Ecommerce Merchant Accounts Built for Long-Term Stability

What is an ecommerce merchant account?

An ecommerce merchant account is a special kind of holding account that lets an online business accept credit and debit card payments directly. It connects your website, through a payment gateway, to the card networks and settles funds into your business bank account, typically within 1–2 business days.

How is a merchant account different from Stripe, Square, or Shopify Payments?

Stripe, Square, and Shopify Payments are payment facilitators that place thousands of merchants under a shared umbrella account with minimal review up front. A dedicated merchant account is underwritten individually and placed with a bank that fits your industry. When a processor does no real underwriting up front, the only way they can control risk is by holding your funds or closing accounts after the fact. When underwriting happens up front, the likelihood of surprise account holds, reserves, and closures drops significantly.

How long does ecommerce merchant account approval take?

Most approvals take 1 to 4 business days from the time a complete application and supporting documents are submitted. Some businesses can be approved in as little as a couple of hours.

What does ecommerce credit card processing cost?

Ecommerce processing costs are made up of three layers: interchange + dues and assessments + the processor’s markup. Interchange is set by the card-issuing banks. Dues and assessments are set by the card brands (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) and run roughly 12 basis points plus 2 cents per transaction. The processor’s markup is what varies most between providers. Standard ecommerce interchange averages around 2.3% plus about 10 cents per transaction. A platform like Stripe averages closer to 3.2% all-in once you layer in their markup and ancillary fees. Underwritten merchant accounts are typically less expensive than payment facilitators, and total effective rates vary by card mix, industry, and volume.

Can I keep my current gateway or shopping cart?

In most cases, yes. Easy Pay Direct connects to 500+ platforms and supports modern integration paths through our open API, MCP server, and SDK, so you can build the connection the way that fits your stack, including no-code workflows.

What is PCI compliance, and does Easy Pay Direct handle it?

PCI DSS, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, is the data security standard every business accepting credit cards must meet. EPD Commerce is Level 1 PCI compliant and SOC 2, and we provide the required self-assessment questionnaire for each merchant account so you can maintain compliance as your stack changes.

Why might my business be considered high-risk?

If the card isn’t present during the transaction, you’re already on the risk spectrum, and almost all ecommerce is card-not-present. From there, two factors push businesses further into “high-risk” territory: operating in an industry with above-average chargeback potential, and being clumped in with less-credible competitors in your vertical. That means a business can be flagged as high-risk even with clean chargeback numbers, simply because of the industry it operates in. Working with the right processor and back-end bank that specializes in your vertical is what makes the difference. See the full high-risk guide at /merchant-accounts/high-risk-credit-card-processing/.

Do you work with businesses outside the United States?

Easy Pay Direct supports merchants in the US, UK, and Canada, with select options for EU merchants. Contact us for international processing at /talk-to-support/.

Can a startup or new ecommerce business get approved?

Yes. New businesses can be approved, though banks prefer to see processing history when it exists. If you’re pre-revenue, we’ll walk you through your options and, where needed, start you with a structure that can scale into a full account as you grow.

What happens if my current processor has already held or closed my account?

That’s one of the most common reasons merchants come to us. Bring any closure notice, reserve letter, or statement you have, that context often speeds up approval because it helps us place you with the right processor and back-end bank the first time.