Payment Options
Accepted Payment Methods
Currently we have 2 options for payment:
Bank Transfer
Make a payment directly into our bank account. You will recieve the banking details after you place your order. Essentially you will have to log into your online banking and set up our banking details as a recipient. Takes about 5 minutes.
Yotta Pay
Yotta pay provides a faster checkout experience with the same security features as your bank. yotta Pay is authorised and regulated by the FCA. There are no card details required and no bank details retained. Takes about 2 minutes.
To read more check out their website here: Yotta Pay
Is It Safe?
Yes! Both options are completely safe. We do not receive or store any bank details so there is nothing to worry about from a security perspective.
Do You Accept Cryptocurrency?
Unfortunately not any more. We used to use crypto but after we got badly stung on fee’s we decided to keep things straight forward and avoid. It also feels like crypto has failed as an effective everyday currency in that less and less people seem to use it.
Why Don’t You Accept Normal Payment Options?
Payment options such as Paypal are not possible for a business such as ours. Selling Psilocybe Cubensis spores is deemed “high risk” by the banks and so payment processors are not allowed to process payments by such companies. This is for the following reasons:
Association with Illegal Substances
While spores themselves are often legal for microscopy and research purposes, the mature mushrooms they produce (if cultivated) contain psilocybin, a controlled substance in most countries. Payment processors fear their services might indirectly facilitate activities related to illegal drug cultivation, even if the vendor explicitly sells spores for legal uses.
Example: PayPal and Stripe have strict terms prohibiting transactions for goods that could be perceived as linked to illegal substances, regardless of intent.
High-Risk Merchant Category
Spore vendors often fall into a “high-risk merchant” category due to:
- Legal uncertainties (differing laws across states/countries).
- The potential for chargebacks (customers may dispute purchases claiming misunderstandings about legality or use).
- Reputational concerns for processors not wanting to be associated with anything “drug-related,” even if legal.
This makes processors hesitant to approve or maintain accounts for spore vendors.
Vague or Changing Regulations
Laws regarding spores can be inconsistent and subject to change. For example:
- In the U.S., spores are legal in most states, but illegal in others (e.g., California, Georgia, Idaho).
- Payment providers operate internationally and may prefer to avoid markets where products could be restricted or misused.
Processors avoid the legal risk of navigating these complex and shifting regulations.
Compliance with Financial Partners
Payment processors often rely on banks and financial networks (like Visa or Mastercard) that have their own rules. Banks are subject to strict anti-money laundering (AML) and “know your customer” (KYC) regulations, which require scrutiny of businesses dealing in controversial or gray-area products.
Processors may block spore vendors to remain compliant and avoid penalties.
Misuse of Products
Even if spores are sold for legitimate purposes—like microscopy, taxonomy, or education—some individuals may purchase them to illegally cultivate psilocybin mushrooms. Payment processors are wary of enabling this misuse, as it could lead to legal repercussions or reputational damage.