If you’re a business selling THCA flower, tinctures, concentrates, or pre-rolls, you’ve probably realized that even though the product is federally legal, most payment processors still treat you like you’re selling marijuana.
We work with retailers, online sellers, and wholesalers who are navigating the hemp space and need reliable, legal, and fair credit card processing solutions for THCA. Whether you run a smoke shop, CBD store, or ecommerce site, we’ll help you secure a stable high-risk merchant account tailored specifically to the THC-A industry.
Let’s walk through what makes THC-a unique, why it’s so tricky to get approved, and how we make the entire process easier for you. Its so easy just apply online to get started and you will be typically running in 1-2 business days.
THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, is the non-psychoactive precursor to THC—the cannabinoid responsible for cannabis’s euphoric effects. THCA is abundant in raw cannabis and hemp flower but does not cause a high on its own.
However, when heated (via smoking, vaping, or baking), THCA undergoes decarboxylation, converting into delta-9 THC. This makes THCA flower and concentrates highly attractive to consumers who want the effects of THC but want to stay within the boundaries of hemp law.
Here’s the key point: as long as your THCA product contains less than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight, it is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. That means THCA flower, despite being chemically similar to marijuana once activated, is treated as a legal hemp product—at least on paper.
While THCA is legal in many jurisdictions, it presents a challenge for payment processors. Most banks and card networks see THCA as a legal gray area—and treat it like marijuana regardless of the lab reports or COAs. The same requirements for COA apply to Delta-8 and Delta-10 products too.
Here’s why:
It converts into delta-9 THC when smoked, which means most regulators and banks view the intended use as psychoactive
THCA flower is often indistinguishable from marijuana flower in appearance and smell, making it a law enforcement headache
State laws vary wildly—some permit THCA openly, others restrict it heavily, and many haven’t addressed it at all
The FDA hasn’t issued clear regulatory guidance for THCA in consumer products
Mainstream processors are worried about chargebacks, age-restricted sales, and reputational risk
The result? Shopify Payments, Stripe, PayPal, Square, and most ISOs will deny, auptly close, cancel, freeze, or shut down any merchant selling THCA—even if you’re 100% compliant with federal hemp regulations.
We support a wide range of merchants selling THCA and other hemp-derived cannabinoids:
Brick-and-mortar smoke shops and vape stores
CBD and wellness retailers
Online hemp dispensaries and ecommerce sellers
Wholesalers and white-label ands
Ecommerce businesses selling THCA flower, tinctures, gummies, vape cartridges, wax, and crumble
Whether you’re selling direct-to-consumer or wholesale, we’ll match you with a processor that understands THCA and is equipped to handle your business model.
We work with banks and gateways that specialize in hemp and cannabis-adjacent products. These are domestic solutions—not overseas shell companies—and they are designed to give you long-term stability.
You’ll get:
A high-risk merchant account underwritten for THCA
Domestic processing with fast deposits (often next-day funding)
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Chargeback monitoring and support
PCI-compliant gateway integration with your website or POS
We know this space inside and out. We don’t just fill out applications—we coach you through every step to make sure your website, policies, and product descriptions are fully compliant before the application ever hits an underwriter’s desk.
If you’re running a retail store, we’ll get you set up with a countertop POS or mobile-friendly terminal that works seamlessly with your product catalog and workflow. We offer smart terminals like Clover and PAX that make in-store sales fast and easy.
If you’re selling online, we’ll integrate you with:
NMI gateway – Ideal for THCA ecommerce with full API access and customizable checkout flows
Authorize.net – Compatible with many shopping carts (when paired with the right high-risk ISO)
USAePay – Great for recurring sales and full reporting
You can connect your gateway to WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, and other platforms. If you're on Shopify, we'll help you route payments through an approved external gateway to stay compliant.
Approvals for THCA merchant accounts are fast—but you’ll need to have your documents and policies in order. Here’s what we ask for:
Business formation docs (LLC, EIN, Articles of Organization)
A valid photo ID
Your website URL (if applicable)
COAs (Certificates of Analysis) for all THCA products
A business bank account
Voided check or bank letter
Website compliance items (privacy policy, refund policy, terms of service, age gate)
If you’re missing any of these, we’ll help you get them together. Our goal is to make this as simple and smooth as possible.
You’re probably aware that high-risk processing comes with slightly higher rates than low-risk retail. But that doesn’t mean you have to overpay. We work with multiple processors and tailor pricing based on your volume, average ticket size, and risk level.
To keep your fees and risk low, we recommend:
Adding detailed product descriptions and shipping times to reduce disputes
Posting a clear refund policy and terms of service
Using real-time tracking and delivery confirmation
Avoiding medical claims or unverifiable language
Keeping chargebacks below 1%
With clean operations and good reporting, many THCA merchants we work with process in the 3.95% to 5.5% range with little to no rolling reserve.
THCA is one of the fastest-growing categories in the hemp industry. Consumers love it. Demand is rising. But most payment processors don’t know how to handle it—and that leaves too many sellers vulnerable to frozen funds, surprise shutdowns, and rejected applications.
We’re here to help you avoid all that.
We don’t just accept THCA—we welcome it. If you’re ready to get approved and start accepting credit cards in-store or online, we’ll walk you through everything you need to succeed. No guessing. No loopholes. No sketchy offshore setups.
Upload two months of your merchant statements or contact us directly for a free quote. We’ll review your business and show you exactly what it takes to get approved—and how much you could save in fees.
Let’s get your THCA merchant account approved and put your business on solid ground.