What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://stripe.com/restricted-businesses', 'difficulty': 'EASY', 'action_type': 'CLOSE_ACCOUNT', 'instructions': 'Review the full Prohibited and Restricted Businesses list at stripe.com/restricted-businesses. If you believe your business may fall into a restricted category, contact Stripe Support before processing transactions to obtain written confirmation of eligibility.', 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': "The FTC can investigate whether Stripe's application of its prohibited business list is applied in a discriminatory, arbitrary, or anti-competitive manner under FTC Act Section 5.", 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Prohibited and Restricted Business Categories clause as medium severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Prohibited and Restricted Business Categories — Stripe

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What it is

Stripe prohibits certain types of businesses and activities from using its services, and violating the prohibited business list can result in immediate account suspension or termination.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Merchants in industries such as firearms, cannabis, adult content, gambling, or certain financial products may be unable to use Stripe or may face sudden termination if Stripe updates its restricted business list to include their category.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Close Your Account

Review the full Prohibited and Restricted Businesses list at stripe.com/restricted-businesses. If you believe your business may fall into a restricted category, contact Stripe Support before processing transactions to obtain written confirmation of eligibility.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Prohibited and Restricted Business Categories and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

If your business type or a specific product or service you sell falls on Stripe's restricted list — which can change — your account could be suspended without warning, cutting off all payment processing.

View original clause language

You may not use the Stripe Services for any purpose that is prohibited by this Agreement, including the Stripe Acceptable Use Policy. The Stripe Acceptable Use Policy lists businesses and business activities that are prohibited from using Stripe Services, as well as businesses that may only use Stripe Services in certain circumstances. If you are uncertain whether your use is permitted, you should contact us. Use of the Stripe Services in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy will result in suspension or termination of your account.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Stripe's Acceptable Use Policy incorporates card network rules (Visa VIOR, Mastercard Merchant Rules) and is informed by BSA/AML risk-based restrictions, OFAC sanctions lists, and state-specific licensing requirements for regulated industries. For firearms merchants, ATF regulations; for cannabis, FinCEN guidance on cannabis banking (Feb 2014); for financial products, SEC and FINRA registration requirements. (2)

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC can investigate whether Stripe's application of its prohibited business list is applied in a discriminatory, arbitrary, or anti-competitive manner under FTC Act Section 5.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Stripe Terms of Service

Entity

Stripe

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 27, 2026

Last verified

April 27, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-003379

Document ID

CA-D-00107

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://stripe.com/legal/ssa

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

ba3a7b25a1b43698323b986577624b162c5c51802d1bb82f1a99dff5da4335ef

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Stripe | Document: Stripe Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-003379
Captured: 2026-04-27 12:29:11 UTC | SHA-256: ba3a7b25a1b43698…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/stripe/stripe-terms-of-service/prohibited-and-restricted-business-categories/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

Medium

Prohibited and Restricted Business Categories