Offshore Merchant Accounts: A Guide for UK & High-Risk Businesses

Published - 09 February 2024

Revised - 30 September 2026

Written or reviewed by Libby James, founder of Merchant Advice Service and specialist in merchant payments and complex provider requirements.

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Offshore Merchant Account vs International Merchant Account

The terms overlap, but they are not necessarily the same thing.

International merchant account

International acquiring is a broad term covering merchant accounts used by businesses operating or accepting payments across different countries.

A UK business might use an international acquirer because it:

• Has customers across several regions

• Operates multiple legal entities

• Requires specialist sector coverage

• Needs acquiring in more than one market

• Wants additional acquiring relationships

• Has complex international payment requirements

Our guide to International Merchant Accounts for High-Risk Businesses explains this wider structure.

Offshore merchant account

An offshore merchant account usually refers more specifically to an acquiring relationship outside the merchant's principal domestic jurisdiction.

The important distinction is that an offshore merchant account is a type of international acquiring arrangement, not automatically a separate category of payment processing.

Is an Offshore Merchant Account the Same as Multi-Currency Processing?

No.

An offshore merchant account relates primarily to where the acquiring relationship is located.

Multi-currency processing relates to:

• Which currencies customers can pay in

• Which currencies the merchant can settle in

• Whether currency conversion occurs

• How FX costs are applied

• Which settlement accounts are used

A merchant could have:

• A UK merchant account accepting multiple currencies

• An offshore merchant account settling only in one currency

• An international acquiring structure supporting multiple currencies

• Several acquiring relationships across different markets

If your main issue is currency rather than acquiring jurisdiction, read our guide to Multi-Currency Merchant Accounts and International Card Payments.

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Are Offshore Merchant Accounts Easier to Get?

Not necessarily. This is an important misconception.

Different acquiring banks and payment providers have different risk appetites, so a business declined by one UK provider may potentially meet the criteria of a specialist international acquirer.

That does not mean legitimate offshore providers operate without underwriting.

Businesses should expect providers to carry out checks around areas such as:

• Company ownership

• Directors

• Ultimate beneficial owners

• Business activity

• Merchant Category Code

• Customer geography

• Regulatory status

• Processing history

• Chargebacks

• Fraud

• Source of funds

• Website and customer journey

• Settlement arrangements

• Restricted countries

If a provider suggests that moving processing offshore means these checks are unnecessary, that should prompt further due diligence.

The better objective is not to find a provider with less underwriting.

It is to find a provider whose risk appetite genuinely accommodates the business.

Why Might a UK Business Consider an Offshore Merchant Account?

There are legitimate circumstances where acquiring outside the UK may be considered.

Specialist sector requirements

Some businesses operate in sectors that are accepted by only a limited number of acquiring banks.

A specialist international acquirer may have appetite and experience that is not available through a merchant's existing UK provider.

International customer base

A business with a substantial customer base outside the UK may need a broader international payment structure.

International company structure

A group may operate several legal entities across different countries and use different acquiring arrangements according to each entity or market.

Additional acquiring capacity

Larger merchants may use more than one acquiring relationship for geographic coverage, operational resilience or processing strategy.

Existing provider cannot support the merchant

A provider may withdraw from a sector, country or particular type of merchant.

This does not automatically mean the merchant needs offshore processing, but it may make specialist international acquiring one option to investigate.

The merchant has requirements outside a provider's geographic scope

The issue may be geography rather than risk.

For example, a provider may support the merchant's industry but not the countries in which it wants to operate.

Which High-Risk Businesses Might Consider Offshore Acquiring?

The need for specialist international acquiring can arise across several industries.

Examples can include:

• Gambling and gaming

• Cryptocurrency businesses

• Forex and trading businesses

• Travel

• Subscription businesses

• Supplements and nutraceuticals

• CBD

• Vape and e-cigarette businesses

• Marketplaces

• Certain regulated financial services

• Businesses with complex international structures

This does not mean every merchant operating in these sectors requires offshore processing.

A specialist UK or European provider may support the business perfectly well.

The requirement should be assessed based on the individual merchant rather than assuming that all high-risk businesses need an offshore account.

For wider guidance, see High-Risk Merchant Accounts.

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Can I Get an Offshore Merchant Account After Being Declined in the UK?

Potentially, but the reason for the UK decline should be established first.

