Overview
Disclosure first: MerchantCore Payments is a provider we operate directly. It appears on this site alongside independent providers and is assessed against the same criteria, with the same published watch-outs section. Weigh that context alongside everything below.
MerchantCore underwrites a broad slice of the UAE high-risk map — licensed brokerages, virtual asset businesses, travel, supplements, telehealth, subscription platforms and regionally fulfilled e-commerce — and is built around merchants who have already been through a termination. The intake asks for the closure letter and dispute history upfront, because those are the documents that decide the file, and gathering them late is what turns a five-day approval into a three-week one.
Pricing is quoted flat-rate below roughly AED 200,000 a month and interchange-plus above it. Reserve terms are stated in the offer letter, including the step-down schedule, rather than being left to a later conversation.
What they accept
- Merchants previously terminated by another acquirer
- MATCH-listed merchants, subject to the underlying reason code
- Licensed forex and CFD brokerages
- Virtual asset businesses with a documented AML programme
- Travel agencies and tour operators
- Supplements with MOHAP-registered products
- Licensed telehealth platforms
- Subscription, SaaS and recurring billing
- Regionally fulfilled e-commerce
Pricing & terms
| Pricing model | Interchange-plus or flat-rate |
|---|---|
| Rolling reserve | Stated in the offer letter, with a step-down schedule |
| Contract length | Month-to-month |
| Early termination fee | None |
Figures above are the provider’s published or stated terms at the time of review. Final pricing, reserve percentage and hold period are set at underwriting and depend on your volume, ticket size and chargeback history.
Standout feature
Reserve terms — percentage, hold period and step-down schedule — are written into the offer letter rather than negotiated after you have signed, and there is no early termination fee on the month-to-month agreement.
Watch-outs
We operate this provider, so treat our assessment of it with the scepticism you would apply to any first-party claim. It is also not a fit for GCGRA-licensed gaming, gold and precious metals, or off-plan property deposits, and it operates through a licensed partner rather than holding a CBUAE licence directly.
Bottom line
Built for merchants coming off a termination who need terms they can read before they commit. Because we operate it, compare it against at least two independent providers on this list before you decide — that is the point of the comparison.
Get matched with MerchantCore Payments
Frequently asked questions
No. We operate MerchantCore directly, and we earn more when a merchant is approved through it than through a referral to an independent provider. That is disclosed on every page where it appears, and it is the reason we publish the same watch-outs section for it as for everyone else. Read our full ratings methodology for how that is handled.
Sometimes, and it depends on the reason code your acquirer used when they listed you. Listings tied to excessive chargebacks on a business model you have since changed are the most workable. Listings tied to fraud or illegal transactions generally are not.
