Is rolling reserve really an opportunity cost?

Yes. Money locked up at 10% reserve for 180 days at €2M/month is €1.2M permanently held. At 8% cost of capital that is €96k/year you could have spent on marketing, technology, or stock buybacks. Most operators omit this from their margin calculations.

Can I negotiate the reserve down?

Yes — once you have 12 months of clean processing history. Acquirers typically reduce reserves from 10% → 5% after 12 months below 0.5% chargeback ratio. Many operators forget to ask.

What is a typical reserve for high-risk?

iGaming: 5-10%. Forex: 5-15% (higher for offshore). Adult content: 10-15%. Crypto on/off-ramp: 15-20%. Reserves correlate with chargeback risk and acquirer comfort, not regulator requirements.

CalculatorUpdated May 2026

How much is your rolling reserve actually costing you?

Steady-state locked capital, annual opportunity cost, margin drag, 5-year burn.

Acquirers love rolling reserves. They smooth chargeback risk and hold your money interest-free. The cost to you, in real cash, is rarely modelled. Four inputs, real numbers.

Inputs

Monthly volume (EUR)Reserve %Horizon (days)Cost of capital %

Capital locked at steady state

€1,200,000

Annual opportunity cost

€96,000

Margin drag

0.40%

5-year cost

€480,000

Discuss these results with us.

We will look at your specific case, validate the numbers against our active banking partners, and give you a free, honest pre-approval read — usually within 24 hours.

⚠ For informational purposes only. This is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify with a qualified advisor before acting on any output.

Ready to move from numbers to action?

Need a real assessment for your business?

The calculator gives indicative numbers. GetBanked does the actual assessment — which banks and licences will actually work for your vertical, jurisdiction, and volume.

Get free pre-approval Contact us

Methodology & sources

Steady-state locked = monthly volume × reserve% × (horizon / 30 days). Annual opportunity cost = locked × cost-of-capital%. Margin drag = annual cost / annual revenue.

Cost of capital is your discount rate or weighted-average cost of capital. For most owner-managed high-risk operators 8-12% is realistic.

Not modelled: chargeback losses (offset reserves are designed to cover), interest paid by acquirer (rare).

Frequently asked questions

Is rolling reserve really an opportunity cost?: Yes. Money locked up at 10% reserve for 180 days at €2M/month is €1.2M permanently held. At 8% cost of capital that is €96k/year you could have spent on marketing, technology, or stock buybacks. Most operators omit this from their margin calculations.
Can I negotiate the reserve down?: Yes — once you have 12 months of clean processing history. Acquirers typically reduce reserves from 10% → 5% after 12 months below 0.5% chargeback ratio. Many operators forget to ask.
What is a typical reserve for high-risk?: iGaming: 5-10%. Forex: 5-15% (higher for offshore). Adult content: 10-15%. Crypto on/off-ramp: 15-20%. Reserves correlate with chargeback risk and acquirer comfort, not regulator requirements.

More calculators

iGaming Licence Cost GGR → NGR Breakdown Bankability Score Tax Residency Time-to-Bank Estimator EMI vs Bank Cost Chargeback Thresholds Forex Broker Capital VASP Licence Selector MDR Calculator MATCH / TMF Cost MCC Risk Tier Substance Requirements CFC Exposure Capital Requirements AML Self-Assessment Player Funds Reserve GGR → EBITDA

Disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Licence fees, tax rates, and regulatory requirements change. You must consult a qualified advisor in each relevant jurisdiction before making any commercial or investment decision. GetBanked and BMC Strategic Inc accept no liability for decisions made on the basis of these calculations.