Shopify’s List of Payment Gateway Providers

As a platform that hosts new businesses and helps merchants sell their online goods, Shopify strives to provide all the resources you’ll need to run your shop. In the case of a CBD payment gateway or gateways for other high risk industries, Shopify won’t supply a merchant account directly so they have a list of third-party companies as possible options.

Important Note: Shopify’s Payment Gateway list is NOT exhaustive.

Shopify explicitly states, “Merchants are not limited to the recommended list of payment providers.” Moreover, the list describes companies that Shopify has partnered with in some aspect. In this case, Shopify is likely taking a percentage of processing costs from any customer that uses one of those services. So using a provider outside the list can save you critical costs on payment processing.

As long as the third-party provider you choose has integration and accepts your business, then you’re good to go. Companies like Signature Payments, for example, have easy-to-implement Shopify gateway integrations and can beat the rates of the providers you see on this list.

CBD Merchant Account Shopify

Shopify recognizes the changing laws and regulations in the CBD industry. In turn, they allow certain types of CBD-related businesses to sell merchandise and assorted products through their platform. But they do have limitations on the types of CBD or hemp-related items you sell using the Shopify Payments service.

Simply put, they don’t allow you to open a CBD merchant account through Shopify. They recommend contacting third-party providers and using alternative merchant account companies to set up your credit card processing services.

What about hemp-derived products?

As mentioned before, Shopify is risk-averse. They stay within their legal limits when it comes to providing merchant accounts for hemp-related companies. So what exactly do they mean by hemp?

The term “hemp,” As defined by the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946,  – “means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

This definition is still in use today, and the critical part to know is that your hemp products must have less than 0.3% THC. Even the best CBD payment processing companies will ask for Certificates of Analysis or COAs to show that the products you’re selling are within the parameters allowed by federal regulations.

CBD, Hemp & Delta 8 Merchant Accounts

With different types of strands and ways to extract CBD and hemp ingredients, finding a payment solution that knows the specifics is essential.

Whether you’re looking for a cannabis, CBD, or Delta 8 merchant account, your high risk merchant account should be able to navigate your web store and describe what products are allowed or restricted.

Accepting Debit & Credit Cards

On Shopify’s payment page, they go on to add that you must follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the ones enforced in the different areas your customers reside. Lastly, they explicitly say that CBD cannot be derived from marijuana.

Remember, selling products on their site and utilizing a merchant account is very different. To accept credit cards or make direct debit transactions, you’ll have to find a high risk payment gateway for your Shopify hemp store.