Credit card processing for high-risk businesses
High-risk industries face higher decline rates, strict documentation requirements and higher processing costs. With the right acquirer and smart routing, card processing becomes stable and cost-effective.
High-risk processing is not like standard processing
The same participants — issuing bank, card network, acquiring bank — but with extra layers of monitoring, control and financial guarantees.
Many issuing banks block sensitive MCCs (gambling, forex, adult), lowering the payment approval rate.
Stricter underwriting, periodic account reviews and close monitoring of the chargeback rate.
High-risk categories we process
Dedicated payment flows, matching acquirers and chargeback management for the verticals banks consider high-risk.
Gambling & iGaming
Processing for online gambling operators, with optimised routing and compliance for 79xx MCCs.
Forex & trading
Payment solutions for brokers and trading platforms, with chargeback handling and compliance requirements.
Crypto & digital assets
Payment acceptance for exchanges and crypto services, with stable routing and anti-fraud checks.
Adult content & services
Discreet, stable processing for adult content platforms, with clear statement descriptors.
eBooks
Processing for eBook sales, with clear descriptors and proof of digital delivery to defend disputes.
Travel & tourism agencies
Handling pre-authorisations, remote bookings and the chargebacks specific to the travel sector.
Dropshipping & e-commerce
Structuring the account correctly to keep processing stable long-term in the dropshipping model.
Pharmacies & food supplements
Card acceptance for online pharmacies and food supplement stores, with checks on which product categories are allowed.
Availability of each category depends on the merchant profile and on applicable law. Check with the RONPay team which industries can actually be onboarded.
How we maximise transaction approval
A 5 - 10% difference in approval rate can have a significant impact on revenue. These are the factors we optimise.
Specialist MCC
Acquirers with Merchant Category Codes pre-approved for your industry, to avoid being blocked by issuers.
3D Secure 2.0
Reduces declines based on suspected fraud and shifts chargeback liability to the issuing bank for authenticated transactions.
Smart routing
Routing the transaction to the acquirer most likely to approve it, based on card BIN, issuer country and history.
Managed retries
For declined transactions, retrying with adjusted parameters (different acquirer, different time) recovers part of the lost sales.
Local currency processing
Processing in the cardholder's currency improves approval by removing conversion costs charged by the issuer.
BIN checking
Identifying high-risk cards and applying risk filters before authorisation.
Keep chargebacks below the thresholds
High chargeback rates lead to penalties and, ultimately, to losing your processing contract. Prevention is essential.
Clear statement descriptors
A recognisable descriptor reduces “I don't recognise this charge” disputes, the most common cause of chargebacks.
Early alerts
Early chargeback alert systems, so you can act before the dispute is registered.
3D Secure 2.0
Authenticating transactions transfers liability to the issuer and reduces authorised fraud.
Fast dispute response
Representment with complete documentation and fast refund processing to limit losses.
Network thresholds: Visa monitors from a 1% chargeback rate (above ~100 chargebacks/month), Mastercard from 1.5% (the MATCH programme). Indicative values — network standard.
Transparent IC++ pricing
Unlike blended pricing (a single rate for every card), the IC++ model shows each component separately.
Interchange
The fee set by the card networks and paid to the issuing bank. It varies by card type (debit, credit, premium) and geography.
Scheme fees
The card network's own fees (Visa / Mastercard), billed transparently, with no opaque markup.
Processor margin
The fee added by the processor — the only negotiable component. Within the IC++ model, the RONPay markup starts from 0.79%.
Rolling reserve: a temporary 5 - 15% hold, usually released after 90 - 180 days — a guarantee, not a permanent cost. The exact rate and duration are set for your account.
High-risk processing, optimised
Answers about high-risk processing
What approval rate can high-risk businesses expect?
Well-optimized high-risk businesses, with specialized acquirers, reach approval rates of 80 - 92%. Lower rates usually indicate acquirer or routing problems. RONPay optimizes routing to maximize approval for each category.
How can I reduce chargebacks in my high-risk business?
Implement 3D Secure 2.0, use clear statement descriptors, set up early chargeback alerts, respond quickly to disputes with complete documentation and process refunds promptly. For subscriptions, send renewal notifications before billing.
What is the typical price for high-risk processing?
Pricing follows the IC++ model: the processor margin starts from 0.79%, on top of the card networks' interchange and scheme fees. Interchange varies by card type and geographic region. A rolling reserve of 5 - 15% usually applies to new accounts.
What does MCC mean and how does it affect high-risk processing?
An MCC (Merchant Category Code) is a 4-digit code assigned to the business that identifies its industry. MCCs for gambling, forex and adult content can be blocked by many issuers. An acquirer with MCCs pre-approved for your industry maximizes approval rates.
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