20+ years in high-risk. Creative, multi-bank placements when others say no — and fast onboarding for low-risk deals.
Bay Area merchants often start on Stripe — then outgrow it. Agents here win by offering a direct merchant account with real underwriting support. Centurion Payment Services brings 20+ years of high-risk experience to ISOs and independent sales agents in San Francisco, CA — we're the ace in your back pocket when your primary processor says no.
Apply to Centurion's ISO & agent program. We support ISOs, sub-ISOs, referral partners, and independent agents in San Francisco, CA with a partner portal, digital merchant applications, and direct access to underwriting.
Yes. We regularly review AI platforms, SaaS, fintech and other high-risk merchants through multi-bank placements. All accounts are subject to underwriting review and approval.
Send us the file. With more than 20 years in high-risk, we look at reserves, split-volume setups, descriptor strategy, and alternative acquirers to find a path — never a guarantee, but often a yes when others said no.
For qualified low-risk merchants, our digital application, e-signature, and automated underwriting deliver fast decisions — with a real merchant account, dedicated support, and a residual you own.
All merchant accounts are subject to underwriting review and approval.
AI companion, content, and API platforms are a newer risk category. Underwriters want to understand content policies, usage-based billing, and fraud controls — we help agents explain the model clearly to get a fair review.
Recurring billing merchants need clear terms, easy cancellation, and pre-billing notices to satisfy card-brand rules. We underwrite on retention and dispute data, not just volume, and support account updater, recurring gateways, and descriptor strategy to keep chargebacks low.
Financial-service merchants face regulatory scrutiny (CROA, TSR, FDCPA). Underwriting reviews licensing, advance-fee practices, and scripts. We know which acquirers support these models and how to present the file so it gets a fair review.
Not every deal is high risk. For clean retail, e-commerce, restaurant, and B2B merchants, our digital application and automated underwriting deliver fast decisions — so you can win against Stripe and Square while keeping a real merchant account and your residual.
Adult and creator platforms require age and identity verification, content moderation, and card-brand registration (Visa VIRP / Mastercard specialty merchant). We work with banks that accept the category and help agents prepare the compliance documentation upfront.
Dating merchants combine subscription billing with elevated fraud and chargeback risk. Strong KYC, transparent auto-renewal disclosures, and fraud tooling are key — and we place these accounts with acquirers that support them long-term.
THCA, CBD and hemp merchants need an acquirer with a documented appetite for the vertical, current certificates of analysis, compliant labeling, and a clean website without medical claims. We help agents package COAs, product lists, and fulfillment details up front so underwriting can move without back-and-forth.
Nutraceutical files live and die on offer structure. Free-trial and negative-option models draw heavy scrutiny, so we look at billing descriptors, cancellation flows, refund policy, and chargeback history — and place straight-sale and continuity offers with banks that understand them.
Send us your San Francisco merchant — new deal, a decline from another ISO, or a merchant being terminated. Include statements, processing history, and the website.
Our team reviews the file before it goes to a bank, flags gaps, and tells you what the acquirer will ask for — no surprises.
We match the merchant to the right acquirer, negotiating reserves, split volume, or multi-bank placement when needed.
Digital boarding, e-signature, and real-time status in the partner portal. Residuals are reported transparently every month.
| Centurion | Typical ISO | |
|---|---|---|
| Previous decline | Provider notice and current business details | Industry restriction, missing information, or unresolved risk |
| Business model | Website, catalog, billing flow, customer markets | Whether a provider supports the specific products and sales practices |
| Processing history | Statements, refunds, disputes, and remediation | Volume, ticket limits, reserve requirements, and risk controls |
| New business | Launch readiness, funding, and realistic forecasts | Startup eligibility and any initial processing conditions |
| Partner relationship | Written compensation and responsibility terms | Split, deductions, reporting, and payment provisions |
Bring us the deals that stall elsewhere: merchants on the MATCH/TMF list, new incorporations without processing history, businesses with chargeback ratios above 1%, merchants facing termination or held funds, and verticals your current processor won't board. Bring us your clean low-risk deals too — you'll get fast onboarding, competitive buy rates, and the same transparency on every account in your CA portfolio.
For agents, ISOs & agent groups. Tell us what you’re trying to place and where you’ve hit a roadblock. No obligation; approval is subject to underwriting.
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