What makes a business "high risk"?

Banks and ad platforms treat some businesses as higher risk because of the product category, regulation that varies by state or country, subscription billing, high order values or chargeback history. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. It means stricter rules apply, and you need partners who work inside them.

Can you guarantee my merchant account will be approved?

No, and be wary of anyone who says they can. Every application is underwritten by the partner bank. We partner with banks directly, match you to partners that work with your industry, and help you prepare an application that's ready for review.

Do you work with banks outside the US?

Yes. We partner with banks directly in the USA and internationally, for any industry. Specific partners are discussed during your consultation. OnCharge is not a bank.

What documents will I need to apply?

Typically: business formation documents and your EIN letter. ID for each significant owner. recent business bank statements. recent processing statements, if you've taken cards before. a website with clear policies. product and supplier details. a voided check or bank letter. Banks can ask for more, depending on your category.

Will I need a reserve, and what does it cost?

Many high-risk accounts start with a reserve, and high-risk pricing is higher than mainstream processing. Any reserve terms and fees are explained before you commit.

How do you help with fraud and chargebacks?

Orders are screened before checkout in under 200ms. Risky orders can get step-up SMS verification instead of a flat decline. Ethoca and Verifi alerts let you refund before a dispute becomes a chargeback. Dispute evidence is compiled automatically when one lands. Multi-processor routing spreads your volume, and responsive support stops many disputes before they start.

How does your checkout affect PCI compliance?

Our tokenized hosted checkout handles card entry, so card data never touches your servers. That keeps you in SAQ A scope, the shortest PCI self-assessment. You still complete your own self-assessment, and we'll walk you through it.

Who do you work with?

Owners and operators of online businesses that mainstream processors, ad platforms or suppliers treat as high risk. That includes research peptides and lab supply, nutraceuticals and supplements, CBD and hemp, kratom, telehealth, subscription businesses, crypto and high-ticket e-commerce. If your industry isn't listed, ask. We partner with banks for any industry.

Is the consultation really free?

Yes. There's no cost and no obligation. A specialist reviews your details, reaches out to book a time, and walks you through what's possible. Timelines depend on bank underwriting and platform reviews, and you'll get a realistic estimate after we review your file.

Do I need all four pillars?

No. Start with one pillar or use all four. They're built to work together, but each stands on its own.

Payments

Stay live. Keep your money moving.

Q: Will it work with my store, and can I accept crypto?

We offer a WooCommerce plugin, plus Magento and Shopify plugins. Customers can pay in crypto, and payments are settled to US dollars and sent to your bank by ACH. Existing merchants manage their account in the merchant portal at app.oncharge.io.

Direct bank partnerships in the USA and internationally, for any industry, backed by gateway technology built for high-risk merchants.

Underwriting still applies. What changes is who reads your file, and how well it's prepared.

Direct bank partners

Under 200ms screening

SAQ A checkout

Ethoca and Verifi alerts

Crypto to USD via ACH

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

Merchant sign-in

Checkout screening

Simulation

OrderTimeDecision

Verify sends a step-up SMS code instead of a flat decline.

The problem

The processor problems you know too well

Mainstream processors take your volume, then drop you the moment your category looks risky.

Frozen funds

Payouts held without warning while your bills keep coming.

See the fix

Fix: direct bank partners.

Sudden termination

One review and your account is closed, often with no clear reason.

See the fix

Fix: multi-processor routing.

Declines you can't explain

Good customers turned away at checkout.

See the fix

Fix: step-up SMS verification.

The chargeback spiral

Disputes pile up, ratios climb, and your account is on the line again.

See the fix

Fix: Ethoca and Verifi alerts.

Hover, tap or tab to a card to see the fix.

Banking partners

We partner with banks directly, in the USA and internationally

For any industry. No reseller chain, no black-box underwriting queue.

Illustration

Direct banking partner · USADirect banking partner · International

Domestic partners for US businesses selling online, by subscription or in person.

Nodes are representative. They do not mark specific banks or locations.

What do you sell?

We know which partners work with which industries, and we prepare your file so it arrives at the right underwriter ready for review.

OnCharge is not a bank. Merchant accounts are provided by our partner banks and are subject to their underwriting. Approval is not guaranteed.

