Offshore Merchant Accounts
If your business deals with international payments, then you need an offshore merchant account. The team here at Merchant Authority can help you to secure the right one for your business.
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Rates as low as 1%
*Rates quoted as the % above normal card interchange
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Our Offshore Merchant Accounts
eMerchant Authority has extensive experience in providing international offshore merchant accounts for businesses of all sizes. No matter how much money your business takes in international payments each month, we have a solution that is perfect for you.
Our payment gateway has been designed to ensure that you have all of the information you need to run your business at your fingertips. eMerchant Authority has worked extensively on developing these tools so you can generate the reports that you need to give you an overview of how your business is performing.
Offshore merchant accounts provided by eMerchant Authority will allow you to accept almost all major debit and credit cards, no matter where in the world that payment is being made from.
Does Your Business Need An Offshore Merchant Account?
If your business accepts regular payments from international countries, then you will likely need to have an offshore merchant account. If you are unsure as to whether an offshore merchant account is the correct option for you, then contact the experienced staff here at eMerchant Authority. They can help you to determine whether having an offshore merchant account would be beneficial for your business.
Remember; international payment processing is inherently riskier than dealing with domestic payments. If you are regularly receiving payments from overseas, then domestic merchant accounts may not work with you. Here at eMerchant Authority, we will absorb the risk of dealing with payments overseas, which means you can receive international payments safely and confidently.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Merchant Account
It is vital that you select the right international payment gateway at the start. If you fail to do this, then you will run the risk of your merchant account being closed. This means that your business will no longer be able to accept payments overseas. This could kill your business. You may not even be allowed access to the funds that you have sitting in your merchant account for months and months on end. Many successful businesses have been shut down overnight simply because they made the wrong choice when it came to merchant accounts.
We make finding an international merchant account simple
eMerchant Authority specializes in high-risk merchant accounts. We have put in place processes that can help to reduce the risk of international payment processing. We are constantly refining our processes to ensure that the risk is kept to the absolute minimum at all times.
Once you work with our team here at eMerchant Authority and obtain an international merchant account, your eCommerce business will be open to international trade. This can boost your profits, and you do not have to worry about losing your merchant account.
Open up an offshore merchant account today
Start the process of opening up an offshore merchant account with eMerchant Authority today.
By working with us, you will allow your international customers to pay in their local currency. This will increase trust in your business, which can lead to greater profits.
We have designed our offshore merchant account application process to be as quick and simple as possible. We have also tried to ensure that our rates are kept low to guarantee the greatest profits for your business.
How Do Offshore Merchant Processors Work?
How do merchant account services work when they need to accept offshore payments on your behalf? Business owners first need to create a website or an online portal where the customers can shop. Then, the processor works like a connection between the business and the bank during business transactions.
When the customer wants to check out, they need to enter their details and their payment method information (credit card, debit card, net banking, etc.). This is when the payment is sent to the merchant’s bank, which sends the data to the customer’s credit card.
When the credit card company receives the information, it sends it to the customer’s bank. When the bank gets the data, they go over it and decide whether to release the payment. This is where high-risk businesses struggle, and the approval rates are significantly lower. High-risk credit card processing is quite tricky, therefore, you need to find a reputable, trusted service that will make things easier for you. Once the bank approves the payment, your processor will receive the information and let the customer know that the transaction is successful.
Offshore High-Risk Merchant Account
Why is it so hard for high-risk businesses to open an offshore merchant account? If you belong to a high-risk industry, you’ve probably stumbled upon a problem or two when researching for the best offshore payment processor and opening an offshore account. Online businesses need this account if they want to expand their work internationally and be able to accept credit card payments in different currencies.
If you have a legitimate business and belong to the high-risk group, you can still get an offshore account; however, it probably won’t be through a bank or a traditional financial institution because of the risks. Most banks refuse to work with this type of business because of the high chargeback ratios, fraudulent transactions, refunds, bad credit history, reputation, etc.
Thankfully, we make offshore credit card processing possible and easy for everyone. High-risk processors like eMerchant Authority let your customers pay with major credit cards in different currencies, allowing you to grow your business and audience. In addition, this boosts sales and your income. Since we help a wide range of businesses, both low and high-risk, our team is more than equipped to attend to all your needs and help you become even more successful.
Benefits of Having an Offshore Merchant Account
Offshore payment processing is beneficial for businesses in so many ways. High-risk payment solutions of an offshore business offer various advantages that you should consider if you want to grow your customer base and plan on selling internationally.
- Accept different currencies: no matter the business type, every company will benefit from accepting various currencies. This means that your customers will see that your business offers them to pay in their currency, instead of another, and they’re more likely to finish the purchase. Cart abandonment can be an issue for e-commerce businesses, since a lot of customers decide not to buy if they see another currency.
- Increased sales and profits: offshore payment processing services will help you boost your sales and reach a wider audience. In addition, offshore high-risk merchant accounts are great for high-risk companies who want to expand their reach internationally but can’t because they can’t create an account. Once the customers realize that buying from your business is safe, they might return and decide to become regular customers.
- Lower your expenses: having offshore transactions and selling your products/services internationally can save you money and lower your expenses. For example, you can save on operational costs, pay lower taxes, and even lower the processing costs of your business.
- Increased security: when looking for the right processor, you should consider one that offers you safety. In other words, all the transactions will be secure, without any fraudulent activity, advanced verification systems, and customer support you can reach any time you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is an Offshore Merchant Account?
