High Wire Payments Overview
High Wire Payments Overview, Pricing, and Answers
This guide gives a clear summary of High Wire Payments and how a merchant account with a direct bank sponsor works for complex products. It covers services, pricing structure, onboarding, and common questions in plain language.
What High Wire Payments Is
High Wire Payments is a merchant services provider that places high risk and specialty businesses with compliant acquiring banks. You get a true merchant account in your business name with a gateway for card and alternative payments. The setup is built to handle items that common aggregators reject.
Typical use cases include CBD, hemp, botanicals, nutraceuticals, devices, subscriptions with elevated chargeback exposure, and similar categories that need bank level compliance and underwriting.
How It Works
- Discovery call and product review to confirm fit and bank appetite.
- Underwriting checklist with business documents and site review.
- Bank approval with account parameters such as ticket size and monthly volume.
- Gateway connection and test transactions for live processing.
- Monitoring and support for chargebacks, refunds, and updates.
Pricing Overview
Pricing is interchange plus with monthly fees that reflect category risk and support level. Final terms depend on product, ticket size, processing history, and chargeback controls.
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Per transaction | Interchange plus a small markup in basis points and a per item fee |
| Monthly | Gateway and account fees for reporting, risk tools, and support |
| Reserve | May apply based on risk profile and history to protect against losses |
| Chargebacks | Standard network dispute fees and representation support |
You receive a written breakdown before you go live. There are no surprise fees added after approval. If you want a sample quote, ask and share your last two statements.
Who This Fits Best
Brands with compliance needs
Products that require labels, testing, and site language that match bank policy.
Growing stores
Online sellers that outgrew an aggregator and want stable volume at better cost.
Subscription or high ticket
Recurring or larger orders that need custom risk settings and support.
How It Compares To Aggregators
| Topic | High Wire merchant account | Common aggregator account |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Your own merchant ID with bank sponsor | Shared account under aggregator master ID |
| Risk policy | Bank policy that can be tailored per category | Fixed rules that often exclude complex items |
| Pricing | Interchange plus with itemized fees | Flat rate that can be higher for risk |
| Stability | Stronger when products and site stay compliant | More sudden holds if triggers appear |
| Chargebacks | Direct representation through the bank | Limited tools and slower response |
Website Checklist Before You Apply
- Full product list with clear descriptions and lab results if required.
- Accurate policies for shipping, returns, privacy, and terms of service.
- Age gate where needed and restricted state list when relevant.
- Contact page with business email and address.
- No claims that imply medical outcomes or unapproved benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents should I prepare
How long does approval take
Can I use my current gateway
What if I had an account shutdown before
Ready to see terms for your store
Share two recent processing statements or expected volume and average ticket. You will get a clean breakdown in simple language.
Apply Directly
This short form sends your info to Leah for review. You will receive a reply with next steps.