A merchant may be declined because:

• The provider does not support the sector

• The provider does not support the merchant's countries

• Processing volumes are outside its appetite

• Transaction values are too high

• The merchant has insufficient processing history

• Chargeback exposure is too high

• The regulatory position is unclear

• Documents are missing

• The website does not accurately explain the business

• The provider cannot support the technical setup

• The provider has changed its internal risk policy

Some of these issues may be solved by using a different provider.

Others will follow the business regardless of where the acquiring relationship is located.

Moving the application offshore does not make incomplete documentation, regulatory problems or poor chargeback history disappear.

Before applying elsewhere, read What to Do If You've Been Declined for Card Processing.

What If My Merchant Account Has Been Terminated?

An international or offshore provider may potentially consider a business whose previous merchant account has been terminated, but the circumstances of that termination are likely to matter.

A future acquirer may want to understand:

• Which provider terminated the account

• Why it was terminated

• Whether the merchant changed its business model

• Whether chargebacks or fraud increased

• Whether processing exceeded agreed limits

• Whether prohibited activity occurred

• Whether settlements were withheld

• Whether card-scheme monitoring was involved

• Whether the merchant appears on MATCH or another relevant scheme database

• Whether the termination resulted from a provider changing its risk appetite

Be transparent with prospective providers.

A termination caused by a provider withdrawing from a particular industry is very different from a termination associated with undisclosed activity or serious processing issues.

Read our guide to Terminated Merchant Facilities.

What Should I Check Before Using an Offshore Payment Provider?

The acquiring relationship deserves careful due diligence.

Who is actually acquiring the transactions?

Do not rely solely on the trading name shown on a website.

Establish:

• Legal company name

• Acquiring entity

• Country of establishment

• Regulatory status where applicable

• Acquiring bank

• Card-scheme relationships where relevant

If a business claims to operate through another regulated or licensed company, establish exactly what the relationship is.

Which entity is signing the merchant agreement?

Check the legal name on the contract.

This matters because that is the entity with which the merchant has the contractual relationship.

Which law governs the contract?

An overseas merchant agreement may be governed by the law of another jurisdiction.

That could affect:

• Dispute resolution

• Contract enforcement

• Jurisdiction

• Recovery of funds

• Legal costs

Businesses should take appropriate legal advice if they are uncertain about contractual terms.

Where will settlement be paid?

Understand:

• Which bank account receives settlement

• Which country it is located in

• Which currencies are supported

• Normal settlement time

• Whether settlement can be delayed

• Reserve arrangements

• What happens to unsettled funds if the account closes

What business activity has actually been approved?

The provider should understand the true activity.

Do not assume that having a live MID means every product, website, territory or payment flow is automatically covered.

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How Can I Check Whether a Payment Firm Is Regulated?

The answer depends on the provider, service and jurisdiction.

For UK-regulated non-bank payment providers, the FCA Financial Services Register can be used to check whether a firm is authorised or registered and what permissions it holds.

The FCA specifically advises users to establish the name of the company operating behind a brand because a trading name may not always be the name shown on the Financial Services Register.

For providers outside the UK, businesses should identify the appropriate regulator in the provider's jurisdiction and verify the firm's status there.

Do not assume that a statement such as "regulated", "licensed" or "authorised" tells you everything you need to know.

Check:

• Which entity is regulated

• By which regulator

• For which activities

• Whether that entity is the one providing your service

Offshore Merchant Accounts and Sanctions

Sanctions can be particularly relevant to businesses operating internationally.

UK sanctions regulations can apply to UK businesses and organisations even when they are undertaking activities overseas.

Businesses may therefore need to consider:

• Customer countries

• Directors and owners

• Counterparties

• Banks

• Payment providers

• Settlement routes

• Restricted activities

• Designated persons

The UK Government maintains the UK Sanctions List, which is the current UK source for sanctions designations.

Its Starter Guide to UK Sanctions also provides guidance for businesses on sanctions screening, ownership and control, due diligence and compliance.

Merchant Advice Service does not provide sanctions advice.

If your business operates across higher-risk or sanctioned jurisdictions, seek appropriate specialist legal or compliance advice.

Does the Country of the Offshore Acquirer Matter?

Yes.

The jurisdiction can influence practical and contractual considerations such as:

• Regulatory oversight

• Dispute resolution

• Banking access

• Settlement

• Currency support

• Data requirements

• Provider appetite

• Contract law

However, it would be misleading to produce a static list of "best offshore merchant account countries".

The right jurisdiction depends on the actual merchant and provider.

A country being suitable for one business does not make it suitable for another.

