Square · Square Terms of Service

Merchant Indemnification Obligation

Medium severity
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What it is

If someone sues Square because of something you did using their service, you are responsible for paying Square's legal costs and any damages.

Why it matters

This could expose merchants to significant unexpected financial liability if a customer or third party brings legal action related to the merchant's use of Square.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

The broad indemnification clause, covering third-party claims arising from merchant use of Square's services, should be reviewed by risk and legal teams; it may create uncapped contingent liability exposure and should be assessed for consistency with the merchant's own insurance coverage.

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Consumer impact

Square's terms grant the company broad discretion to hold, delay, or withhold merchant funds for risk management reasons, which can significantly disrupt business cash flow. Merchants waive their right to participate in class action lawsuits and must resolve disputes through binding arbitration, limiting their legal remedies. You can opt out of the arbitration clause by sending written notice to Square within 30 days of first accepting the terms.

Provision details

Document information
Document
Square Terms of Service
Entity
Square
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 20, 2026
Last verified
March 20, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-00362005
Document ID
CA-D-00362
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
3d79cc9cc45aa3558212c7d86da79a91ba4fe8c01edd664c184c4b174d81f32c
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Square | Document: Square Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-00362005
Captured: 2026-03-20 10:40:05 UTC | SHA-256: 3d79cc9cc45aa355…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/square/square-terms-of-service/merchant-indemnification-obligation/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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