PCI compliance means meeting the security requirements defined by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. These standards ensure that any business handling credit or debit card information keeps that data secure and protected from breaches.

Any business that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data must be PCI compliant. This includes eCommerce stores, SaaS platforms, brick-and-mortar businesses, and even companies that outsource payments to third-party providers.

PCI compliance is not a law, but it is required by major card brands. If you accept card payments and fail to comply, you can face penalties, higher fees, or even lose the ability to process payments.