Answer:
You obtain a merchant account from a merchant account provider - there are plenty of these as they are basically like a bank. Choosing which one to go with depends first on your geographic location and second on what type/ size of business you are. The process can be grueling because the providers need quite a bit of information from you. A merchant account is basically a line of credit, so the banks want to be sure that you are in fact a legitimate, revenue producing business before they grant you an account.