Your processor rejected or closed your account
- Use the review route in your notice, if offered
- A review isn't a promise of reinstatement
- Ask the next provider for its own decision
- Disclose your actual products, owners, countries and sales channels
- Get approval and the full terms in writing before moving
- Money already held? Start with money held or frozen
Your account's closed, or your application was rejected. Use any review route in the notice while you prepare your next application. Keep reinstatement and replacement as separate questions. The next provider makes its own decision.
Stripe, Shopify Payments, Square US and PayPal US document different routes below. Check your service and account country before using one.
What did the notice actually say?
Save the notice and its stated reason, then record the service, account country, date and case number. Keep the original wording alongside any replies.
Keep a limitation separate from a closed account, and use any review route the notice offers. Otherwise, ask whether a review is available. Plan your next application without relying on reinstatement.
Which business description and product category did you review? What's the policy basis for this decision? Is a review available? What information would help you check the decision?
A closure alone leaves the listing question unanswered. If your notice names MATCH or TMF, use the MATCH guide. Ask for the actual record and reason.
Money held? Use money held or frozen for the balance and release question. The processor says you owe money, or debited you after closing? Match the debit to its event. Keep that record separate from your next application.
Does "high risk" mean I'm prohibited?
The label doesn't settle the product question. Read the policy for your service and account country, matching it to what you're actually selling.
| Service | What its public policy says | Your next check |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe Payments | Prohibited and restricted categories are separate. Restricted businesses need additional due diligence. Approval is specific to a service offer and can change or be revoked. VENDOR Stripe's policy. | Check the country, product, claims and channel. A restricted label isn't approval. |
| Shopify Payments | Eligibility depends on country, business type and products. Shopify Payments excludes hemp, CBD and THC sales. Third-party providers have their own policies and approval decisions. VENDOR Eligibility, hemp payments. | Check hosting and payment acceptance separately. Request a decision on your actual products. |
| Square US | Its Payment Terms list prohibited activities, including adult entertainment and firearm sales. Other payment methods may have additional restrictions. VENDOR Square's US terms, section 3. | Check the actual service and country. Ask about your exact offer. |
| PayPal US | Its Acceptable Use Policy separates prohibited activities from activities requiring pre-approval. VENDOR PayPal's US policy. | Find the matching section. Get any required pre-approval before accepting payments. |
These policies describe their own services and boundaries, so send the actual offer, including claims and delivery. Keep an unanswered eligibility question open until it's answered.
Need to calculate a dispute ratio? Use Chargeback Metrics. Keep that calculation separate from the product-policy check.
Shopify flagged one order as high risk? That's an order check, not your account. Use the Shopify order-review steps.
Will anyone take my business?
Start with the business you need approved, then compare provider types using the same disclosed packet. Ask each provider for its policy answer in writing, leaving acceptance unresolved until you have it.
| Provider type | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Direct processor or acquirer | Who contracts with you? Which bank acquires the payments? Who decides whether this business fits? |
| Specialist merchant-account provider or intermediary | Is it the acquirer, an agent or an intermediary? Who makes the decision? Name the contracting provider and acquiring bank. |
| Platform-integrated provider | Does the platform permit your product? Does the payment provider permit the same product, country and channel? |
| Merchant of record | Who's the seller to the customer? Does the product policy cover your offer? Ask for the seller agreement before moving checkout. |
Use Payment Provider Types for the roles. Give every provider the same facts and questions.
