Guides

High-Risk Payments Guides

Plain-English explainers on the MATCH list, rolling reserves, chargeback thresholds, account terminations and CBUAE payment licensing — written for merchants, reviewed by a named editor.

Illustration for What Is the MATCH List? A Plain-English Explanation

What Is the MATCH List? A Plain-English Explanation

What the Mastercard MATCH list is, how businesses end up on it, how long listings last, and what it means if you are trying…

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Illustration for How to Get Off the MATCH List (And What to Do While You Wait)

How to Get Off the MATCH List (And What to Do While You Wait)

A practical guide to MATCH list removal: who to contact, what evidence helps, realistic timelines, and how to keep processing payments while you work…

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Illustration for Rolling Reserves Explained: What High-Risk Merchants Need to Know

Rolling Reserves Explained: What High-Risk Merchants Need to Know

If you compare high-risk merchant accounts on rate alone, you will pick the wrong one. The reserve is usually the larger number.

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Illustration for High-Risk vs Low-Risk Merchant Accounts: What’s the Difference?

High-Risk vs Low-Risk Merchant Accounts: What’s the Difference?

There is no regulator that designates businesses high-risk. It is a commercial judgement made by acquiring banks — and different acquirers reach different conclusions.

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Illustration for Why Was My Merchant Account Terminated? Common Reasons Explained

Why Was My Merchant Account Terminated? Common Reasons Explained

Termination notices are usually short, vague and cite a contractual right rather than a reason. In practice, terminations cluster into a small number of…

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Illustration for What Chargeback Ratio Triggers Account Termination?

What Chargeback Ratio Triggers Account Termination?

Every merchant in a high-risk category should be able to state their current chargeback ratio without looking it up.

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Illustration for How to Switch Payment Processors Without Disrupting Your Business

How to Switch Payment Processors Without Disrupting Your Business

Most switching disasters come from doing the steps in the wrong order. The sequence below exists to prevent exactly that.

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Illustration for Do You Need a CBUAE Payment Services Licence?

Do You Need a CBUAE Payment Services Licence?

If you are building anything that touches payments in the UAE, this is the question to answer before you build it. The perimeter is…

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