Stripe maintains a list of business types that are either not allowed or subject to restrictions on its platform, and this list can be updated at any time, with continued use of Stripe constituting acceptance of changes to the list.
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 terms incorporate the Prohibited and Restricted Business list by reference and authorize Stripe to modify it at any time, meaning a business that is currently permitted on the platform could become restricted without a formal SSA amendment, with account suspension as a potential consequence.
This provision binds businesses to a Prohibited and Restricted Business list that is maintained separately from the SSA and can be updated at any time, with changes potentially affecting a business's eligibility to use Stripe's payment processing services and triggering account suspension under the termination provisions.
How other platforms handle this
All Users must abide by Eventbrite's Community Guidelines which are incorporated by reference into, and are part of, these Terms. You have no right to use, and you agree not to use, any Site Content for your own commercial purposes. You have no right to, and you agree not to, scrape, crawl, or emplo...
In addition to the Terms of Service above, these Business Terms govern your access to and use of your Business Account and the Business Site. If you have a Business Account, in the event of any conflict between these Business Terms and the Terms of Service, the Business Terms apply.
You may not use our Products to do or share anything that violates these Terms, our Community Standards, and other policies that apply to your use of our Products. You also agree not to use our Products to share anything that is unlawful, misleading, discriminatory, or fraudulent.
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"You must ensure that your use of the Services complies with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and with Stripe's policies, including the Prohibited and Restricted Business policy (available at stripe.com/restricted-businesses). If you are unsure whether your business falls within a prohibited or restricted category, you should contact us before using the Services. We may add to or modify this list at any time. Your continued use of the Services following any changes to this list constitutes your acceptance of the changes.— Excerpt from Stripe's Stripe Terms of Service
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Prohibited business policies in payment processing agreements reflect card network requirements and applicable regulatory constraints on facilitating payments for certain categories of goods and services. These policies interact with Bank Secrecy Act compliance, anti-money laundering program requirements, and applicable state and federal law governing specific industries. The CFPB and state financial regulators may have jurisdiction over the application of prohibited business policies where they affect merchants' access to payment services. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The incorporation by reference of an externally maintained and modifiable prohibited business list creates an ongoing compliance monitoring obligation. The provision that continued use constitutes acceptance of list changes means that a business's eligibility status can change without a formal SSA amendment process, and the account suspension provision is directly triggered by association with prohibited or restricted business categories. JURISDICTION FLAGS: Certain business categories that are prohibited or restricted under Stripe's policy may be lawful in specific US states or international jurisdictions (such as cannabis, online gaming, or certain financial services), creating a potential tension between regulatory permission and contractual prohibition. Businesses in such categories should assess both their regulatory status and their Stripe policy eligibility independently. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Businesses in adjacent or evolving industry categories (such as CBD, cryptocurrency, earned wage access, or online lending) should regularly review the Prohibited and Restricted Business list for changes that could affect their Stripe eligibility. Contracts with third parties that depend on Stripe payment processing should include provisions addressing the risk of Stripe eligibility loss. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should establish a review process for the Prohibited and Restricted Business list and assess whether any changes to the list are triggered by regulatory developments that also independently affect the business's operations. Businesses should document their assessment of their own category eligibility at the time of onboarding and upon any subsequent list changes.
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The terms incorporate the Prohibited and Restricted Business list by reference and authorize Stripe to modify it at any time, meaning a business that is currently permitted on the platform could become restricted without a formal SSA amendment, with account suspension as a potential consequence.
This provision binds businesses to a Prohibited and Restricted Business list that is maintained separately from the SSA and can be updated at any time, with changes potentially affecting a business's eligibility to use Stripe's payment processing services and triggering account suspension under the termination provisions.
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