Applying for a merchant bank account

You must apply for a merchant bank account. The merchant bank is where all the credit card transactions are verified. You can find a list of financial institutions using the authorization gateway website. However, before contacting a merchant bank, check with your bank to see if it is compatible with the authorization gateway.

Every organization accepting online credit card transactions must have a merchant account with an acquiring financial institution.

The acquiring financial institution deposits the daily credit card sales into the merchant’s account after deducting applicable fees. Some acquiring financial institutions perform merchant services in-house; others outsource these functions to a third-party processor. These services may include billing, customer service, reporting, authorization, and settlement services for merchants. A third-party processor is a company that provides credit card services to merchants on behalf of acquiring financial institutions.