CBD, Delta-8, Delta-9 hemp, and cannabinoid retail processing that does not get terminated.
Hemp-derived cannabinoid retail is high-risk by classification. We place direct merchant accounts with banks that accept CBD and hemp products, including Delta-8 and federally-compliant Delta-9 derived from hemp at under 0.3% THC.
The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp-derived cannabinoids federally legal at under 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight, but most processors still classify the entire vertical as high-risk. State law adds another layer: Delta-8, Delta-9 hemp gummies, and HHC products are restricted or banned in roughly 20 states as of 2026, and the regulatory landscape changes by quarter. We place CBD and hemp dispensary merchants with banks that openly accept the vertical, structure pricing around 3.5-4.2% effective for card-present retail, and keep the underwriting file current on FDA, state-AG, and DEA rule changes so the account does not get terminated when the policy shifts.
Both have limited CBD programs that exclude high-cannabinoid products and Delta-8/Delta-9 hemp. Even within the approved program, accounts get reviewed quarterly and terminated when SKUs drift outside policy. Direct merchant accounts at hemp-friendly acquirers are the stable path for any retailer carrying the full hemp cannabinoid mix.
State-legal cannabis is federally illegal (Schedule I), and no Visa or Mastercard processor will write that account. Cannabis retailers run on cashless ATM, ACH, or PIN-debit-only solutions. We do not write state-legal cannabis accounts. Hemp-derived cannabinoids under 0.3% Delta-9 THC are a different product class and we do underwrite those.
Online CBD/hemp shipping is permitted in most states but banned or restricted in roughly 20. Your online checkout has to enforce ship-to state restrictions at the cart level, log COAs against orders, and apply age verification. We integrate with WooCommerce, Shopify (limited), and BigCommerce on hemp-permitted gateway configurations.