Micropayment processing method

A method of processing micropayments, comprising:

• a first merchant receiving from a consumer a first purchase request for a first financial amount and receiving an identification from the consumer of a credit account with an issuer bank from which the first financial amount is to be paid to the first merchant;
• the first merchant sending a first micropayment request to a transaction processor for the first financial amount;
• the transaction processor sending a credit reduction request to the issuer bank for a second financial amount, the second financial amount being larger than the first financial amount;
• the issuer bank reducing a credit limit associated with the credit account by the second financial amount in response to the credit reduction request;
• the transaction processor sending an approval notice to the first merchant approving the first micropayment request without sending the first micropayment request to the issuer bank for approval;
• the second merchant receiving a second purchase request from the consumer, the second purchase request being for a third financial amount and identifying the credit account with the issuer bank from which the third financial amount is to be paid to the second merchant;
• the second merchant sending a second micropayment request to the transaction processor for the third financial amount;
• the transaction processor sending an approval notice to the second merchant approving the second micropayment request without sending the second micropayment request to the issuer bank for approval if a total of the first financial amount and the third financial amount is less than the second financial amount;
• the transaction processor sending a single approval request to the issuer bank for the first micropayment request and the second micropayment request and sending a credit reset notice to the issuer bank for a fourth financial amount, the fourth financial amount being at least as much as the total of the first financial amount and the third financial amount;
• and
• the issuer bank resetting the credit limit associated with the credit account by the fourth financial amount in response to the credit reset request.