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Home/High-Risk/CBD & Hemp Processing

CBD merchant accounts that don't get terminated.

Stable credit card processing for CBD, hemp, kratom, and Farm Bill–compliant cannabinoid retailers. We board CBD merchants other processors have dropped — with banks that understand the 2018 Farm Bill and the cannabinoid industry.

Apply for an account Talk to us · (888) 556-7356
48hr
Initial approval window
$0
Application fees
5–10%
Typical rolling reserve
24/7
Dedicated rep access
CBD, hemp & kratom

The Farm Bill made CBD legal. Most processors didn't get the memo.

The 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp and hemp-derived CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC. Six years later, mainstream payment processors still refuse to board CBD merchants — not because of legal risk, but because of reputational risk and chargeback volatility. Stripe, Square, PayPal, and most retail acquirers prohibit CBD entirely.

Even CBD merchants who get approved often face termination after a portfolio review flags the MCC, a chargeback ratio spikes during a promotional period, or a sponsor bank decides to exit the vertical. CBD operators have learned to expect 12–18 month account lifespans before having to start over.

Payment Gurus boards CBD, hemp, and kratom merchants with sponsor banks that have explicit policies supporting the vertical — banks that aren't going to wake up one morning and decide to drop the entire portfolio. Combined with proper site and product compliance, this gives most CBD operators their first stable processing relationship.

How we structure your account

The Payment Gurus approach.

Each high-risk account gets a custom placement strategy — not a one-size-fits-all retail boarding flow. Here's what that looks like for cbd.

Products we process

CBD tinctures, oils, gummies, topicals, vapes, and edibles compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill (under 0.3% delta-9 THC). Hemp-derived smokables and flower. Kratom products (where state-legal). Functional mushroom products. We do not process delta-8, delta-9 (above Farm Bill threshold), or state-legal cannabis — those require state-licensed processing infrastructure separate from federally compliant CBD.

Site & product compliance review

Before boarding, we review your website for the language banks require: no medical or therapeutic claims (no 'cures,' 'treats,' 'prevents'), clear COA (Certificate of Analysis) availability, third-party lab testing displayed, age verification, and FDA-compliant disclaimers. Most CBD terminations are triggered by site copy, not transactions.

Sponsor banks with written CBD policies

We board CBD accounts with banks that have written CBD acceptance into their portfolio strategy. Most clients also get a backup MID at a secondary bank so a single termination doesn't take you offline. Diversification is the difference between a one-year and a five-year account life.

Chargeback mitigation

CBD chargeback ratios are typically higher than retail due to product expectations not matching outcomes (customers expecting medical effects, returns of opened consumables). We deploy Verifi/Ethoca chargeback alerts, 3DS2 authentication, and clear return policies to keep your ratio sustainable.

What's included

Every account comes with the full stack.

Coverage

CBD, hemp, kratom

Tinctures, edibles, topicals, smokables, hemp flower, kratom (state-legal), functional mushrooms.

Banking

Multiple sponsor banks

Diversified placement across banks with explicit CBD acceptance policies. Backup MIDs for high-volume operators.

Pricing

Interchange-plus, disclosed

All-in pricing typically 3.5–5% depending on volume, ticket size, and chargeback history. No hidden buy-rate markups.

Frequently asked

CBD & Hemp Processing questions.

Why won't Stripe or Square process CBD?

Both Stripe and Square prohibit CBD in their acceptable use policies, citing 'high-risk product categories.' This is a business decision, not a legal one — hemp-derived CBD has been federally legal since the 2018 Farm Bill. Stripe and Square use blanket category bans rather than individual underwriting, so the only path forward is a specialized high-risk merchant account.

Do you process delta-8 or delta-9 THC products?

We do not process delta-9 THC products above the 0.3% Farm Bill threshold — those require state-licensed cannabis processing infrastructure. Delta-8 is more nuanced; it's federally legal under the Farm Bill in some interpretations but illegal in several states. We evaluate delta-8 accounts case-by-case based on your state and product mix.

What chargeback ratio is sustainable for CBD?

Card-brand high-risk thresholds are 0.9% (Visa) and 1.0% (Mastercard). CBD merchants with proper site copy, clear return policies, and chargeback alerts typically operate in the 0.4–0.8% range. Above 1.5% triggers mandatory remediation and risks termination.

Can I process kratom payments?

Yes, where state-legal. Kratom is federally legal but banned or restricted in six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin) and several cities. We board kratom retailers who can geo-restrict shipments to legal markets and who maintain proper age verification and disclaimers.

How long does CBD account boarding take?

Most CBD accounts approve within 5–10 business days from a complete application. We need a copy of your website, product COAs, last 3 months of processing statements (if applicable), business bank statements, and basic business documents. We tell you within 48 hours whether the application is fundable.

Get an answer in 48 hours.

Send us your business details and 3 months of processing statements. We'll tell you whether we can board you — and what your real rate would look like.

Apply for an account Call (888) 556-7356
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