Why a Payments Expert Says the Adult Industry Still Has Room to Grow

Sarah Davis · 2026-08-04

If you've been following the adult business space for a while, you know that payment processing is often the make-or-break piece of the puzzle. It's not just about moving money — it's about staying compliant, avoiding chargebacks, and keeping your operations running smoothly in a sector that most mainstream banks want nothing to do with. That's why this week's episode of the Adult Site Broker Talk podcast is worth your time. The guest is Johannes Kanter, Chief Growth Officer at FASTO, a payment provider that specializes in adult and other high-risk verticals. Kanter isn't just a suit in a boardroom — he's the guy running marketing, content, partnerships, and business development. In other words, he knows what it takes to grow a payments brand in one of the most challenging industries on the planet. ### Who Is Johannes Kanter? Kanter's role at FASTO puts him at the intersection of sales, strategy, and product. As CGO, he's responsible for the entire growth funnel — from getting the word out to closing deals with adult platform operators. That means he has a unique vantage point on where the industry is heading, what merchants are struggling with, and what payment trends are gaining traction. He's not just talking theory either. FASTO works with businesses that most mainstream processors won't touch. That includes adult content platforms, subscription sites, and other high-risk merchants. It's a niche that requires deep expertise, strong banking relationships, and a willingness to navigate complex regulations. ### What This Episode Covers During the conversation, Kanter dives into several topics that should matter to anyone running an adult business. Here are some of the key takeaways: - **The state of high-risk payments in 2026** — what's changed, what hasn't, and where the opportunities are. - **Why merchant accounts still get shut down** — and how to avoid that nightmare scenario. - **The importance of partnership in the adult space** — you can't go it alone, and here's why. - **What FASTO does differently** — and why that matters for platform owners. It's the kind of insider perspective you don't get from a press release or a sales pitch. Kanter speaks candidly about the challenges and the wins, and he's not afraid to get into the weeds. ### Why You Should Listen If you're running an adult content platform, a cam site, or any subscription-based business in this vertical, payments are your lifeline. A single processing issue can freeze your revenue for weeks. That's not a hypothetical — it happens all the time. Kanter's insights can help you ask better questions when you're shopping for a processor. You'll learn what red flags to look for, what terms actually matter, and how to build a relationship with a provider that won't drop you at the first sign of trouble. And honestly, even if you're just curious about the business side of adult content, this episode is a solid listen. It's a reminder that behind every successful platform, there's a lot of unseen infrastructure keeping things running. ### The Bottom Line Payment processing might not be the most glamorous part of the adult industry, but it's one of the most important. Johannes Kanter's appearance on the Adult Site Broker Talk podcast gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how a high-risk payments company thinks, operates, and grows. If you're serious about scaling your adult business in 2026, this is one conversation you don't want to miss. Tune in, take notes, and maybe rethink how you're handling your own merchant services.