Direct relationships

Questions get answered and applications keep moving.

USA banking

Domestic partners for US businesses selling online, by subscription or in person.

International banking

Partners outside the USA for cross-border sellers, or as an alternative when domestic banking isn't the right fit.

Any industry

If your business is legal where you operate and sell, we'll have a real conversation about banking it.

Application preparation

We help you gather and organize what underwriters will ask for.

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

Realistic expectations

What underwriting actually looks like

No surprises. Here's what high-risk merchants should expect from any honest provider, us included.

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

Approval isn't guaranteed.
Banks decide. We improve your fit by matching you to the right bank and submitting a complete file.
The partner bank carries the risk on your account, so the bank makes the call. A provider can prepare and place your file. Only the bank can approve it.
Reserves are common.
Many high-risk accounts start with a reserve, a share of sales held for a set period. We'll explain any reserve terms before you sign.
Pricing reflects risk.
High-risk processing costs more than mainstream processing. You'll see the fees before you commit.
Timelines vary.
Speed depends on the bank and on how complete your documents are. You'll get an honest estimate after we review your file.
Declines happen.
If a bank says no, we'll tell you what we know and what we'd try next.

The gateway

Follow a payment through OnCharge

Five checkpoints between a customer's click and money in your account.

Sample data

Checkpoint 1 of 5

Screened.

Fraud screening before checkout, in under 200ms.

0ms

Low risk · continue to checkout

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

Chargeback protection

Catch disputes early. Fight the rest with evidence.

Tools that act before checkout, at checkout, after purchase and at the dispute itself.

Illustration

Pre-checkout screening
Risky orders are caught before they're charged.
Step-up SMS verification
A second check when an order looks unusual.
Ethoca and Verifi alerts
Early warning when a cardholder disputes a charge, so you can refund before it counts against you.
Customer support
Phone, chat and email support that answers the question before the customer calls their bank.
Automated dispute evidence
When a dispute lands, the evidence for your response is compiled automatically.

Illustration

An alert arrives
Ethoca or Verifi flags that a cardholder is disputing a charge.
The merchant refunds
The order is refunded while there is still time.
Chargeback avoided
The dispute is resolved before it becomes a chargeback.

Secure checkout

Card data never touches your servers

Tokenized hosted checkout keeps your business in SAQ A scope, the shortest PCI self-assessment.

Illustration

With the card form on your own site, card data passes through your server, so your server is in scope.

Hover, tap or tab to a box to see what it does.

01
Tokenized card data.
Card numbers are replaced with tokens, so your store never stores them.
02
Smaller PCI scope.
Stay in SAQ A instead of taking on a heavier compliance burden.
03
Hosted and consistent.
A secure checkout experience that works with your store.

You still complete your own PCI self-assessment. We'll show you what SAQ A covers and what it doesn't.

Routing and crypto

Never depend on one processor again

Multi-processor routing spreads your volume, and crypto payments settle to USD via ACH.

Multi-processor routing

Illustration

Volume is spread evenly, so no single processor carries your whole business.

Crypto, settled to USD via ACH

Illustration

Crypto paymentYour customer pays in crypto

Settled to USDConverted to US dollars

ACH to your bankSent to your bank account

Multi-processor routing.

Spread volume across more than one processor and route transactions by rules you set.

Crypto payments.

Accept crypto from customers who prefer it.

Settled to USD via ACH.

Crypto payments are settled to US dollars and sent to your bank account by ACH.

Be ready

What you'll typically need to apply

Complete files move faster. Here's what banks commonly ask high-risk merchants for. Your bank may ask for more.

0/7documents

Let's start with the basics.

This checklist stays on your device. Nothing is uploaded until you choose to share it with us.

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

01Business formation documentsArticles of incorporation or organization, plus your EIN confirmation letter.
02Owner identificationGovernment-issued ID for each owner with a significant stake.
03Business bank statementsRecent statements, often the last three to six months.
04Processing historyRecent merchant statements, including chargeback history, if you've processed before.
05A compliant websiteTerms, privacy, refund and shipping policies, working contact details, and product pages that match what you sell.
06Product and supplier detailsProduct list and supplier invoices, plus certificates of analysis where your category calls for them.
07Voided check or bank letterSo settlements go to the right business bank account.

