The Landscape of Credit Card Processing is Always Changing in the Hemp Industry
Hemp Credit Card Processing Is Available
Hemp and other non-psychoactive cannabis products have been unfairly demonized for decades. Hemp fiber, hempseed oil, hemp protein, hemp milk, and other hemp goods are highly popular products that pose zero risk to consumers. However, the classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug in the United States has limited the hemp merchant account options that are available to legal hemp producers and hemp processors. Hemp businesses hoping to accept credit cards are often required to partner with specialists in high-risk industries just to take any electronic payments at all.
Hemp Payment Processing Is an Evolving Field
The regulations governing hemp sales change frequently, and payment processors are forced to reevaluate their policies about processing credit cards for hemp sellers on a regular basis. Most sellers of hemp products 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 most sellers. If you are a hemp vendor who is hoping to open a hemp merchant account, be aware that we will continually update the list below with providers that have signaled that they may be able to serve hemp businesses.
Please keep in mind that hemp processing is an ever-changing landscape at this time, and that major banks have been known to purge hemp merchants from their portfolios en masse and unexpectedly.
Looking for CBD oil payment processing? See our list of the top merchant accounts for CBD.
Top Picks for Merchant Services for Hemp Products
PaymentCloud
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Fast approval for numerous "high-risk" industries
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Broad product and service offering
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Highly praised customer support
Currently, PaymentCloud is our top recommendation for talking card payments as a hemp business. As of the writing of this post, PaymentCloud is currently approving hemp merchant accounts, kratom merchant accounts, and CBD 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.
Based in Woodland Hills, California, PaymentCloud is a merchant account provider that specializes in serving high-risk business types, including hemp 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.
eMerchant Broker
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Maintains numerous banking partners
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Can get approvals for international businesses
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Top-rated in "high-risk" industry satisfaction
eMerchantBroker is a Los Angeles, California-based company that offers high-risk e-commerce processing solutions including hemp 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 hemp 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, visit the eMerchantBroker website or call (877) 301-3442.
Additional Options
Host Merchant Services
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Fast approval for most industries
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No contract or cancellation fees
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Highly rated customer support
Host Merchant Services is a Newark, Delaware-based merchant account provider that may be a great fit for a hemp business. The company’s products and services include point-of-sale solutions, online marketing tools, an online payment gateway and virtual terminal, mobile credit card processing, and merchant cash advance. Host Merchant Services specializes in e-commerce businesses and provides a free website and email address to interested new merchants. Host dedicates a portion of their website to advertising high-risk payment services to many businesses that fit that category, meaning they could be a great option for many hemp companies.
Host Merchant Services has received only positive feedback on public forums, with most reviewers singling out the company’s customer service for praise. Host offers interchange-plus pricing with no early termination fees to all of its merchants, meaning that users will enjoy the most transparent pricing model and can cancel service without penalty. The BBB gives Host an “A+” rating, and CPO also gives the company an “A+.”
For more information, visit the Host Merchant Services website or call (888) 727-4538.
