Stripe has a separate list of businesses and activities that are not allowed to use its services. You must follow these rules, and Stripe can update them at any time — if you keep using Stripe after an update, you've agreed to the new rules.
This analysis describes what Stripe's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The provision establishes that acceptable use standards are defined by external, updatable documents rather than within the agreement itself, and grants Stripe unilateral authority to interpret and enforce compliance determinations. This structure allows Stripe to modify operational restrictions without amending the primary terms.
Merchants whose business types are added to Stripe's restricted or prohibited list after onboarding may face sudden account termination with no grandfathering protection, and the incorporation-by-reference of external documents means material terms can change without a direct amendment to the SSA. Merchants in regulated industries (cannabis-adjacent, firearms, adult content, gambling) should monitor the restricted businesses list regularly.
How other platforms handle this
You agree not to post, upload, publish, submit or transmit any content that: (i) infringes, misappropriates or violates a third party's patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, moral rights or other intellectual property rights, or rights of publicity or privacy; (ii) violates, or encourages any ...
You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities: (i) copying, distributing, or disclosing any part of the Services in any medium; (ii) using any automated system, including 'robots,' 'spiders,' 'offline readers,' etc., to access the Services; (iii) transmitting spam, chain lett...
Customer agrees to comply with HubSpot's Acceptable Use Policy, which is incorporated into this Agreement by reference. HubSpot may update the Acceptable Use Policy from time to time, and any changes will be effective upon posting to HubSpot's website. Customer's continued use of the Services follow...
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"You may not use the Services to engage in activities that Stripe deems, in its sole discretion, to be harmful to Stripe, its financial partners, or third parties. You agree to comply with Stripe's Acceptable Use Policy (available at stripe.com/legal/aup) and the list of Prohibited and Restricted Businesses (available at stripe.com/restricted-businesses), each of which are incorporated by reference into this Agreement. Stripe may update these policies from time to time, and your continued use of the Services constitutes your acceptance of any such updates.— Excerpt from Stripe's Stripe Terms of Service
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Incorporation-by-reference of external policy documents is reviewed under contract law and FTC guidance on clear and conspicuous disclosure. For financial services, OFAC (31 C.F.R. Chapter V) and FinCEN (31 U.S.C. § 5318) mandate that payment processors maintain prohibited party lists, which underpin the functional necessity of this provision. Card Network Rules (Visa VIOR Section 5.8, Mastercard Rules Chapter 9) require payment facilitators to maintain and enforce prohibited merchant category restrictions.
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The provision establishes that acceptable use standards are defined by external, updatable documents rather than within the agreement itself, and grants Stripe unilateral authority to interpret and enforce compliance determinations. This structure allows Stripe to modify operational restrictions without amending the primary terms.
Merchants whose business types are added to Stripe's restricted or prohibited list after onboarding may face sudden account termination with no grandfathering protection, and the incorporation-by-reference of external documents means material terms can change without a direct amendment to the SSA. Merchants in regulated industries (cannabis-adjacent, firearms, adult content, gambling) should monitor the restricted businesses list regularly.
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