The High-Risk Payments Opportunity

High-risk merchants represent one of the biggest, and most misunderstood, opportunities in merchant services. In this episode of the Merchant Sales Podcast, James Shepherd speaks with Julie Franke, owner of Electronic Merchant Services, about what really defines a high-risk merchant account and how agents can succeed in this specialized segment of the industry. They break down the different types of high-risk classifications, the role of sponsor banks, and why chargebacks, reputation risk, and business structure all impact how accounts are approved. Julie also shares practical strategies for agents looking to enter the high-risk space, including why focusing on a specific vertical is critical, how to manage volume caps and reserves, and where successful agents are actually finding these merchants. Plus, Patti Murphy’s Today in Payments segment covers buy now, pay later regulation, card spending trends, RTP growth, and other key developments shaping the payments industry. If you’re looking for new opportunities beyond traditional merchant accounts, this episode explains how high-risk processing can become a powerful niche.