What to Know Before Getting Started
CBD Credit Card Processing Has Arrived
Cannabidiol oil (also known as “CBD” or “CBD oil”) is a derivative of the cannabis plant that has been shown to have the potential to treat certain ailments such as seizures, nausea, inflammation, and anxiety. It is extracted from low-THC strains of cannabis to form a non-psychoactive oil that can then be stored in capsules for accurate dosing. Cannabis is currently a Schedule I drug in the United States, which makes it illegal according to federal law. However, partially because of CBD oil’s possible medical value, states are beginning to legalize the production and sale of this substance. As a result, merchants who sell hemp-derived cannabidiol are scrambling to open merchant accounts that can process CBD payments.
Taking Credit Cards for CBD is Still Evolving
Unfortunately, there are currently very few providers out there who can place CBD vendors, and their ability to do so changes frequently. There are even fewer that we would recommend based on pricing, transparency, and customer support. Most sellers of this product should be prepared for higher-than-average transaction rates due to the elevated risk associated with their industry, and they may also encounter rolling reserves or occasional fund holds. However, the security and convenience that comes with accepting credit cards may make it worthwhile for some sellers. If you are a CBD vendor who is hoping to open a CBD merchant account, be aware that we will continually update the list below with providers that have signaled that they may be able to board such businesses. Please keep in mind that CBD processing is an ever-changing landscape at this time, and that major banks have been known to purge CBD merchants from their portfolios en masse and unexpectedly.
Looking for hemp payment processing? See our list of the top merchant accounts for hemp products.
Advertising Disclosure: Our unbiased articles are supported in part by helping you find highly reviewed merchant accounts. You can learn more here.
Why We Chose These Merchant Account Providers
PaymentCloud
Now Approving CBD
Currently, PaymentCloud is our top recommendation for talking card payments as a CBD business. As of the writing of this post, PaymentCloud is currently approving CBD merchant accounts, Kratom merchant accounts, and Hemp merchant accounts for credit card processing. Besides the ability to approve these businesses, PaymentCloud is one of the best rated processors in the merchant services industry.
About PaymentCloud
Based in Woodland Hills, California, PaymentCloud is a merchant account provider that specializes in serving high risk business types, including CBD sellers. The company’s products and services include point-of-sale solutions, mobile phone swipers, an online payment gateway and virtual terminal, EMV-compatible terminals, and merchant cash advances.
PaymentCloud provides a dedicated account rep to all new merchants for the life of the account. The company has not received any negative complaints on consumer forums, and it customizes its pricing according to each merchant’s business type and processing history. The BBB does not maintain a profile for PaymentCloud at this time, but CPO gives the company an “A.”
For more information, visit the PaymentCloud website or call (888) 506-7859.
eMerchantBroker
Offshore Processing Option
eMerchantBroker is a Los Angeles, California-based company that offers high risk e-commerce processing solutions including CBD oil merchant accounts. The company’s products include credit card processing, ACH processing, an online payment gateway, merchant cash advance, and a chargeback management system to help merchants dispute and resolve chargeback claims. eMerchantBroker can only place CBD sellers with a merchant account through an offshore bank.
About EMB
eMerchantBroker offers custom pricing for each merchant and maintains a low complaint rate relative to its size and merchant portfolio. Our review of eMerchantBroker gives the company an “A” rating overall and the BBB assigns the company a rating of “A+.”
For more information, see the eMerchantBroker website or call (877) 301-3442.
Secondary Merchant Account Options
Elavon
Elavon (elavon.com) is one of the largest merchant account providers in the United States and serves over one million merchants worldwide. It is also one of the largest payment processors that has signaled that it will process payments for CBD vendors. Elavon has its own online payment gateway called InternetSecure and can integrate with other gateways such as Authorize.net. For international businesses, the company offers multi-currency merchant services such as settlement in 16 currencies, authorization in 85+ currencies, and conversion into the cardholder’s home currency in 48 different currencies.
Elavon’s pricing for CBD merchants is not publicly available at this time, and it is likely to vary based on factors specific to each merchant. Our review of Elavon gives the company a “C” rating overall and the BBB gives it an “A+.”
Instabill
Founded in 2003, Instabill is a high risk merchant account provider that can provide CBD merchants with an offshore aggregate merchant account with a shared billing descriptor. The company’s products include credit card processing, a virtual terminal, an online payment gateway, fraud protection, and an online shopping cart. Instabill can only serve CBD vendors who operate in states where marijuana use is legal, and the company requires four to six months of processing statements and three months of business banking statements to get a CBD merchant account up and running.
Instabill offers custom pricing for each merchant and has received a low number of complaints since we’ve been covering it. Our review of Instabill gives the company an “A” rating overall and the BBB assigns Instabill an “A+.”
High Risk Holdings
High Risk Holdings is a credit card processor based in Berkeley, California, that claims to have a processing solution for CBD merchants. The company’s products include credit card processing, ACH processing, an online payment gateway, merchant cash advance, QuickBooks integration, point of banking systems, and chargeback resolution tools. High Risk Holdings does not publicly describe the services that it offers to CBD businesses, but it does actively court sellers of CBD and hemp derivatives.
