A crypto merchant account enables the acceptance of crypto payments from customers and provides businesses with the ability to hold, buy, and sell cryptocurrency as they see fit.
While this may seem like a straightforward financial account to open, obtaining a crypto merchant account for your business is not an easy task.
In this article, we’re going to share how you can navigate the available options, whether popular European finance hubs like Guernsey, Jersey, the UK, and elsewhere even offer these services, and (if so) how you can successfully open an account.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump ahead to the sections most relevant to you.
Table of Contents
- Cryptocurrency & Crypto Merchant Accounts
- Cryptocurrency Merchant Services
- Crypto Merchant Account Jurisdictions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready to Explore Your Options?
Cryptocurrency & Crypto Merchant Accounts
When it comes to opening crypto merchant accounts, business owners are typically looking for one of two possible outcomes:
1. Crypto Merchant Accounts that Accept Crypto
Crypto merchant accounts allow businesses to receive customer payments in cryptocurrency through online gateways. This includes payment gateways that also support FIAT transactions and credit card payments.
2. Merchant Accounts for Crypto-Related Businesses
Traditional merchant accounts that accept businesses engaged in cryptocurrency-related trade, services, and investments. In other words, business owners are looking for traditional payment processing and payment gateways to receive FIAT payments from their customers.
Not surprisingly, the options that cater to each of these two outcomes are very different. Likewise, the account opening process, the perceived risks involved, and the jurisdictions that business owners can consider are also different.
One major consideration is the jurisdiction of registration and the specific legal entity used for formation. In the world of cryptocurrency, popular options include legal structures in the Cayman Islands, Panama, and other offshore jurisdictions with favorable tax regimes. However, these entities are not the easiest to bank and can cause additional challenges when seeking merchant accounts.
In the next section of this article, we’ll take a closer look at where business owners can open both of the merchant accounts referenced above.
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Cryptocurrency Merchant Services
As mentioned, cryptocurrency merchant services vary depending on the type of business you have and the specific activities your business is involved in. With this in mind, we will discuss several merchant services related to cryptocurrencies followed by jurisdictions you might want to consider below.
Crypto Payment Gateways
Not surprisingly, many payment gateways have started to accept major cryptocurrencies. This has allowed a wide range of traditional businesses to start accepting payments from their customers in cryptocurrency directly, without the need to integrate separate payment processing functionality.
Payment Processing for Crypto Projects
Crypto is still considered high-risk. As a result, the vast majority of businesses involved in crypto still struggle to open bank accounts, not to mention payment processing accounts. As a result, most businesses engaged in cryptocurrency tend to open accounts with banks and payment processors that support high-risk businesses and offshore entities.
Crypto Merchant Account Jurisdictions
If you have a business that is directly involved in cryptocurrency and you’re looking to open crypto merchant accounts, you may want to consider high-risk and offshore service providers.
Not surprisingly, many of the high-risk and offshore merchant service providers are located in offshore jurisdictions. With this in mind, let’s take a look at a few of the jurisdictions where you might find suitable merchant services for your crypto business in Europe.
- Malta
- Lithuania
- Hong Kong
- United Kingdom
However, it’s important to note that many of the large payment processing companies are based in the United States. This includes companies that offer crypto merchant accounts and are willing to onboard businesses involved in related activities. However, they review applications on a case-by-case basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are two of the most common questions that we receive from people interested in Crypto merchant accounts. If you have further questions you would like answered, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
What Is a Crypto Merchant Account?
A crypto merchant account typically refers to an account that lets businesses receive customer payments via a selection of cryptocurrencies. However, it may also refer to a fiat merchant account for companies involved in cryptocurrency-related projects.
Can I Open a Crypto Account For My Business?
In addition to a crypto merchant account, businesses can open a crypto trading account. However, depending on where the business is registered, there may be a wide range of reporting and tax requirements that the business owner should consider before deciding if this is the right decision.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
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