Instead, focus on the actual acquiring proposition:

Provider + acquiring entity + jurisdiction + business model + contract + settlement + regulation + countries served

That combination is far more useful than choosing a jurisdiction first.

Do I Need to Set Up an Offshore Company?

Not automatically.

Some providers may have requirements around the location of the merchant entity they can acquire.

That does not mean a UK business should create an overseas company simply to obtain payment processing.

Establish why an additional entity would be necessary and obtain appropriate legal, tax and accounting advice before changing a company structure.

Creating an overseas entity can introduce wider considerations involving:

• Tax

• Accounting

• Banking

• Governance

• Regulatory obligations

• Company administration

• Substance requirements

• Intercompany arrangements

Payment processing should normally follow the genuine commercial structure of the business, not the other way around.

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Are Offshore Merchant Accounts Cheaper?

Not necessarily.

Specialist international and high-risk acquiring can sometimes cost more than standard domestic processing.

The commercial arrangement may include:

• Processing percentage

• Per-transaction fee

• Gateway fee

• Cross-border charges

• FX costs

• Chargeback fees

• Monthly fees

• Minimum processing commitments

• Rolling reserves

• Longer settlement periods

Pricing depends on the provider and individual merchant.

Do not compare offshore merchant accounts solely on the headline transaction rate.

A provider quoting a lower processing percentage may still be more expensive once FX, settlement, cross-border costs and reserves are considered.

What Is a Rolling Reserve on an Offshore Merchant Account?

A rolling reserve is a proportion of card-processing funds temporarily retained by the acquirer or payment provider to cover potential future liabilities such as chargebacks and refunds.

For example, a provider may retain an agreed percentage of processed funds for a defined period before releasing them.

The exact structure is provider-specific.

Before signing an agreement, establish:

• Reserve percentage

• How long funds are retained

• Release schedule

• Circumstances in which terms can change

• What happens to the reserve if the account closes

• Whether additional security may be required

For merchants with significant turnover, reserve terms can have a substantial working-capital impact.

How Long Does Offshore Merchant Account Settlement Take?

There is no standard settlement period.

Settlement depends on the provider, acquiring arrangement and merchant's risk profile.

Ask for the settlement terms in writing.

Check:

• Standard settlement period

• Weekends and bank holidays

• Currency

• Reserve deductions

• Minimum settlement amounts

• Whether settlement can be extended

• Circumstances in which payouts may be held

• Whether funds are settled directly by the acquirer or another party

The advertised settlement speed should not be considered in isolation from the full merchant agreement.

What Happens If an Offshore Provider Holds My Funds?

This is one of the reasons contractual due diligence matters.

Payment providers and acquirers may have contractual rights to delay or retain settlement in certain circumstances.

These can potentially include:

• Chargebacks

• Fraud concerns

• Reserve requirements

• Suspected prohibited activity

• Breach of contract

• Regulatory concerns

• Termination

Before signing, understand:

• Who holds the funds

• Which entity owes the settlement

• Which law applies

• The provider's reserve and withholding rights

• Complaints procedures

• Dispute-resolution process

• What happens after termination

If significant sums may be involved, independent legal review of the agreement can be appropriate.

What Documents Will an Offshore Acquirer Ask For?

Requirements vary, but businesses should expect legitimate providers to request evidence about the company and its activities.

This can include:

Company information

• Certificate of incorporation

• Company registry documents

• Ownership structure

• Director information

• Ultimate beneficial owner information

• Trading address

Financial information

• Business bank statements

• Accounts

• Management accounts

• Forecast turnover

• Funding information

Processing history

• Previous merchant statements

• Transaction volumes

• Average transaction value

• Maximum transaction value

• Refund ratios

• Chargeback ratios

• Fraud information

Business model

• Detailed description of products or services

• Customer journey

• Revenue model

• Fulfilment or delivery

• Websites

• Customer countries

Regulatory information

Where applicable:

• Licences

• Registrations

• AML policies

• KYC procedures

• Compliance information

Payment requirements

• Required currencies

• Customer countries

• Settlement currencies

• Gateway

• Recurring payments

• Alternative payment methods

• Existing integrations

Our High-Risk Merchant Account Application Guide explains the wider underwriting process.

Warning Signs to Look for With Offshore Merchant Account Providers

Offshore acquiring is not inherently problematic.

However, businesses should be cautious where a proposition appears designed primarily around avoiding normal scrutiny.

