MATCH Listed? Here’s What It Really Costs (and How to Come Back Stronger)

What Happens When You’re MATCHed

Being MATCHed doesn’t just mean losing your processor. It means losing your credibility in the payments ecosystem.

• Mainstream payment providers reject you. Most banks auto-decline any application linked to a MATCH record.

   

• Damaged reputation. Payment partners, investors, and even marketplaces can see your business as unstable.

   

• Persistent records. MATCH data remains active for five years, and some processors keep internal notes even longer.

   

It’s a long shadow that affects every future application, partnership, and payment approval.

Why Merchants Get MATCHed

Most MATCH listings don’t come from fraud — they come from operational or compliance mistakes.
Some of the most common reasons include:

• High chargeback ratios caused by confusing refund or shipping policies.

   

• Selling prohibited or miscategorized products (common in wellness, vape, or supplement industries).

   

• Missing or outdated Certificates of Analysis (COAs) or labeling inconsistencies.

   

• Unverified claims or marketing content that regulators view as misleading.

   

Processors move fast to protect themselves — often before the merchant even understands what went wrong.

The Hidden Lifetime Cost

A MATCH flag freezes your ability to process payments, but its true cost is in the years it steals from your business.
Even after the five-year expiration period, many acquirers require documented proof that you’ve fixed the root causes — and that you can operate under ongoing compliance controls.

For some, this delay means missing product launches, losing customer trust, and halting growth.

The Path to Recovery: WAAVE’s Brand Rehab Program

At WAAVE, we believe that a mistake shouldn’t define your future.
That’s why we built the Brand Rehabilitation Program — a path designed specifically for merchants on the MATCH list.

The program focuses on rebuilding trust, documentation, and lawful operations so you can process again.

Here’s how it works:

1. Assessment: WAAVE reviews your website and product categories for compliance gaps.

    

2. Stabilize: We help you fix red flags — from SKU labeling to shipping policies and checkout descriptors.

    

3. Remediate: You’ll receive tailored compliance guidance, COA verification, and documentation cleanup.

    

4. Prove It: WAAVE monitors your transactions and generates an evidence trail of compliant operations.

    

5. Operate: Once verified, you can process payments again through WAAVE’s compliant infrastructure.

    

It’s not about hiding your past — it’s about proving that your business can operate responsibly and transparently.

The Takeaway

A MATCH flag is serious — but it’s not a permanent sentence.
With the right guidance and documentation, merchants can recover their payment credibility and operate again under clear compliance standards.

WAAVE’s Brand Rehab Program helps high-risk merchants turn that five-year wait into a controlled recovery process — one that protects your business, customers, and reputation.

💡 Ready to rebuild trust and process again?
Join WAAVE’s Brand Rehab Program and start your recovery journey today: