A High-risk merchant account is a merchant account service provided to internet merchants that have been declared "high-risk" by Visa and MasterCard. This is owing to the nature of their businesses, that have a high credit rate or a high turnover but also, an increased risk of fraud.

Characteristically, it's very hard for high risk and non-US businesses to obtain a merchant account. High risk merchant accounts offered by different service providers allow International Merchants to privately process their credit card transactions and have the proceeds sent to an offshore bank account. The fees are higher for offshore/high risk credit card processing.

Credit card processors are likely to reject you if your business is considered high-risk. The aim is to locate a credit card processor that gets you approved and has you up and accepting credit cards quickly and efficiently, with either a high risk merchant account or an international merchant account.

Examples of high risk businesses include pharmaceuticals, telemarketing, infomercials, travel industries, online dating, etc. Some of these are considered more high risk than others. So a merchant account provider allowing telemarketing Merchants in its high risk merchant account network may not allow online casino or adult merchants due to their credit limit.

An established provider of High Risk Merchant account for businesses must have the following features:
- No volume caps
- Online Payment Gateway
- Virtual online terminal for manual entries
- 24/7 real-time online reporting
- Cards accepted - Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
- Multi-currency feature
- Pay-outs every week
- Pay-outs are sent to offshore or international banks.
- Merchant accounts can be set up for offshore companies.

Since high risk merchant accounts are usually set up with offshore acquirers, the opening and operating requirements are less stringent and completely tax free. So obtain an online merchant account and accept credit cards worldwide.