Banks commonly ask for these. Your bank may ask for more.

How we underwrite

Honest applications keep accounts open

Accounts built on misdirection get closed, and the damage can follow the owners.

A business closed for misrepresentation can be added, along with its principals, to the industry's terminated merchant file (). That makes future merchant accounts far harder to get. Doing it right the first time is the cheaper path.

Accurate category codes.

Your business is submitted under the category that matches what you actually sell.

Recognizable descriptors.

Customers see a billing descriptor they recognize, which also prevents "I don't recognize this charge" disputes.

No transaction laundering.

We never run your sales through someone else's merchant account.

Full disclosure to banks.

Banks see your real products, website and history. That's what makes an approval last.

Integrations

Plugs into your store. Managed from one portal.

A WooCommerce plugin, plus Magento and Shopify plugins, and a merchant portal for your account.

Merchant portal

Manage your OnCharge account in one place. Existing merchants sign in at app.oncharge.io (opens in a new tab).

API reference Webhooks

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting.

Merchant sign-in

Merchant portal

Sample data

Approved

1,284

Screened

1,412

Alerts

6

Disputes

2

FAQ

Questions about payments and banking

Typically:
- business formation documents and your EIN letter
- ID for each significant owner
- recent business bank statements
- recent processing statements, if you've taken cards before
- a website with clear policies
- product and supplier details
- a voided check or bank letter
Banks can ask for more, depending on your category.
Payments
- Orders are screened before checkout in under 200ms.
- Risky orders can get step-up SMS verification instead of a flat decline.
- Ethoca and Verifi alerts let you refund before a dispute becomes a chargeback.
- Dispute evidence is compiled automatically when one lands.
- Multi-processor routing spreads your volume, and responsive support stops many disputes before they start.
PaymentsSupport
OnCharge is the complete solution for high risk business, across four pillars:
- Marketing: agency ad accounts and compliant campaigns on Meta, Google, Microsoft and TikTok.
- Payments: direct bank partnerships in the USA and internationally, plus our gateway.
- Inventory: sourcing peptides, BAC water and more from partnered US manufacturers, for research use only.
- Customer support: phone, live chat and email.
Use one pillar or all four.

Free consultation

Bring us the no. We'll find where your business fits.

Tell us where you process today and what went wrong.

Approval is subject to partner bank underwriting. The consultation is free.

Where do you process today? (optional)

OnCharge is not a bank. Merchant accounts are provided by our partner banks and are subject to their underwriting.

Stay live. Keep your money moving.

The processor problems you know too well

Frozen funds

Sudden termination

Declines you can't explain

The chargeback spiral

We partner with banks directly, in the USA and internationally

Direct relationships

USA banking

International banking

Any industry

Application preparation

What underwriting actually looks like

Approval isn't guaranteed.

Reserves are common.

Pricing reflects risk.

Timelines vary.

Declines happen.

Follow a payment through OnCharge

Screened.

Catch disputes early. Fight the rest with evidence.

Pre-checkout screening

Step-up SMS verification

Ethoca and Verifi alerts

Customer support

Automated dispute evidence

An alert arrives

The merchant refunds

Chargeback avoided

Card data never touches your servers

Tokenized card data.

Smaller PCI scope.

Hosted and consistent.

Never depend on one processor again

Multi-processor routing.

Crypto payments.

Settled to USD via ACH.

What you'll typically need to apply

Honest applications keep accounts open

Accurate category codes.

Recognizable descriptors.

No transaction laundering.

Full disclosure to banks.

Plugs into your store. Managed from one portal.

Questions about payments and banking

What makes a business "high risk"?

Can you guarantee my merchant account will be approved?

Do you work with banks outside the US?

What documents will I need to apply?

Will I need a reserve, and what does it cost?

How do you help with fraud and chargebacks?

How does your checkout affect PCI compliance?

Will it work with my store, and can I accept crypto?

What does OnCharge do?

Who do you work with?

Is the consultation really free?

Do I need all four pillars?

Bring us the no. We'll find where your business fits.