Card-brand restrictions on peptide merchants are creating serious consequences throughout the payments industry. Learn how potential six-figure fines against acquiring banks and processors can lead to frozen funds, sudden account closures, and fewer processing options for peptide businesses.

Across the peptide, compounding, telehealth, wellness, and research industries, businesses are reporting a troubling pattern: terminated merchant accounts, frozen funds, rejected applications, excessive reserves, and sudden restrictions tied to peptide-related products. These actions can financially cripple a lawful business—sometimes without a meaningful explanation, individualized review, or opportunity to appeal. The time has come to determine whether these were independen

Mastercard has added transaction and volume fees for businesses classified as specialty merchants. In 2ndAP’s view, this is a pure money grab: the published guidance identifies new charges, but no new merchant-facing fraud-prevention service or measurable protection purchased by those fees.