In the rapidly evolving world of alternative medicine - where innovation, regulation, and passion often collide - one of the greatest hurdles for businesses remains the same: payment processing. Whether you’re in cannabis, CBD, or selling an ancillary product like WaxNax, chances are you’ve already felt the sting of a payment platform freeze, shutdown, or compliance roadblock.
This week on The Dab Digest, we spotlight a company that’s helping solve those very issues from the inside out PayRio - and their founder and CEO Aubrey Amatelli 💘, who joined me for Episode 4 of The Dab Digest Podcast.
Let’s break down how PayRio is reshaping the future of payments in the alt-med space.
From JPMorgan to A Journey Rooted in Passion and Purpose
Aubrey’s path into payment processing is as credible as it gets. With over a decade of experience at JPMorgan, she saw firsthand how compliance, underwriting, and payment infrastructure operate at the highest level. But it was her passion for alternative medicine - and her frustration with the lack of reliable payment options - that led her to launch PayRio in 2022.
Originally starting with CBD, Aubrey quickly realized that it wasn’t just about hemp. The cannabis industry—and increasingly, psilocybin, peptides, and other plant-based medicines—needed better solutions that were compliant, scalable, and built with longevity in mind.
The PayRio Difference: Pre-Underwritten and Built to Last
So what actually makes PayRio different from the bigger players like Shopify or Stripe?
One word: UNDERWRITING.. Most e-commerce startups sign up for big-name processors, get approved automatically, and then suddenly find their accounts shut down weeks later - often right when their business starts gaining traction. This is because most mainstream processors audit accounts after launch, not before.
PayRio flips that model completely.
“We underwrite every business before they go live. We know you, we understand your model, and we’re proactively making sure your merchant ID is safe from day one,” Aubrey explained.
This approach means that businesses working with PayRio aren’t walking into a trap - they’re stepping into a secure, vetted system designed to stay online, even as regulations shift.
Redundancy Matters: Introducing PayZero Backup Systems
Even with airtight compliance, fintech is unpredictable - especially in an industry still navigating federal illegality. That’s why PayRio introduced redundant systems within both e-commerce and retail environments. Through PayZero, they provide businesses with dual merchant IDs and custom gateways, ensuring transactions can continue even if one solution is paused or flagged.
“Every terminal has two merchant IDs baked in. And our e-commerce clients can use a gateway that allows us to flip to a second ID without delay.”
It’s like a generator for your payment system - keeping the lights on when everything else goes dark.
Building Community: The Human Side of Payments
Beyond technical solutions, one of the most impressive parts of PayRio is their commitment to community. Aubrey and her team don’t just show up to cannabis and alternative medicine events - they belong there. Their presence is consistent, and their approach is personal.They’ve even been awarded Cannabis Business Times “2025 Best Companies to Work For”, a distinction Aubrey called one of the most rewarding moments of her entrepreneurial journey.
“We’re not just a processor. We’re your partner. We understand that if your payments are down for 5 minutes, it’s not just inconvenient—it’s a crisis.”
PayRio is also bringing the community a virtual Holotropic Breath-work session led by Anna Fae Henderson, an exciting step as we continue to merge the worlds of medicine and healing modalities.
Why It Matters
As someone who has personally experienced payment shutdowns, I can’t overstate the importance of having a partner like PayRio. Their team understands the stakes, the laws, and the lived experience of those building in this space. They don’t just check boxes - they ask the hard questions, vet every solution, and genuinely care about the communities they serve. For businesses in cannabis, psychedelics, or ancillary products, PayRio isn’t just a payment processor.. it’s peace of mind!
Want to hear the full conversation? Tune into Episode 4 of The Dab Digest Podcast featuring Aubrey Amatelli, now streaming on YouTube and www.waxnax.com
Have you experienced a payment freeze or shutdown with your business? What backup systems do you have in place? Drop your stories below - we want to hear from you.
Until next time.. Happy dabbing!
- The WaxNax Team