List your products, claims, delivery and sales channels, including the business's operating country and each owner's country. Use the provider's secure application for requested documents. Don't send identity documents to this site.
| Business | Put in the packet | Ask each provider |
|---|---|---|
| CBD or hemp | Product form, ingredients, labels, claims, test records, fulfillment and sale countries | Does your policy permit these exact products and channels here? Who contracts and acquires? |
| Supplements | Ingredients, labels, claims, fulfillment and any subscription offer | Which ingredients or claims need review? Can you check these actual labels and offers? |
| Adult | Content format, ownership, moderation, sales model and owner countries | Does your policy cover this model and country? What controls and terms apply? |
| Firearms | Product list, licensing records, sales channel and delivery countries | Does your policy cover these products and channels? Who makes the decision? |
| Travel | Agent or operator role, booking flow, suppliers, payment timing and delivery | Does your policy cover this booking model? What reserve, payout and exit terms apply? |
| Coaching | Live service, course or software; claims, delivery, channel and cancellation terms | Does your policy cover this service and these claims? Which parts need separate review? |
Check the provider's own policy
- Open its legal or help site for your account country
- Find the acceptable-use or restricted-business policy
- Search your product, ingredients, claims, channel and delivery model
- Save the URL, policy date and matching section
- Ask for a written decision where the policy leaves a gap
Here's our catalogue, delivery model, business structure and owner countries. Does your policy permit this offer in this account country and channel? Which section applies? Who contracts and acquires? Please send the full terms before we apply.
Get the answer against the business you've disclosed, including fees, reserves, settlement, termination and supported channels. Include recurring payments and saved cards where they matter. Compare the same fields in every reply.
Don't hide a product or use a false business category. Don't borrow another person's identity or misstate your location. Correct wrong details, then request a decision on those facts.
I'm outside the US. Does my US LLC qualify?
Give the provider your actual structure before applying, with the formation country, operating address and each owner's residence. Add the representative, bank country, products and customer countries. Ask which identity, address and tax documents it needs.
Shopify's US requirements distinguish business types and account representatives. They ask for business and personal details separately. That page isn't approval for your setup. VENDOR Shopify's US requirements.
Our company's formed in the US. Its owners live in [country], and we operate from [country]. We sell [products] to [markets]. Can you support this structure for this service? Which identity, address, tax and bank documents apply?
Report your actual residence alongside any registered-agent address. Ask for a decision on the whole setup. For the application records, use Underwriting.
Would a merchant of record work?
Check its product policy before moving your checkout, then request the seller agreement for your actual business. A digital checkout isn't evidence that your product fits.
| Policy example | Published product boundary | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle | Built for software companies. Its exclusions include physical products, human services unrelated to software such as coaching, adult offerings and travel services. VENDOR Paddle's policy explanation. | Does this exact product, delivery and seller structure fit? Send the agreement covering refunds, disputes, reserves, settlement and exit. |
| Lemon Squeezy | Generally allows digital goods fulfilled through its website. Prohibited products include services, physical goods, adult content, CBD, weapons and nutraceuticals. VENDOR Lemon Squeezy's product policy. | Does this product and seller country fit? Confirm activation and send the seller terms before migration. |
Use these as policy examples when checking fit. Neither product list supplies your approval or negotiated terms. Ask who handles refunds, disputes and tax obligations. Get payout and termination terms in the same agreement.
What if I take stablecoins instead?
Check eligibility for the exact route you're considering. Shopify's USDC option requires an activated Shopify Payments account and a supported region. It also checks the representative's residential region. That's one provider's route. VENDOR Shopify's USDC requirements.
Can you support our product and owner locations? Who receives the payment and controls the funds? How would we issue a refund? Which restrictions and costs apply?
Use Alternative payment methods to compare the routes. Keep legal availability, custody and recovery rights as questions for the arrangement. For money already held, return to money held or frozen.
Where do I send a review request?
Use the route in your notice first, checking the service and country against the source. A limitation task isn't a permanent-closure appeal. A review request leaves the outcome to the provider.