High Risk Holdings appears to offer custom pricing for each merchant and has not received any complaints in the time that we’ve been covering it. Our review of High Risk Holdings gives the company an “A” rating overall and the BBB does not maintain a profile for High Risk Holdings at this time.
Payment Advisors
Payment Advisors is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based merchant account provider that processes payments for new e-commerce CBD businesses as well as marijuana dispensaries. The company’s payment options include debit and credit card processing, eCheck processing, ACH processing, cashless ATM processing, chargeback assistance, and offshore merchant accounts. Payment Advisors emphasizes its specialty in new online CBD oil ventures, which makes it an appealing option for CBD sellers who lack a robust processing history.
Payment Advisors offers custom pricing depending on each merchant’s business type. Our review of Payment Advisors gives the company an “A” rating, while the BBB does not maintain a profile for Payment Advisors at this time.
CBD Merchant Account
Also known as “CBDMerchantAccount.com,” CBD Merchant Account is a merchant account provider that specifically caters to sellers of CBD and hemp products. The company offers retail, phone, mail order, and e-commerce payment acceptance options for merchants who sell CBD dab products, CBD gel, CBD-infused e-liquid, CBD oil, and more. CBD Merchant Account does not specify its requirements for approval, but it seems to have the broadest acceptance guidelines of any company on this list.
CBD Merchant Account offers custom pricing depending on each merchant’s business type and has not received any public complaints. Our review of the company gives it an “A,” and the BBB does not maintain a profile for CBD Merchant Account at this time.
T1 Payments
T1 Payments is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based merchant account provider that claims to “successfully process millions of transactions a week” for hemp oil merchants. The company’s products include credit card processing, an online payment gateway, multi-currency support, an online shopping cart, and offshore banking. T1 Payments generally focuses on e-commerce merchants and will be a better fit for online CBD vendors than physical locations.
T1 offers custom pricing for each merchant and has received only a few negative complaints in public forums. Our review of T1 Payments gives the company a “B” rating overall, while the BBB gives T1 Payments a “C” rating overall.
If your company supplies merchant accounts for CBD oil vendors, please let us know in the comment section below or get in touch via our contact page.
Other Industry Leading Merchant Account Providers
About Phillip Parker
Phillip Parker is a former merchant services sales agent who believes the industry has been overrun by people who engage in fraud and deception in order to steal from hard working business owners. He created this website to help you avoid the bad players, save money on fees, and to get peace of mind with your merchant account. If you would like to help support his work, learn more about our cost reduction service. We can evaluate your statement, tell you exactly how much you're overpaying, and then help you dramatically reduce your fees with your current credit card processor. Looking to switch instead? See our list of the best merchant account providers.
Schedule a Consultation with Phillip
Eliminate hidden fees and mistakes without switching merchant accounts. Get a free statement audit today to see how much you are overpaying.
We found your website and were excited to reach out to PaymentCloud about helping us with our CBD topical business. After receiving all our confidential information they went MIA and stopped responding to emails. Avoid them at all costs.
Any ideas on how to get a business banking account that will do business with hemp based products like CBD Oil? I have a few high risk merchants willing to set up credit card gateways but they require a business banking account, which is the big hold up for me.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Best Merchant Accounts for Hemp
Eliminate hidden fees and mistakes without switching merchant accounts. Get a free statement audit today to see how much you are overpaying.
This company isn’t doing CBD payments as of today.
I tried going with eMerchantBroker but all the could provide me was an echeck solution and the ability to manually input someone’s credit card info, which doesn’t work for my ecommerce business so I’m currently going the route of hoping I don’t get shut down by a processor that’s not CBD friendly. I don’t like being uncertain of when this may happen.
this is what I got after waiting 4 weeks
From EMB
Dear Valued Merchant,
Touching base with you regarding your CBD merchant account application. As you are aware our current solution has been via Swift; an offshore bank. Your patience and loyalty throughout this process has been greatly appreciated. However, we regret to inform that our offshore solution via Swift has been cancelled and is no longer an option at this present time. This cancellation not only includes Swift but also, Pay2 and iCanpay.
Please DISREGARD any emails approval/or otherwise from iCanpay as they are not a true processing solution for your SIC code and eMerchantbroker has not come into agreement with this company therefore we do not represent any of their practices or products.
As always your business and time is our main priority therefore we would like to present our eCheck solution to assist with accepting electronic payments. This solution is more affordable and also can be integrated with Shopify, WooCommerce or Magento shopping carts. Please contact me directly for if you have any questions concerns or would like to get started with eCheck!
Thank you,
Eliminate hidden fees and mistakes without switching merchant accounts. Get a free statement audit today to see how much you are overpaying.
EasyPayDirect will NOT work with CBD companies.
Any luck finding one that will?
Yes, High Risk Holdings has processing solutions for CBD merchants. Their website is: http://www.highriskholdings.com
http://www.payment-advisors.com/
has the CBD solution.
We are taking CBD merchants as we have great domestic options. Please contact us with any questions or conserns and we will do our best to address them.