I used ChatGPT to resolve this based on the error log msg. In my case, it was due to 'allow_url_fopen' not being enabled in my servers PHP settings.
QuoteCHATGPT RESPONSE:
Ahhh, perfect – that error log is the smoking gun.
file_get_contents(https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify): failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found
That means:
👉 Your AbanteCart + reCAPTCHA setup is basically fine.
👉 The problem is your server's PHP config can't make HTTPS requests.
So it's not the keys, not the domains, not v2 vs v3. It's PHP.
1. What "no suitable wrapper could be found" actually means
In PHP, file_get_contents() can fetch URLs only if:
allow_url_fopen is On, and
The https stream wrapper is available (usually via the openssl extension).
If either is missing/disabled, PHP can't handle https://... URLs, and you get exactly:
no suitable wrapper could be found
So AbanteCart is trying to call Google here:
https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify
...but PHP doesn't know how to speak HTTPS from that environment.
2. The real fix: enable HTTPS URL support in PHP
Since you're on /home/domain/public_html/..., this is almost certainly a cPanel/shared-host style setup.
Step A – Check your PHP configuration
Option 1: From AbanteCart (if phpinfo is available)
Sometimes under System → Engine → Tools or similar, there's a "PHP Info" link.
If you see it:
Open phpinfo.
Look for:
allow_url_fopen → should be On
openssl section → should exist and be enabled
Option 2: Via a tiny phpinfo file
In public_html/, create a file called phpinfo.php with:
<?php phpinfo();
Visit https://domain.com/phpinfo.php
Check:
allow_url_fopen
openssl extension
Registered stream wrappers – you should see https listed.
Delete phpinfo.php when you're done (don't leave it live).
Step B – Turn things ON in cPanel
Log into cPanel for this account:
Go to Select PHP Version or MultiPHP INI Editor (depends on host).
Make sure:
PHP version is reasonably recent (e.g., 7.4 / 8.0 / 8.1, not something ancient).
Extensions: check the box for openssl.
In MultiPHP INI Editor (or similar), ensure:
allow_url_fopen = On
Save / Apply changes.
Clear AbanteCart cache (from admin).
Test your form again.
If you don't see those controls, or they're locked, just send this exact text to your host:
"My PHP error log shows:
file_get_contents(https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify): failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found
Please enable the PHP https stream wrapper for this account (ensure allow_url_fopen is On and the openssl extension is enabled), so file_get_contents can access HTTPS URLs."
Once they enable that, reCAPTCHA will start validating properly.
3. Optional workaround: use cURL instead of file_get_contents
Only if your host refuses to enable allow_url_fopen or https wrappers, you can hack around it by switching the reCAPTCHA library to use cURL (if cURL is available).
Look at:
/core/vendors/google_recaptcha/ReCaptcha/RequestMethod/Post.php
/core/vendors/google_recaptcha/ReCaptcha/RequestMethod/CurlPost.php (if present)
In some versions of the official Google library, the main ReCaptcha class chooses cURL automatically when available. If AbanteCart's version is forcing Post (file_get_contents) instead of CurlPost, you could:
Change the code that instantiates RequestMethod\Post to RequestMethod\CurlPost (assuming the file exists and cURL is enabled).
But honestly:
✅ The clean, future-proof solution is to fix PHP config on the server.
That way other things (payments, external APIs, etc.) also work correctly.
4. Summary / what you should do next
Stop worrying about keys/domains – they're not the issue now.
Fix PHP https support:
Ensure allow_url_fopen = On
Ensure openssl is enabled
Confirm https appears in PHP stream wrappers
Retest the form after AbanteCart cache clear.
If you'd like, paste back a couple of lines from your phpinfo (just the bits for allow_url_fopen and whether openssl shows up), and I can confirm if the server is configured correctly.