Got questions?

Banks and card networks classify a business as emerging-risk based on industry, regulatory uncertainty, elevated chargeback ratios, societal perception, credit history, or fraud exposure. These factors are used to determine statistical likelihood of financial loss.

With a complete application package, most accounts are approved within 24 to 48 hours. More complex accounts in heavily regulated industries may require 3–5 business days for full underwriting.

Typically: a government-issued business license, three months of bank or financial statements, previous processing history (if applicable), articles of incorporation or formation, and photo ID for all owners with 25%+ stake. Additional documents may be required for industries like CBD or cannabis.

A Merchant ID is a unique identifier assigned to your business by your acquiring bank. Unlike payment aggregators (Stripe, Square) that pool you under their MID, BIG gets you your own dedicated MID — giving you more stability, higher limits, and direct accountability.

No. BIG charges no setup fees and no application fees. You pay only when you process — full transparency on every rate and term before you sign.

No. BIG's core promise is that the rate we quote is the rate you keep — forever. We do not do annual rate adjustments, introductory pricing bait-and-switch, or hidden fees added after signing.

Yes — emerging-industry processing does cost more than standard merchant accounts in most cases. BIG keeps it transparent: you avoid the inflated 'fluff fees' and hidden markups common in the industry, and you'll always know exactly what you're paying and why.

Pricing depends on your industry, processing history, dispute exposure, and volume — so we build a custom proposal and walk you through every line item before you sign. No teaser rates, no hidden markups, no junk fees.

Reserves are used only when banking partners require them based on factors like vertical, volume, and dispute rates. We set expectations for reserve levels and release timelines from day one and work to reduce or remove reserves as your performance improves.

Funding timelines vary by program. You'll receive a clear schedule in your proposal so cash flow is predictable. Many merchants receive deposits on a daily or two-day cycle once live.

BIG's risk team monitors your account proactively. If a flag occurs we work directly with your acquiring bank to resolve the issue before it impacts your cash flow. You'll have a dedicated contact who knows your account.

Yes. MATCH list placement doesn't automatically disqualify you. Transparency and thorough documentation are key. Our team works with you to build the strongest possible application and present it to banks in our network with MATCH experience.

Aggregators like Stripe and PayPal use automated underwriting that flags entire industries, even when individual businesses are fully compliant. A dedicated merchant account through BIG is underwritten specifically for your business model — far greater stability.

A chargeback occurs when a customer disputes a transaction with their card issuer and the funds are reversed. Card networks set thresholds (typically 1% for Visa). BIG provides real-time chargeback monitoring, alerts, and representment support to keep your ratio well below those limits.

The MATCH list (formerly the Terminated Merchant File, or TMF) is a database maintained by Mastercard listing merchants whose accounts have been terminated for cause. Being on the MATCH list can make it difficult to get approved, but BIG has placed merchants with MATCH history through proper documentation and banking relationships.

Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex), ACH and eCheck, cryptocurrency and stablecoins, mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), and recurring/subscription billing.

ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing allows you to accept payments directly from a customer's bank account, bypassing card networks. Lower processing fees and reduced chargeback exposure — well-suited for recurring billing, B2B, and high-ticket purchases.

Yes. BIG offers cryptocurrency and stablecoin rails for Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, and other digital assets. Crypto payments eliminate chargebacks entirely, settle instantly, and open a new customer base.

A payment gateway securely transmits card data between your website or POS and the acquiring bank. If you sell online or take card-not-present payments, you need a gateway. BIG integrates with multiple emerging-industry-friendly gateways.

Yes. BIG supports tokenized card vaulting for recurring and subscription billing. Customer card data is stored encrypted in the vault — you never handle raw card numbers.

BIG integrates with most major eCommerce platforms including Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, and Wix, and gateways including NMI, Authorize.net, and USAePay. Contact us and we'll confirm compatibility before you apply.

Despite the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp-derived CBD federally, most banks and card networks still classify it as emerging-risk due to regulatory uncertainty, FDA restrictions on health claims, state-by-state label variation, elevated chargeback potential, and product-quality concerns.

CBD (hemp-derived, less than 0.3% THC) can be processed through specialized card networks under the right merchant account. Cannabis (including THC products) cannot be processed via Visa or Mastercard due to Schedule I federal status — alternative payment methods like ACH, crypto, or cashless ATM are used instead.

Business license and owner ID, full product list and SKUs, website with compliant disclaimers and posted Certificates of Analysis (COAs), documented refund and shipping policies, age verification policy, supplier/manufacturer info, and any state-specific permits.

Typically 2–5 business days when all documentation is submitted and complete. BIG's team reviews applications personally and may reach out for clarification to accelerate the process.

No. Credit card networks prohibit processing for cannabis-derived THC products. Only hemp-derived CBD compliant with the Farm Bill's definition qualifies for card processing. Dual-product businesses must use separate processing methods.

BIG supports integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Wix, and custom-built eCommerce sites. Our gateways (NMI, Authorize.net, USAePay) offer developer APIs and pre-built plugins for rapid integration.

PCI DSS compliance is required for any business accepting card payments. BIG provides guidance on your compliance requirements, and our gateway solutions include tokenization and encryption tools that simplify the process significantly.

AVS and CVV validation, velocity controls, device fingerprinting, 3D Secure authentication, and real-time fraud scoring. These layers work together to block fraudulent orders before they become chargebacks.

Yes. BIG's eCommerce gateways support multi-currency processing. Currency conversion and settlement options are configurable based on your business needs.

A hosted payment page is a checkout managed by your payment gateway rather than your own server. Because card data never touches your servers, PCI scope is dramatically reduced.