High-Risk? Then You Need More Than Just a Payment Processor
In 2025, “high-risk” isn’t just about chargebacks. It’s about law.
CBD laws shift by ZIP code. Kratom is legal in one state and banned in the next. 7-OH is on the FDA’s radar. Some cannabinoids are being scheduled. Some supplements now need testing, licensing, or age validation.
If you’re selling any of these products, the wrong payment processor can kill your business overnight. Not because your product is bad—but because your processor isn’t built to handle legal complexity.
The 2025 Comparison: Who Does What?
Below is a comparison of five widely used high-risk payment processors based on publicly available information about their features and practices.
1. eMerchantBroker (EMB)
🔗 emerchantbroker.com
- What they do: Focuses on quick approvals for high-risk verticals such as adult, credit repair, and e-cigarettes.
- Compliance capabilities: Offers high-risk underwriting, but does not advertise legal enforcement or product-specific compliance tools.
- Support: Uses a volume-based onboarding model.
- Pricing: Monthly fees and reserve requirements are commonly referenced in third-party reviews.
- Best for: Businesses that already manage their own legal compliance and want fast approval.
2. WAAVE
🔗 getwaave.com
- What they do: Specializes in regulated wellness sectors—CBD, kratom, vapes, nutraceuticals.
- Compliance capabilities: Applies federal, state, and city laws automatically before any transaction is approved. Includes keyword scanning, COA validation, and a Red Flag alert system.
- Support: Human-led, compliance-trained support team.
- Pricing: 0% processing promo for 60 days (based on long-term agreement).
- Best for: Wellness businesses seeking legal safeguards and operational continuity.
3. Soar Payments
🔗 soarpay.com
- What they do: Serves newer eCommerce and supplement merchants with a focus on fast setup.
- Compliance capabilities: Based on their site, compliance automation or location-based filtering is not advertised. Merchants are expected to manage legality.
- Support: U.S.-based support team.
- Pricing: Transparent pricing with minimal onboarding friction.
- Best for: New or small businesses in lower-risk supplement verticals.
4. PayKings
🔗 paykings.com
- What they do: Offers high-risk merchant accounts across industries such as CBD, adult, firearms, and credit repair.
- Compliance capabilities: Per their Terms of Use, merchants are responsible for compliance with applicable laws. Tools for enforcing legality or marketing restrictions are not advertised.
- Support: Focuses on high-risk onboarding.
- Pricing: Setup fees, variable rates, and rolling reserves are commonly mentioned in merchant reviews.
- Best for: Sellers managing their own compliance who want broad high-risk coverage.
5. Maverick Payments
🔗 maverickpayments.com
- What they do: U.S.-based payment processor offering high-risk merchant accounts, with emphasis on API integration and in-house support.
- Compliance capabilities: Offers fraud tools, chargeback mitigation, and KYC protocols. However, enforcement of product-level legality (such as cannabinoid restrictions or location-based filtering) is not advertised.
- Support: Managed internally by their U.S.-based team.
- Pricing: Custom quotes based on business type; reserves may apply.
- Best for: Mid-to-large businesses with internal legal or compliance teams.
Processor Comparison Summary
Processor | Compliance Engine | Industry Expertise | Pricing Clarity | Legal Risk Mitigation | Best For |
EMB | ❌ Compliance not enforced | ✅ Broad industries, not wellness-focused | ⚠️ Reserves common | ❌ Merchant must handle risk | Adult, travel, debt relief |
WAAVE | ✅ Enforces federal, state, and city laws at checkout | ✅ CBD, kratom, vapes, supplements | ✅ 0% for 60 days, no onboarding fees | ✅ Includes Red Flag system + banned product filtering | Businesses that want to stay legal and scale |
Soar Payments | ❌ Lacks compliance tools | ⚠️ Entry-level vertical knowledge | ✅ Clear terms | ❌ No legal support or enforcement | Startups & supplements |
PayKings | ❌ Merchant is responsible | ✅ Covers many verticals, less depth per category | ⚠️ Setup fees, varying reserves | ❌ No built-in controls | General high-risk processing |
Maverick Payments | ❌ No product-level legality enforcement | ✅ High-risk (CBD, supplements, adult, more) | ⚠️ Custom quotes. Reserves possible | ❌ Legal compliance not enforced | Merchants managing legal risk internally |
The Legal Gap No One Else Is Closing
Most high-risk processors are focused solely on moving money.
They don’t offer tools to validate whether a transaction aligns with state law or product restrictions. That means if your product or label violates a rule, you bear the risk—not your processor.
WAAVE takes a different approach. It prevents illegal transactions before they occur.
It scans your product listings for problematic claims or terms. It blocks sales of restricted products by ZIP code. It alerts you when regulations in your category shift—giving you time to adapt without interruption.
So, Who’s the Best High-Risk Payment Processor in 2025?
If you sell regulated wellness products and want a processor that helps you stay compliant, operational, and protected, WAAVE is currently the only provider on this list offering:
- Built-in legal enforcement
- Location-based product filtering
- Marketing compliance tools
- Human compliance support
Everyone else just runs your card.
WAAVE helps you run your business—safely and legally.
👉 Book your free compliance walkthrough
