digital checkout solution by card networks.
Tap to Pay on Android
Enables smartphones to function as payment terminals.
Global Payment Gateway
Accepts credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and local payment methods in 160+ countries.
Decision Manager
Fraud detection platform using 260+ detectors including biometrics, IP geolocation, and behavioural analytics.
Tokenization
Replaces sensitive card data with secure tokens to reduce PCI DSS scope.
Authorize.Net
Payment gateway brand focused on small businesses, acquired in 2007.
Offices & Headcount
50 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- William S. McKiernan
Founder