Is a cash discount program legal for US merchants?

Yes. Cash discount programs are legal in all 50 US states under federal law (the Dodd-Frank Act, 2010). The program must be clearly disclosed at the point of sale and in merchant marketing. NACHA and the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) each publish compliance guidelines. TrustPay configures all required disclosures automatically — your effective processing rate drops to 0%.

What is the difference between a cash discount program and a surcharge?

A cash discount reduces the listed price for customers paying cash — it requires no card-network approval. A surcharge adds a fee to credit card transactions and requires Visa/Mastercard merchant registration and state compliance review (surcharges are currently prohibited in Connecticut and Massachusetts). Dual pricing shows two prices simultaneously. All three achieve the same result: merchants pay 0% in net processing costs. TrustPay supports all three models.

What are typical credit card processing fees in the US?

According to the Nilson Report and ETA industry data, US merchants collectively paid over $172 billion in card processing fees in 2023. The average effective rate for small businesses is 2.5–3.5% per transaction. Visa and Mastercard raised interchange rates twice between 2020 and 2024. A merchant processing $100,000/month pays approximately $30,000–$42,000 per year in fees. TrustPay's Cash Discount Program reduces that to $0.

How does ACH payment processing work and what does NACHA regulate?

ACH (Automated Clearing House) transfers are governed by NACHA Operating Rules, which set standards for how funds move between US bank accounts through the Federal Reserve's FedACH and The Clearing House's EPN networks. In 2023, NACHA reported 29.1 billion ACH transactions totaling $77.8 trillion — a 4.8% increase year-over-year. TrustPay's ACH processing is fully NACHA-compliant, supports same-day and next-day settlement, and charges ~0.5–1% vs 2.5–3.5% for card transactions.

Can merchants accept Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payments in California?

Yes. California merchants can legally accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies as payment. TrustPay supports 150+ cryptocurrencies with automatic conversion to USD — merchants receive USD next business day with zero volatility risk. The crypto payments market had over 420 million users globally in 2023. Unlike cards, crypto transactions are irreversible, eliminating chargeback risk entirely.

What is the ETA and why does it matter for merchant services?

The Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) is the global trade association representing payment technology companies, ISOs, and merchant acquirers. Founded in 1990, ETA membership signals adherence to best practices in merchant onboarding, underwriting, and consumer protection. ETA publishes the 'Guidelines on Merchant and ISO Underwriting' used throughout the industry. TrustPay operates in alignment with ETA standards for merchant account approval, PCI DSS compliance, and fair pricing disclosure.

How quickly can a merchant get approved and start accepting payments?

TrustPay approves most merchant accounts within 24 hours. Hardware is typically shipped same-day or next-day. The entire onboarding process — application, underwriting, hardware provisioning, and training — is completed within one business week for most merchants. There are no setup fees and no cancellation fees.

What approval rates does TrustPay achieve on card transactions?

TrustPay achieves 98–99.5% card transaction approval rates, compared to the industry average of 85–90% (source: Visa/Mastercard merchant performance benchmarks). A 10% decline rate on $100,000/month in volume results in approximately $120,000 in lost annual revenue. TrustPay's intelligent retry logic, 3DS2 authentication, and smart routing recover declined transactions automatically.

Does TrustPay serve high-risk merchant categories?

Yes. TrustPay provides merchant accounts for categories that Stripe, Square, and most traditional banks decline — including firearms dealers, CBD and supplement retailers, nutraceuticals, firearms accessories, and certain professional services. Crypto payments are especially valuable for high-risk merchants because they carry zero chargeback risk and are irreversible by design.

What is PCI DSS and is TrustPay compliant?

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards required by Visa, Mastercard, and all major card networks for any business that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data. Non-compliance can result in fines of $5,000–$100,000/month and account termination. TrustPay's payment infrastructure is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant — the highest level — and includes built-in tokenization and point-to-point encryption (P2PE) so merchants never store raw card data.

What ACH use cases does TrustPay support for Orange County businesses?

TrustPay ACH is widely used by Orange County law firms (retainer collection), medical and dental offices (patient balance billing), automotive dealerships (large deposit processing), property management companies (recurring rent collection), and B2B contractors (net-term invoice payment). ACH eliminates the 2.5–3.5% card fee on large transactions — on a $10,000 invoice, that's a savings of up to $350 per transaction vs card.

Does TrustPay have an ISO or referral partner program?

