What is a Merchant Account?

A merchant account is an account with a bank that allows a business to accept credit card payments in exchange for their product or service. In order to accept credit cards in-person or online, you’ll need a merchant account. Your merchant account is administered by your Merchant Service Provider (MSP) – in this instance, Dharma Merchant Services. Your MSP is responsible for maintaining your account within federal/state regulations and depositing funds into your checking account. They also help to protect against fraud, and provide customer support. This is also generally referred to as Merchant Services.

View the flow of a typical transaction, and how your MSP works with other players:

Image of a credit card transaction lifecycle