Potential warning signs include:

"Guaranteed approval"

No legitimate provider can guarantee an acquiring decision before completing the required assessment.

No meaningful underwriting

A high-risk international merchant should expect the provider to understand the business.

The acquiring entity is unclear

You should know which company is providing the service and which entity appears on the merchant agreement.

Vague information about regulation

"Regulated" without identifying the legal entity, regulator and permissions is not enough information.

Pressure to misdescribe the business

The merchant application should accurately describe the products, services and payment flow.

Requests to hide previous processing problems

Previous declines, terminations or chargeback history may be relevant to underwriting and should be answered accurately when requested.

Unclear settlement arrangements

The merchant should understand who receives customer funds and who ultimately settles them.

Unclear reserve terms

Reserve percentage, retention period and release terms should be understood before signing.

No clear contract

Do not rely on informal conversations where substantial processing volumes are involved.

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What Questions Should I Ask an Offshore Acquirer?

Before agreeing to an offshore merchant account, ask:

Provider and acquiring structure

• What is the legal name of the acquiring entity?

• Where is it based?

• Which acquiring bank processes the transactions?

• Which entity will I contract with?

• Where can I verify the provider's regulatory status where applicable?

Business approval

• Has my exact business activity been approved?

• Which MCC will be used?

• Which websites are covered?

• Which customer countries are allowed?

• Which countries are prohibited?

Settlement

• Which entity pays settlement?

• Where are funds held?

• Which currencies are supported?

• What is the normal settlement time?

• What circumstances allow settlement to be delayed?

Reserves

• Is a rolling reserve required?

• What percentage?

• How long will funds be held?

• When will reserves be released after termination?

Costs

• What is the processing rate?

• What are the cross-border charges?

• What FX rate or markup applies?

• What are the chargeback fees?

• Are there monthly or gateway fees?

Contract

• What is the contract term?

• What notice period applies?

• Which country's law governs the agreement?

• How are disputes handled?

• What happens to funds if the agreement ends?

Technology

• Which payment gateways are compatible?

• Can existing integrations be used?

• Are recurring payments supported?

• Can tokens be migrated?

• Can another acquirer be added later?

Do I Need an Offshore Payment Gateway Too?

Not necessarily.

The acquiring relationship and payment gateway are separate parts of the payment stack.

A merchant could use:

UK/international gateway + offshore acquirer

or

gateway supplied by the international provider + offshore acquirer

The key requirement is compatibility.

Check:

• Gateway and acquirer compatibility

• API requirements

• Tokenisation

• Recurring payment support

• 3D Secure

• Fraud tools

• Currency support

• Alternative payment methods

• Reporting

• Refund handling

See our Payment Gateways for High-Risk Merchants guide for more detail.

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Can an Offshore Acquirer Work Alongside a UK Acquirer?

Potentially.

Larger or more complex merchants sometimes use several acquiring relationships.

This could be for:

• Different regions

• Different legal entities

• Business continuity

• Different currencies

• Specialist sectors

• Geographic coverage

If several providers are being used, the payment infrastructure becomes more important.

Businesses may need to consider:

• Payment routing

• Multiple MIDs

• Token portability

• Recurring payments

• Refund routing

• Reconciliation

• Reporting

• Failover

For more complex multi-provider environments, our guide to Payment Orchestration explains how orchestration technology can sit between merchants and multiple payment providers.

Offshore Acquiring for Crypto Businesses

Cryptocurrency businesses are one example where international acquiring requirements can become particularly complex.

An acquirer may need to consider:

• Regulatory status

• Company jurisdiction

• Customer countries

• AML and KYC

• Card-to-crypto flow

• Chargebacks

• Fraud controls

• Transaction values

• Settlement

• Restricted territories

Moving the acquiring relationship offshore does not remove these requirements.

Read our specialist guide to Crypto Merchant Accounts and Card Payment Processing.

Offshore Acquiring for Gambling Businesses

Online gambling businesses can also require specialist acquiring according to their licensing, operating jurisdictions and customer countries.

A provider may want to understand:

• Gambling licences

• Legal entity

• Player countries

• Restricted markets

• Deposit methods

• Withdrawal arrangements

• Chargebacks

• Responsible gambling controls

• Processing history

Read our guide to Online Gambling Payment Processing.

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Offshore Acquiring for Travel Businesses

Travel merchants may have international customers but can also create additional acquiring considerations because of future-delivery exposure.