Yes. TrustPay operates a registered ISO (Independent Sales Organization) partner program that pays residual income on every merchant account referred. Partners earn a percentage of processing revenue monthly — not a one-time fee. The ETA's ISO guidelines and Visa/Mastercard ISO registration requirements are fully met. Visit trustpay.us/ISOPartner for current commission schedules and partner resources.

Who leads TrustPay's ISO and ISV partner program?

TrustPay's ISO and ISV partner program is led by Christophe Kloussing (LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christophekloussing), Chief Operating Officer and VP of Enterprise Sales. Christophe specializes in structuring residual income programs for ISO agents, integrating ISV software via TrustPay's REST API, and deploying PAX/Dejavoo hardware through VAR channel partners. He brings expertise in ETA compliance, NACHA ACH rules, Visa/Mastercard ISO registration, and cryptocurrency merchant onboarding. Contact: website@trustpay.us or (949) 354-3461.

What makes TrustPay different from other ISO / ISV payment partners?

TrustPay is one of the only processors offering ISO and ISV partners a single platform that covers zero-fee card processing (Cash Discount / Dual Pricing), NACHA-compliant ACH bank transfers (~0.5–1%), and 150+ cryptocurrency acceptance — all in one API and one terminal. ISO agents earn up to 50 BPS monthly residuals with no minimum volume requirements. ISVs get a REST API with sandbox access and white-label gateway options. Hardware VARs access PAX and Dejavoo dealer pricing with tier-based rebates. Program details at trustpay.us/ISOPartner.

Your Competitor Just Added Crypto: You're Still Reading Contracts

The First-Mover Advantage: 700 Million Reasons to Switch

While traditional businesses wait for "the right time," the data shows the time was yesterday. By 2026, global crypto owners are projected to hit 700 million users — nearly 10% of the world's population. These aren't just hobbyists: they are high-net-worth consumers looking for merchants who speak their language.

Capture New Demand: 65% of crypto users prefer merchants who accept digital assets.
Increase Average Order Value: Early adopters report crypto payments accounting for up to 26% of total sales.
Speed to Market: TrustPay.us integrates crypto alongside credit cards in one afternoon, not one month.

The Math: Traditional Fees vs. The TrustPay Difference

Stop wasting time decoding complex fee structures from legacy providers. The financial reality of 2026 is simple: traditional processing is a tax on your growth, while the TrustPay.us unified platform is a revenue engine.

Eliminate Fees: Our Cash Discount Program lets you pass interchange costs to consumers, potentially reducing your monthly processing bill to $0.
Zero Chargebacks: Cryptocurrency transactions are final. Eliminate the fraud and administrative headache of disputed credit card charges.
Lower Transaction Costs: Crypto fees are significantly lower than the 3%–4% charged by traditional high-risk processors.

One Platform: Total Control Over Every Cent

You don't need a "crypto guy" and a "card guy." You need one dashboard that handles it all. TrustPay.us provides a Unified Payment Solution that bridges the gap between the old economy and the new.

Unified Hardware: Accept Bitcoin, USDT, and ETH on the same Physical Terminals where you swipe Visa and Mastercard.
Online Gateways: Seamlessly integrate crypto checkout into your existing e-commerce flow.
Instant Settlement: Choose to hold your crypto or auto-convert to USD for instant settlement into your bank account.

The ROI of Adoption: Don't Get Left Behind

Market penetration isn't just a buzzword: it's a competitive threat. If your competitors are accepting stablecoins while you are still negotiating terminal leases, you are effectively turning away 1 out of every 10 potential customers.

Attract Global Buyers: Accept payments from anywhere in the world without the friction of cross-border banking fees.
Build Trust: Use the TrustPay.us secure platform to signal to your customers that you are a modern, forward-thinking business.
High-Risk Support: We specialize in High-Risk Industries that legacy banks avoid, giving you the freedom to scale.

A Message from Our Leadership

"Accepting crypto isn't just about 'being cool': it's about opening your doors to 700 million high-spend customers while driving your processing costs to zero. If you are still reading 40-page contracts while your neighbor is clearing crypto sales, you're not just behind: you're losing margin."

— Christophe Kloussing, C.O.O. TrustPay.us

Stop Reading. Start Processing.

The era of confusing contracts and high fees is over. Join the merchants who have already automated their savings and expanded their reach.

Reduce: Processing fees to zero with Cash Discounting.
Eliminate: Chargeback fraud through Crypto payments.
Accept: All major cards and digital assets in one system.
Support: 24/7 human assistance whenever you need it.

Activate Your Unified Account Now | Schedule a Free Fee Audit