Offshore merchant accounts are accounts whose payment processors and acquiring banks are located outside your country or the essential business operations area. For example, when US businesses establish a European offshore payment processing account, the European account is considered an offshore account for the business in the US.
An offshore merchant account is similar to an international merchant account. Many acquiring banks in the US consider merchants looking for offshore merchant accounts as high-risk clients. However, standard and high-risk offshore merchant accounts that want to take advantage of the global e-commerce sector can use worldwide international merchant accounts.
Establishing offshore merchant services offers high-risk merchants a safe way to process payments. Furthermore, you can enjoy special credit access to protect the business’s liquidity. Additionally, offshore merchant accounts do not have volume ceilings.
What Does Offshore Payment Mean?
An offshore payment is similar to international bank payments. The difference is that banks outside the US process the payments. For instance, when US organizations operate bank accounts in Switzerland, the Swiss accounts are the offshore accounts for American organizations. These banks then become the offshore credit card processors, and the money is rerouted to your everyday business account as it would if a bank in the US held the merchant account.
Most businesses prefer offshore payment processing solutions when categorized as high-risk by conventional banks. Therefore, your high-risk companies have better chances of getting a merchant account overseas.
How Do I Get an Offshore Bank Account?
To begin with, you will need to choose an offshore bank. Your bank of choice acts as the basis to help steer you in the right direction. Here are some tips on choosing an offshore bank:
- Select a proper offshore jurisdiction.
- Factor in tax obligations with the potential of considerably affecting the operation of offshore banks.
- Narrow the consideration list options down.
- Pick the most suitable offshore bank.
- Continue to open the offshore account.
A similar basis is adopted when opening up an offshore bank account as when opening a home country bank account. Offshore banks need personal information like your date of birth, name, citizenship, occupation, and address.
For personal information verification, you must submit your driver’s license, passport copy, or any identifying document sources from a government agency. Banks pay attention to physical address and residence verification, which can affect taxation. You can satisfy this requirement by presenting a utility bill or similar things. Once you’ve provided the documents, the banks will ascertain their authenticity. In some instances, you may need to provide notarized copies.
However, some offshore facilities opt for apostille stamps – a particular, internationally-used certification mark type. You can get these stamps from authorized government offices.
Is Offshore Banking Legal?
Establishing an offshore account is legal, provided you do not set up one with the intention of evading tax. Globally, banks must report any American citizen activity and balances to the IRS through FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act). This means holding funds in offshore bank accounts is legal but not tax-exempt.
Hiding assets in offshore bank accounts to evade tax obligations is illegal. The US has an agreement with over a hundred countries to report United States taxpayers’ banking activity. In addition, some tax law violations can lead to the IRS taking up to half the bank account balance for each year the banks did not raise flags on the account.
What Country Is the Best for Getting Offshore Accounts?
Below are some of the best countries to have an offshore account.
- The Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands has a wide reputation for serving as a global tax haven. As a result, the country has developed an economic niche that provides a favorable tax environment and encourages investment.
- Switzerland
The banking entities in Switzerland provide unwavering confidentiality services to clients. Furthermore, Swiss law incorporates banking services in the country into an economic specialization type. Therefore, a banker is restricted from disclosing client information to inquiring parties.
- Belize
Belizean banks provide some top investment perks and protection in offshore finance. The offshore financial industry is among the country’s leading revenue contributors and is therefore managed carefully. Every bank must have a 24% minimum liquidity ratio, about 13% average interest rates, and 24/7 account management capability via online portals.
- Singapore
Singapore’s economy is one of the best in the world, with globally interconnected banking services that provide links to major global financial hubs. As such, their financial sector offers excellent investment protection for clients’ assets.
- Germany
Germany is widely ranked among the safest saving spaces for your money due to the safety protocols and financial stability offered by German banks. In addition, the banks provide better services, including low costs to open an account and easy access.
Open An Offshore Account Today.
WHY USE eMERCHANT AUTHORITY?
eMerchant Authority prides itself in being a leader when it comes to the provision of merchant account solutions. We provide merchant account services for both low and high-risk businesses.
Our services are secure and reliable.
Besides, we understand just how financially difficult it is to become a business owner. This is why when you partner with us you also enjoy transparent pricing with no long-term contracts or hidden fees.
Whether you’re a startup or an established business, you can count on us to provide you with a perfect merchant service solution with the latest hardware and software tools such as Clover systems that are perfect for your retail payment needs.
And because customer satisfaction is what we aim for, we offer ongoing support to all our customers. Our 24/7 customer support team is always on call to answer your questions and attend to your needs.
Still interested?
Here are other additional benefits that you receive when you apply for an internet merchant account with eMerchant Authority.
Merchant Account Experts
20+ Proven Bank Relationships
Medium/High-Risk Accounts
Fast Merchant Account Approval
E-Commerce & Retail Options
B2B Vendors Supported
Multiple Payment Solutions
Multiple E-Commerce Gateways
Chargeback Prevention
ACH, E-Check, Credit Cards
B2B Level 2/3 Data Discounts
3D Secure Frictionless Checkout
Mobile Payments
EMV Readers
Intuitive Technology & Support
Gateway Recurring Billing
Vault
E-Commerce Cart Plugins
POS/Terminals
International Merchant Accounts
Dedicated Account Managers