| Service | Publicly documented route | Limit to keep in view |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | If the closure email offers a review form, use it to explain a misunderstood or miscategorized business. For standard Dashboard support cases, open Help > Support centre. VENDOR Closure help, support cases. | Use this Dashboard path for standard accounts. Check the notice or platform for an Express or platform-managed account. The form isn't a universal appeal. |
| Shopify Payments | For a hold, check the admin home banner and the store owner's email. For payment-provider support: Settings > Payments, select the provider, Manage for a card provider, then More actions > Contact provider. VENDOR Troubleshooting guide. | These are hold and support steps. They aren't a documented universal closure appeal. |
| Square US | An eligible seller can use the link in the deactivation email, Dashboard banner or POS notification. Complete the form and choose Submit Appeal. VENDOR Deactivation appeal guide. | Your deactivation notice must indicate appeal eligibility. An ineligible notice gives no entitlement to this form. |
| PayPal US | For a limitation, open the Resolution Center or the Dashboard bell and follow the displayed steps. VENDOR Limitation guide. | This guide covers limitations. It doesn't establish a general permanent-closure appeal. |
Save your submitted explanation with the case number and the records that address the stated concern. If the route's missing, ask support what's available for this notice.
What should I get before switching?
Get written approval for the business you've disclosed, covering products, owners, countries and sales channels. Name the contracting provider and acquiring bank. List fees, reserves, settlement and exit terms together.
Does this offer cover our products, owners, countries and sales channels? Name the contracting provider and acquiring bank. Send every fee, reserve, settlement and termination term before we sign.
If you take subscriptions, ask about saved cards and recurring payments. Get both providers' answers before planning the move. Once eligibility and terms are clear, follow the short switch path.
Scale Callout
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before launch or no processing history | Send the catalogue, ownership and fulfillment packet. Ask which records would support the application. |
| You're running this alone | Keep one private record containing the notice, policy section, replies and proposed contract. |
| A small team takes payments | Give one person the policy check and contract comparison. |
| Volume's growing, or payment comes well before delivery | Disclose the planned change. Ask whether limits, settlement or reserves would change. |
| Several entities, countries or channels | Request the approval scope for each arrangement. |
Where This Breaks
Check the policy again before you commit, since Stripe's restricted-business approval can change or be revoked. Keep the scope with the written answer. VENDOR Stripe's policy.
Hosting and payment acceptance need separate checks. Shopify's hemp guide says hosting may continue after Shopify Payments is removed, subject to applicable laws and an alternative provider. That provider still makes its own approval decision. VENDOR Shopify's hemp guide.
Return any unanswered point to the provider in writing, keeping it unresolved in your comparison. If your product, country or channel changes, request a fresh decision.
Test to Run
Give each provider the same disclosed business packet. Record the policy section, product, countries, channel and owner structure. Add the contracting entity, acquirer and complete written terms.
Pass when the written approval covers that actual setup. Check the offer against the contract before signing. A missing approval or changed setup fails this check. Resolve the gap before moving your checkout.
Then ask for the provider's supported test flow. Check checkout, refunds and any required recurring payments there, using the switch checklist to plan the move and preserve your records.
Sources
| Source | Supports | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe prohibited and restricted businesses | Distinct categories, additional due diligence, service-specific and revocable approval | 21 October 2026 |
| Shopify Payments eligibility | Country, business-type and product conditions | 21 October 2026 |
| Shopify hemp payments | Hemp exclusions, third-party decisions, hosting distinction | 21 October 2026 |
| Square US Payment Terms | Section 3 product restrictions | 21 October 2026 |
| PayPal US Acceptable Use Policy | Prohibited activities and pre-approval categories | 21 October 2026 |
| Shopify US requirements | Business-type, business and personal information requirements | 21 October 2026 |
| Paddle acceptable-use explanation | Software focus and named product exclusions | 21 October 2026 |
| Lemon Squeezy prohibited products | Digital-goods scope and named exclusions | 21 October 2026 |
| Shopify USDC | Shopify Payments activation and regional requirements | 21 October 2026 |
| Stripe account closure | Email-linked form for misunderstood or miscategorized businesses | 21 October 2026 |
| Stripe Dashboard support cases | Help > Support centre for Dashboard cases | 21 October 2026 |
| Shopify payment troubleshooting | Hold notices and contact-provider steps | 21 October 2026 |
| Square US deactivation appeal | Notice eligibility, form routes and submission | 21 October 2026 |
| PayPal US limitation removal | Resolution Center and Dashboard bell for limitations | 21 October 2026 |