North is reopening its CBD vertical for card present and card not present merchants on April 1, 2026. That is good news for ingestible CBD businesses, but high risk labels, rolling reserves, and regulatory uncertainty still drive up processing costs. This article breaks down what North’s move really means for your fees and how to avoid overpaying when you board with a CBD friendly provider.
Worldpay just got sold… again… After bouncing from FIS to GTCR, it’s now Global Payments’ $24B prize. But this isn’t innovation; it’s consolidation with a potential side of chaos. Merchants brace for tech glitches, service breakdowns, and pricing “synergies.” Is this Worldpay’s fresh start or a fresh acquisition hangover? Embedded payment partners, beware: you’re on this rollercoaster too. This deal could reshape the industry, or break it.
Debit routing empowers merchants to choose the most cost-effective network for each debit card transaction, reducing fees and improving speed. The Durbin Amendment expanded routing options, boosting competition and transparency. With tools like Least Cost Routing and analytics, businesses can optimize every transaction. VeriFee simplifies this process, unlocking savings and efficiency with zero disruption to existing systems.
Embedded Payments offer convenience but come with rising costs, hidden fees, and restrictive agreements. By embedding payment processing into software, providers add layers of expense while limiting transparency and vendor choice. As businesses lose negotiating power and face non-negotiable rates, the need for financial control, pricing clarity, and free-market competition becomes urgent in an increasingly opaque ecosystem.
With M&A activity poised to surge in 2025, brokers can boost valuations and commissions by helping clients reduce payment processing costs—without changing vendors or systems. Even a 0.5% savings can increase company value by hundreds of thousands. VeriFee’s frictionless, gain-share model enhances profitability, offsets broker fees, and differentiates brokers in a competitive market.
Congress is fixated on Interchange fees, but that’s only a fraction of the real problem. Payment processors, POS providers, and software companies inflate costs through hidden markups, bundling, and anti-competitive contracts, leaving small businesses trapped. Until we demand transparency, break exclusivity, and cap processor margins, no amount of Interchange regulation will fix this broken system.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) drives sales by offering flexibility, attracting Gen Z, and reducing cart abandonment—but it comes at a cost. High fees, increased returns, and customer service risks can quietly erode profitability. To decide if BNPL is right for your business, analyze incremental profit vs. cost, not just sales growth. Success lies in smart strategy, not default adoption.
