Tell us what you are listed for
Share that you are on MATCH or TMF and, if you know it, the reason code your prior processor used to terminate you.
MATCH / TMF rescue
On the MATCH or TMF list? You still have processing options.
Being listed on MATCH, also called the Terminated Merchant File or TMF, makes most processors decline you on sight. It does not lock you out completely. There are still options, including an e-debit solution that can board you regardless of MATCH status, plus card-network options reviewed against the reason you were listed.
$0 monthly fees
1,600+ U.S. businesses served
15+ years in merchant services
$400M+ monthly processing volume
What it means
What a MATCH or TMF listing actually does.
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-risk Merchants) is a database the card networks use to flag merchants whose accounts were terminated. Once you are on it, banks and processors check it before approving a new account, which is why it can feel like you are blacklisted everywhere and locked out of every processor at the same time.
A listing is tied to the reason your last processor terminated you, and it can stay on file for up to five years. The hard part is rarely that you cannot sell. It is that you cannot get a stable way to get paid, and that is the part that actually threatens the business.
The fastest path back
Get processing now, even if you are MATCH-listed.
The quickest route back to accepting payments does not run on the card networks at all.
E-debit is bank-account debit, sometimes called e-check or ACH debit. It pulls funds directly from your customer bank account instead of running a Visa or Mastercard card transaction. Because MATCH only gates the card networks, an e-debit solution can board you regardless of your MATCH status.
E-debit (ACH) solution
Same-day approval on e-debit
Next-day funding on e-debit
~99.9% approval rate on e-debit
These figures describe the e-debit (ACH) rail specifically, not card processing.
This is not card acceptance. E-debit keeps revenue moving while any card-network options are reviewed, and for some businesses it becomes the primary way to get paid.
The bank-debit mechanics sit on the same rails as our ACH processing.
Get PricingCard options
Card options depend on why you were listed.
MATCH records a reason code, the specific reason your prior processor used to terminate you. Some reasons are more workable than others, so card-based placement is reviewed case by case against that code rather than promised up front.
The e-debit path above does not depend on the reason code. The card path does. Sharing what you were listed for is the quickest way to see which card options are realistic for your situation.
Straight answers
What an honest processor will and will not say.
No one can honestly promise automatic approval, and no processor can remove you from MATCH or TMF. The listing is controlled by the processor that placed it and generally clears on its own timeline.
What is real is narrower and more useful: the e-debit rail can board you regardless of MATCH status, card-network options are reviewed against your reason code, and if a card placement is not available yet, e-debit keeps you accepting payments in the meantime. You get $0 monthly fees, no long-term contract, and daily ACH settlement so your money is not trapped.
Process
How getting processing back works.
E-debit boards you fast
The e-debit (ACH) solution can approve regardless of MATCH status, with same-day approval and next-day funding on that rail.
Card options reviewed by reason code
Depending on why you were listed, card-network placement is reviewed case by case alongside the e-debit account.
Go live and keep revenue moving
Start accepting payments again, with $0 monthly fees, no long-term contract, and daily ACH settlement visibility.
FAQ
MATCH and TMF questions.
These answers are specific to MATCH and TMF. For cross-cutting approval, pricing, reserve, and gateway questions, see the full FAQ.
What is the MATCH list, and is TMF the same thing?
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-risk Merchants) is a database the card networks use to flag merchants whose accounts were terminated. TMF, the Terminated Merchant File, is the older name for the same list. Banks and processors check it before approving a new account, which is why a listing can feel like being blocked everywhere at once.
Can I get a merchant account while I am on the MATCH or TMF list?
Yes, options exist. The e-debit (ACH) solution can board you regardless of MATCH status, and card-network options may be available depending on your reason code. No one can honestly promise automatic approval, but a listing does not lock you out completely.
How can the e-debit solution approve me if MATCH blocks card processing?
MATCH gates the Visa and Mastercard card networks. E-debit runs on the bank (ACH) rails instead, so the listing does not block it. That is why it can board you regardless of your MATCH status.
Is e-debit the same as accepting credit cards?
No. E-debit is bank-account debit, sometimes called e-check or ACH debit. It pulls funds directly from your customer bank account rather than running a Visa or Mastercard card transaction. Many MATCH-listed businesses run e-debit to keep revenue moving while card options are reviewed.
How fast can I start processing on e-debit?
On the e-debit solution: same-day approval and next-day funding, with about a 99.9% approval rate. Those figures describe the e-debit (ACH) rail specifically, not card processing.
Do my card-network options depend on why I was listed?
Yes. MATCH stores the reason code your prior processor used. Card-based placement is reviewed against that reason, case by case, rather than promised up front. The e-debit path does not depend on the reason code.
Can you get me removed from the MATCH or TMF list?
No. Only the processor that placed the listing can remove it, and listings generally clear on their own timeline, often up to five years. The focus here is getting you processing now, not removal.
Will switching release the funds my old processor is holding?
A new account does not by itself release a reserve or hold at your prior processor, which they control. It does let you start accepting new payments again while you pursue the held funds separately.
Are there monthly fees?
No. Midnight Payments uses a $0 monthly fee posture, with the cost handled through processing fees.
Where to go next
Related pages.
Get reviewed
Tell us what you are listed for and get processing options.
Share that you are on MATCH or TMF, your business model, and the reason code if you know it. The review comes back with the e-debit path and any card-network options that fit your situation.