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Financial services

Forex and digital assets merchant accounts

Money services businesses are underwritten on registration, KYC and AML programme quality. The payments question comes second.

Commonly assigned MCC

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The category actually assigned is set by the acquirer at boarding and can differ from these.

The short version

For any business converting or transmitting value, the merchant account is downstream of the licensing. FinCEN registration, state money transmitter licences where applicable, and a documented AML programme are the file. Without them there is no conversation.

With them, the remaining risk is disputes on funded accounts and the irreversibility of what the customer receives — which is why card acceptance in this vertical usually sits alongside ACH and wire rather than replacing them.

What is actually being priced

What underwriting is looking at.

Registration and licensure

FinCEN MSB registration and, depending on model, state money transmitter licences are prerequisites rather than strengths.

Irreversible delivery

Once value is transmitted it cannot be recalled, so a successful dispute is a straight loss and reserves are priced accordingly.

KYC quality is the account

Underwriting reviews your identity verification vendor and thresholds as closely as your financials.

What we put in place

  • Placement with acquirers and banks writing regulated MSB activity
  • Card funding alongside ACH and wire on one reporting surface
  • Fraud rules tuned for account-funding patterns rather than retail
  • Reserve structures negotiated against your KYC quality and history

What underwriting will ask you for

Assemble these before you apply anywhere. The list does not get shorter by waiting, and having it ready is the single biggest thing you control about how long this takes.

  • FinCEN registration and any state licences
  • Your written AML and KYC programme, with vendor names
  • Funding flows and average transaction size
  • Audited or reviewed financials
Why each document is on the list

Tell us about your forex & crypto business.

We will tell you whether a route exists right now, which acquirers are writing the category, and what your file needs before it goes anywhere.