Selling around cannabis without banking in circles.

Most cannabis-adjacent retail businesses have already been turned down by at least one processor before they find us — usually over the category alone, not their actual history. Bank froze funds over the category name alone. It’s a common frustration, and it’s exactly why we review your business case-by-case instead of issuing a blanket decline.

Get my retail account reviewed — 2 Minute Approval

No sales call required to apply. Free terminal placement for qualifying merchants. Same-day and next-day funding available.

How it works for cannabis-adjacent retail

Built around how cannabis-adjacent retail businesses actually get paid

How you get paid

Your payment pattern

Accessories and paraphernalia retail, where banks stay cautious even with no plant-touching product.

What we look for to get you approved

Key approval factors

Your product catalog composition (accessories vs. plant-touching) and state licensing if applicable.

Application speed

About two minutes to apply

2-Minute Instant Boarding: Move through identity verification and start accepting payments in as little as two minutes.

How self-signup works

From application to accepting payments

Application

Tell us about your cannabis-adjacent retail business — structure, estimated volume, and contact info. Takes about two minutes.

Underwriting Review

We review your business against the specific factors that matter for cannabis-adjacent retail — not a generic checklist.

Approval & Setup

Once approved, your dedicated Merchant ID is issued and your terminal or gateway is configured and ready to take payments.

Have this ready

Documents to have on hand before you apply

Having these ready up front is the single biggest thing you can do to speed up underwriting review.

Business license
Product catalog/SKU list
Age-verification process documentation for any age-restricted products you carry

Locally owned and based in Gulf Shores, Alabama — PayWavez works one-on-one with cannabis-adjacent retail merchants instead of routing you through a call center.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How fast is approval?

2-Minute Instant Boarding: Move through identity verification and start accepting payments in as little as two minutes.

Bank froze funds over the category name alone.

A frozen account triggered by a category name rather than the actual product mix is exactly the kind of blanket decline this specialty exists to fix — a clear SKU list showing no plant-touching inventory is often all it takes to get a fair review.

Can PayWavez actually board a CBD business, or will I get shut off again?

Hemp-derived CBD businesses can be underwritten when the products meet federal hemp requirements and you can document that with lab reports and supplier paperwork. It is reviewed file by file, so nobody should tell you yes before seeing your documentation. Plant-touching marijuana operations are a separate category and are not treated the same way as hemp-derived CBD.

Why did my last processor close my account with no warning?

The most common reason is that the account was boarded under a business description or category code that did not match what was actually being sold, often through an aggregator that never underwrote the file properly. When the mismatch surfaces, the account is closed rather than repriced. Boarding under an accurate description from day one is what prevents it.

What documentation do I need to have ready?

Certificates of analysis for the products you sell, your hemp license or your supplier's documentation, your business formation documents and EIN, recent processing statements if you have them, and a live website with the product pages you intend to sell from.

Does the wording on my website matter?

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons a file stalls. Claims that a product treats, cures, or prevents a disease create regulatory exposure and will be flagged in underwriting. Reviewing and correcting product copy before you apply is faster than fixing it mid-review.

Will my rate be higher than a regular retail store?

Yes. Higher-risk categories carry more underwriting and chargeback exposure and are priced accordingly. You get the actual rate for your file in writing before you sign — we do not quote a standard retail rate and then reprice after boarding.

How long does underwriting take for this category?

Identity verification is fast, but a hemp or CBD file also goes through document review, and that timeline depends almost entirely on how complete your paperwork is when you submit it. Incomplete lab documentation is the single biggest cause of delay.

Get my retail account reviewed

Apply online in about two minutes. No sales call, no obligation.

Apply Now

See every industry PayWavez supports on the High-Risk Specialists directory, including our Standard Industries pages.