Zodaka, founded in 2017, was developed with the cannabis industry in mind. However, since cannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the federal government, using your debit card could slow transactions down.
That’s where Zodaka comes in. Zodaka isn’t a credit card but a payment processing program that users link to their personal bank accounts. Acting like a card without physically having a card. Think PayPal if you could buy CBD and Mary J using your PayPal account.
Why is Zodaka a Good Credit Card to Have?
There isn’t any evidence that Zodaka ever offers a card to its subscribers. Instead, it was designed to work more like PayPal for what Zodaka considered “High Risk” businesses. Linking directly to a user’s bank account, Zodaka could then act as a payment processor.
My research found that the Zodaka platform kinda fell off the map, so to speak, back in 2020. Unfortunately, I could not find any information or reviews since then, and the Zodaka business website link is no longer in working order.
For What Type of Purchases Should You Use Zodaka?
Zodaka was developed to give high-risk business owners and consumers a way to process transactions instantly. With Cannabis and adult entertainment still largely seen as illegal businesses, swiping your Visa or Mastercard could cause a lot of red tapes.
Zodaka operated as an app you downloaded and then linked directly to your bank account. Allowing you to then pay for your services or product almost instantly.
Is Zodaka Legit?
While there is no evidence to support that Zodaka wasn’t on the up and up, it is important to note that there has been little to no activity since 2020. This may be largely due to credit card companies easing their stance on purchasing cannabis with your bank or credit card.
Since the problem Zodaka was hoping to solve seems to be solving itself, software like Zodaka may not have been able to get a strong foothold in the market.
Since most debit and credit cards are federally backed, allowing cannabis transactions would be considered illegal.
When Should You Get a Zodaka Credit Card?
Unfortunately, Zodaka never had a card option. Instead, its service requires users to download an app and then link directly to their personal bank account.
Zodaka doesn’t seem to be in business today. With no real reason as to why the company closed its doors.
What are the Flaws of Zodaka?
I found several flaws with Zodaka. First, the linking directly to a bank account and funds automatically being withdrawn, under a no chargeback clause. Secondly, since Zodaka deals with federally illegal merchants, transactions are not granted federal protection.
Those are my two biggest problems with the Zodaka platform. Lastly, Zodaka doesn’t seem to be an operating business today. Even Zodaka’s founder’s LinkedIn page shows his activity with the business lasted less than three years.
Final Thoughts on Zodaka Credit Card
While Zodaka may have had a great start, it seems its services didn’t line up with merchant and consumer needs. Only lasting just over two years and the climate around cannabis ever-changing, Zodaka surely missed the mark somewhere.
They were supposed to be like PayPal but for high-risk merchants and consumers. Cannabis is still considered federally illegal but with more and more states implementing cannabis lax laws, using your debit/credit card isn’t as taboo as it seems.