CBD payment processing
that stays switched on
Legal at the federal level, banned at the checkout — CBD brands know the contradiction well. Sterling Ridge places hemp-derived CBD merchants with acquiring banks that accept the category explicitly, with compliant billing for tinctures, topicals, and subscriptions.
No surprises. No shutdowns. No stress.
HIPAA-ready checkout
PHI never touches your servers
A+BBB RatingAccredited Business
4.8/5GoogleCustomer reviews
4.5/5MetaCustomer reviews
5/5Merchant MaverickExpert review
Top RatedTop Credit Card Processors2026
#2,150Inc. 5000Fastest growing
Why cbd merchants
outgrow mainstream processors
These aren't edge cases — they're the predictable failure modes of processors that were never built for your category.
Legal product, prohibited checkout
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp-derived CBD, but Stripe, PayPal, and Square still prohibit or restrict it. Brands launch on a mainstream account and lose it the moment a review sees "CBD" on the site.
The gray-market processor trap
Desperate merchants end up on offshore or miscoded accounts with 6–8% rates, week-long settlements, and zero stability. When it collapses, the mislabeled processing history makes the next approval harder.
Compliance burden lands on you
THC thresholds, COAs, labeling, state-by-state rules — acquiring banks want it documented properly, and mainstream processors offer no help getting there.
Key features built for
cbd merchants
Everything below is included with your account — no add-on modules, no upsells.
Banks that accept CBD explicitly
Your account is placed with acquiring partners whose policies name hemp-derived CBD as accepted — approval that doesn't dissolve at the first review.
COA-based compliance onboarding
We package your certificates of analysis, THC compliance, and labeling into the file format banks expect, first time.
Correct merchant coding
Coded and priced honestly as CBD — no miscoding that puts your account and processing history at risk.
Subscription billing for repeat buyers
Tinctures and softgels are replenishment products. Recurring billing with retry logic turns repeat buyers into stable monthly revenue.
Fair, transparent high-risk pricing
Sustainable CBD rates with no hidden padding — a fraction of what gray-market processors charge for unstable service.
ACH as a second rail
Add Sterling ACH at checkout for a card-independent payment path that also cuts fees on larger wholesale orders.
Sterling Ridge vs
standard processors
Swipe horizontally to compare →
| What you get | Sterling Ridge | Standard processors |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts hemp-derived CBD merchants | ||
| Explicit bank policies — not "don't ask, don't tell" | ||
| COA & compliance onboarding support | ||
| Subscription billing for CBD products | ||
| Honest merchant category coding | ||
| Stable processing without surprise shutdowns | ||
| Dedicated account manager | ||
| Accepts major credit cards |
Your trusted cbd
payments partner
Upfront underwriting instead of surprise shutdowns, 25+ acquiring banks instead of a single point of failure, and a dedicated account manager who knows your file by name. That's why cbd merchants stay with us for years.
Approval rate
Acquiring bank partners
Next-day funding
High-risk approval time
CBD sub-verticals
we serve every day
Ready to process as a
cbd merchant?
Tell us about your business and a payment specialist who knows your industry will reach out — usually the same day.
- 99% of applicants approved
- Same-day review for most files
- No long-term contracts or hidden fees
- Prior shutdowns don't disqualify you
Get Started
Start accepting payments as a cbd merchant — no contracts or hidden fees.
You're in good company
with our processing services
“Sterling ACH has helped to significantly reduce the number of checks we have to put in the mail, which has saved us on postage and time spent.”
“Sterling Merchant has been a great asset to our organization for the past 5 years. They are always quick to respond and a pleasure to work with.”
“Sterling Merchant has been great at keeping our payment processing fees at an absolute minimum.”
“Thanks to the insightful advice and great service offered by the team at Sterling Merchant, our ecommerce business operates more efficiently.”
“eCheck verification has reduced returned checks for our clients by 63%, resulting in thousands saved on bank fees. They also offer A+ developer support!”
“Very reliable verification and great customer service. Customer support is always responsive and available.”
“We have over 90 locations and Sterling Ridge helps us collect our money faster, easier and more efficiently.”
“Sterling ACH has helped to significantly reduce the number of checks we have to put in the mail, which has saved us on postage and time spent.”
“Sterling Merchant has been a great asset to our organization for the past 5 years. They are always quick to respond and a pleasure to work with.”
“Sterling Merchant has been great at keeping our payment processing fees at an absolute minimum.”
“Thanks to the insightful advice and great service offered by the team at Sterling Merchant, our ecommerce business operates more efficiently.”
“eCheck verification has reduced returned checks for our clients by 63%, resulting in thousands saved on bank fees. They also offer A+ developer support!”
“Very reliable verification and great customer service. Customer support is always responsive and available.”
“We have over 90 locations and Sterling Ridge helps us collect our money faster, easier and more efficiently.”
“Excellent service! Sending invoices with Sterling ACH has significantly reduced A/R by letting our customers pay online.”
“Sterling Ridge helped us solve one of the crucial problems we were having as a business: recurring payment to vendors.”
“Sterling ACH allows us to easily request one-time and recurring rent payments from our tenants.”
“Sterling Ridge has made it easy for our business to receive funds the next day from our clients.”
“Every small business needs Sterling ACH! It has allowed me to send and receive payments quickly, securely, and reliably.”
“Sterling Ridge has been an invaluable addition to our company. It has drastically reduced the time to receive funds.”
“Excellent service! Sending invoices with Sterling ACH has significantly reduced A/R by letting our customers pay online.”
“Sterling Ridge helped us solve one of the crucial problems we were having as a business: recurring payment to vendors.”
“Sterling ACH allows us to easily request one-time and recurring rent payments from our tenants.”
“Sterling Ridge has made it easy for our business to receive funds the next day from our clients.”
“Every small business needs Sterling ACH! It has allowed me to send and receive payments quickly, securely, and reliably.”
“Sterling Ridge has been an invaluable addition to our company. It has drastically reduced the time to receive funds.”
Trusted by thousands of businesses and entrepreneurs across 60+ industries
CBD merchants ask,
we answer.
Hemp-derived CBD under 0.3% THC is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, with state-level variations. The barrier isn't legality — it's that mainstream processors prohibit the category. We place you with banks that accept it explicitly.
Industries we serve
beyond yours
60+ verticals, one processor that says yes.
Your industry isn't a problem.
It's our specialty.
Get approved as a cbd merchant and start processing within days — not months.
Get started with Sterling RidgeNo long-term contracts · No setup fees · No cancellation fees