A method and system include verifying credentials for gaining access to a central mobile payment controller using the portable computing device (“PCD”). The central mobile payment controller may receive a merchant identifier corresponding to a merchant and then it may compare the merchant identifier against loyalty account data stored in a database. The central mobile payment controller through a tender steering module may determine if a profile of the portable computing device is associated with a merchant branded payment account and/or with a merchant branded stored value account. The central mobile payment controller may produce a message that lists one or more preferred payment options in a ranked fashion that may favor a merchant based on interchange rates.