An acquirer may assess:

• Time between payment and travel

• Average booking value

• Customer countries

• Refund exposure

• Supplier arrangements

• ATOL or other relevant protections

• Processing history

• Seasonality

• Chargeback levels

Read our guide to Merchant Accounts for Travel Businesses.

How Merchant Advice Service Helps With Offshore Merchant Accounts

Merchant Advice Service does not provide offshore merchant accounts and does not make underwriting decisions.

We provide free, independent guidance to businesses trying to understand more complicated payment requirements.

1. We establish why offshore acquiring is being considered

The first question should be whether an offshore structure is actually needed.

The merchant may instead need:

• A specialist UK acquirer

• An international acquirer

• Multi-currency processing

• A high-risk payment gateway

• A provider with different sector appetite

• An additional acquiring relationship

2. We understand the business

We look at factors including:

• Sector

• Company location

• Directors and UBOs

• Customer geography

• Regulatory status

• Processing history

• Currencies

• Transaction values

• Chargebacks

• Technical requirements

3. We identify potential payment routes

Where appropriate, Merchant Advice Service can help identify providers or specialist brokers whose current services and criteria appear relevant.

4. The provider completes its own underwriting

The acquirer or payment provider makes the final decision regarding:

• Approval

• Pricing

• Settlement

• Reserves

• Countries

• Currencies

• Contractual terms

Read more about how Merchant Advice Service works.

Looking for an Offshore or International Merchant Account?

The starting point should not be finding the easiest country in which to obtain a merchant account.

It should be understanding why your current payment structure does not meet your requirements and which acquiring arrangement properly supports your business.

Merchant Advice Service can help you understand the available routes and identify providers whose current services may be relevant.

Find a High-Risk Merchant Account Provider

Sources and Further Reading

This guide has been prepared using current UK Government and FCA guidance alongside Merchant Advice Service's experience helping businesses with complex payment requirements.

• FCA Financial Services Register
  The FCA's official register for checking UK-authorised and registered financial services firms and their permissions.

• FCA: Using Payment Service Providers
  FCA guidance on identifying non-bank payment providers and checking the legal company behind a trading name.

• UK Government: Starter Guide to UK Sanctions
  Government guidance on UK sanctions obligations, sanctions screening, ownership and control, due diligence and compliance.

• UK Government: UK Sanctions
  Current sanctions guidance, regimes, enforcement information and access to the UK Sanctions List.

• UK Government: The UK Sanctions List
  The current official source for UK sanctions designations.

• Merchant Advice Service: High-Risk Merchant Account Applications
  MAS guidance on underwriting, documentation and preparing specialist merchant-account applications.

Source review date: 10 August 2026

More Guides From Merchant Advice Service

• International Merchant Accounts for High-Risk Businesses
  Cross-border acquiring, merchant location, customer geography, multiple acquiring relationships and international underwriting.

• Multi-Currency Merchant Accounts & International Card Payments
  Presentment and settlement currencies, FX, DCC, cross-border costs and multi-currency payment structures.

• High-Risk Merchant Accounts
  Specialist acquiring, underwriting and provider selection for businesses with more complex requirements.

• High-Risk Merchant Account Applications
  What payment providers assess and how merchants can prepare for underwriting.

• Payment Gateways for High-Risk Merchants
  Gateway selection where acquiring requirements are more specialised.

• Payment Orchestration
  How larger and more complex businesses can manage multiple payment providers and acquiring connections.

• Crypto Merchant Accounts & Card Payment Processing
  Acquiring, underwriting and card-payment considerations for cryptocurrency businesses.

• Online Gambling Payment Processing
  Merchant-account and payment-gateway considerations for regulated gambling operators.

• Merchant Accounts for Travel Businesses
  Payment processing for travel businesses with future-delivery, international and higher-value transaction exposure.

• How Merchant Advice Service Works
  How MAS's free payment guidance, matching and introduction service operates.

Merchant Advice Service is not tied to one payment provider. Businesses do not pay Merchant Advice Service to use its information, matching or introduction service. MAS may receive a referral fee or commission from a partner when an introduction results in a completed account, product or service.

Provider suitability is assessed according to the information supplied by the business and the provider's current criteria. Final acceptance, underwriting, pricing and contractual terms remain with the payment provider.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, financial, accounting or tax advice. Offshore and international acquiring arrangements can involve different jurisdictions, contracts, regulatory regimes and tax considerations. Businesses should obtain appropriate specialist advice and confirm current requirements with the relevant authorities and payment providers.