Etihad Law

Merchant Onboarding & Know-Your-Business Requirements

Merchant onboarding is a critical function for EPSPs that operate payment acceptance services, POS terminals, or payment gateway solutions. To prevent misuse of digital payment channels, EPSPs must conduct due diligence on merchants through Know-Your-Business (KYB) checks. These checks verify that merchants are legitimate, licensed, and engaged in lawful activities.

Merchant Onboarding Requirements

  • Collection of business registration documents
  • Verification of licensing and commercial activities
  • Risk classification of merchant industry
  • Assessment of transaction patterns and expected volumes
  • Beneficial ownership identification

Operational Controls

  • Chargeback and refund procedures
  • Pricing transparency and fee disclosures
  • Merchant reporting dashboards
  • Settlement scheduling and bank account verification

CBI compliance

  • Conduct KYB in accordance with AML/CFT guidelines
  • Monitor merchant transactions for unusual behavior
  • Report suspicious merchant activity where applicable
  • Maintain merchant files for audit and supervisory review

How Etihad Can Assist

Etihad provides legal and regulatory advisory services to banks, financial institutions, and businesses, supporting compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and regulatory guidance issued by any competent authorities.