High-risk merchant account for precious metals and bullion dealers with a UAE company

We specialise in placing UAE-based precious metals and bullion dealers with card acquirers that accept businesses with higher processing risk profiles. Our process begins with a detailed review of your company’s trade licence, AML policies, and transaction history including chargeback ratios. This allows us to understand your specific operational risk.

Next, we compile a comprehensive underwriting file tailored to your business, ensuring website compliance, clear refund policies, and a complete Know Your Business (KYB) pack. This detailed preparation addresses common concerns upfront, presenting your operation professionally and transparently to potential providers.

Underwriters and compliance teams focus on specific risk drivers inherent to the precious metals sector. These include the cash equivalence of goods, high ticket sizes, and price volatility. They meticulously review your dealer registration and AML supervision status, alongside supplier and refinery contracts to verify sourcing.

For UAE entities, evidence of substance such as an office lease or Ejari, and an Emirates ID for management, are critical. Six months of processing statements, current chargeback/refund ratios, and robust fulfilment/delivery evidence are also key to demonstrating operational stability and compliance.

Operating as a UAE free zone company or mainland LLC brings specific considerations for merchant account applications. Local banks often prefer businesses with visible UAE substance, such as a physical office and resident manager, before offering services. International banks and EEA-licensed acquirers are often more flexible for newer entities or those with less established local presence.

Key documents include your trade licence, memorandum of association, and proof of office. Understanding corporate tax registration and UBO register requirements is also essential. While residence visas are usually a prerequisite for local banking, our providers can accommodate varying stages of your UAE setup.

Merchant accounts for precious metals dealers are often declined or terminated due to inadequate compliance documentation, high chargeback rates, or a failure to demonstrate legitimate business operations. Our rigorous file preparation directly counters these issues. We ensure your website is compliant, refund policies are clear, and all required licences and AML policies are in order.

By presenting a well-organised, transparent profile to specialist international banks and regulated acquirers, we mitigate concerns about unverified origin metals or illicit activities. Proactive monitoring of chargeback and refund ratios post-approval is also crucial to maintain account health.

From receiving a complete underwriting file, the typical timeline to go live with card processing is 2 to 6 weeks. This period includes thorough due diligence by the acquirer. Onboarding involves setting up your payment gateway, integrating APIs, and finalising compliance checks.

Upon approval, providers often implement indicative reserves and rolling limits, especially for high-value transactions characteristic of bullion dealing. Staying live requires ongoing adherence to scheme rules, maintaining low chargeback rates, and consistent compliance with your AML policy. We guide you through these post-approval requirements to ensure long-term stability.