Many providers of merchant services impose stringent limitations on various industries and products, putting businesses at risk of experiencing frozen assets, account halts, and even closures. The latter could result in inclusion in the MATCH list—a digital register for high-risk merchants managed by Mastercard—making the already challenging process of securing a payment processor even more complex. Nonetheless, a merchant service provider specializing in high-risk sectors can facilitate accounts that allow merchants to operate their enterprises effectively without the dread of account termination.
A high-risk merchant account is meticulously crafted to accommodate payment processing for businesses categorized as high-risk. Every payment processor establishes unique criteria, termed a credit policy, determining which business sectors they can support. The differentiation in these credit policies predominantly arises from each processor’s capacity for extensive underwriting, meticulous due diligence, and backing from their sponsor banks. Those with enhanced underwriting abilities can assume more risks and, consequently, can onboard a wider range of industries labeled as high-risk.
Similarly to conventional merchant accounts, those categorized as high-risk can be integrated with payment gateways, virtual terminals, and diverse payment tech platforms. Regardless of the reasons—whether it’s the industry type, operational methods, or processing history—businesses deemed high-risk can leverage sophisticated payment processing tools that were previously inaccessible by securing a high-risk merchant account.
Comparing High-Risk and Low-Risk Merchant Accounts
As noted, both standard (or low-risk) and high-risk merchant accounts provide analogous services—they enable businesses to process payments. However, high-risk merchant accounts might impose elevated fees, more extensive underwriting procedures, and potentially higher reserve prerequisites or other financial safeguards to balance the risks. A silver lining is that high-risk accounts usually incorporate the most cutting-edge security protocols available and set considerably fewer limitations on business activities.
