Why this is classified high risk
Card networks classify most crypto transactions as MCC 6051 (Quasi-Cash) — one of the highest-risk classifications. Aggregators either prohibit the category or aggressively freeze accounts when transaction patterns shift. A specialized crypto MID is routed through acquirers that price for the actual chargeback exposure.
Requirements: a functional KYC/AML stack (Sumsub, Jumio, Persona), appropriate licensing where required (MSB, VASP, MGA, Curaçao), and clean processing history with chargeback ratio under 1%.
Features included
Card-to-crypto purchase flows with KYC handoff.
Primary sales and marketplace fee collection.
Strong customer authentication for EU/UK crypto purchasers.
USD, EUR, GBP settlement on cross-border crypto volume.
Pricing factors
Crypto pricing typically ranges 3.95% – 6.45% + $0.30 with 10% rolling reserves for 180 days. Established licensed exchanges with multi-quarter clean history step down to the low end.