Overview
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.
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.
Why These Providers
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.
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.
Additional Options
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.
About Phillip Parker
Hi, I’m Phillip Parker and I believe that the merchant account industry has been overrun by people who engage in fraud and deception in order to steal from hard working business owners. I created this website to help you avoid the bad players, save money on fees, and get peace of mind with your merchant account. If you would like to help support my work, check out my cost analysis service. I can evaluate your statement and tell you exactly how much you're overpaying for your merchant account. Get more information here.
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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,
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.