Category: Guides

You follow a tutorial for setting up payments, get to the sign-up form, open the country dropdown, and your country isn’t there. It’s one of the most common dead ends for people starting an online business.

Stripe only accepts businesses from a limited list of countries. If you’re in large parts of Africa, Latin America, the Middle East or Asia, there’s a good chance yours isn’t on it. This guide covers the realistic ways to take card payments anyway, what each one costs you, and which one fits which kind of business.

First, don’t borrow someone else’s country

The tempting shortcut is to sign up with a friend’s address abroad, or a bank account that isn’t really yours. Don’t. Stripe checks business details, bank accounts and the people behind them, and accounts opened this way tend to get closed, often with the balance held for months. If that has already happened to you, read what to do when Stripe closes your account.

The options below are all legitimate. They just take different routes around the same problem.

Option 1: Register a company in a supported country

Services like Stripe Atlas will set up a US company for you, and once you have it, you can open a normal Stripe account. Some founders do the same with a UK company.

Good: you get real Stripe, with everything that comes with it.

Not so good: it costs a few hundred dollars to set up, then there are yearly fees, foreign tax filings and usually an accountant. You also need a business bank account that accepts non-resident owners. It’s worth it if you’re building something with steady revenue. It’s a lot of overhead if you just want to start selling next week.

Option 2: A merchant of record

Platforms like Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad sell your product on your behalf. Legally they are the seller, so they handle the card payment and the sales tax, and they pay you out. They accept sellers from far more countries than Stripe does.

Good: quick to start, and tax is handled for you.

Not so good: fees are usually 5% or more per sale, and they’re built for software and digital products. Physical goods, client work, hosting and most services won’t qualify.

Option 3: PayPal and other international processors

PayPal works in more countries than Stripe, and many buyers already have an account. But in some countries a PayPal account can send money and not receive it, or can only receive with extra limits. Cross-border and currency conversion fees add up, and new accounts sometimes have funds held while they’re reviewed. Check exactly what PayPal allows in your country before you build your checkout around it.

Option 4: A card checkout that pays you in USDC

This is the newest route. Your customer pays with an ordinary card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The payment is processed by a licensed provider, and you receive USDC, a dollar stablecoin, in your own wallet. The card relationship is between your customer and the provider, so you don’t need a merchant account or a company abroad.

That’s how the WerninBill card payment gateway works. You install the plugin for WooCommerce, WHMCS, OpenCart or PrestaShop, add your wallet address, and you can take card payments the same day. If you don’t have a store, a payment link does the same thing for a single invoice. The fee is 1% per payment, plus the provider’s own fee.

It’s not perfect, so here’s the honest list of trade-offs:

• You’re paid in USDC, not your local currency. You’ll need a way to convert it when you need cash.
• The provider’s fee depends on your customer’s country and card, and it can be higher than Stripe’s. Run one small test payment to see the real total.
• On some payments the provider may ask your customer to verify their identity, especially for larger amounts.
• Your customer’s card statement usually shows the provider’s name, not yours. Tell customers what to expect so they don’t dispute the charge.
• It isn’t a way around the rules. Adult content, gambling, drugs and other restricted businesses aren’t allowed.

Side by side

Option	Time to start	Typical cost	Best for
Company abroad + Stripe	Weeks	Stripe fees plus company running costs	Established businesses with steady revenue
Merchant of record	A few days	Usually 5% or more per sale	Software and digital products
PayPal	Same day	Varies by country, plus conversion fees	Buyers who already use PayPal, where receiving is allowed
Card checkout paid in USDC	Same day	1% plus the provider’s fee	Online stores, hosting, services and freelancers outside Stripe’s list

Which one should you pick?

You sell software or e-books: a merchant of record is the easiest start. Tax is the hardest part of selling digital products internationally, and they take care of it.

You run an online store or a hosting company: a card checkout paid in USDC gets you live quickly, without setting up a company abroad. Many stores run it alongside PayPal so customers have a choice.

You’re a freelancer sending invoices: payment links are the simplest option. One link per invoice, no store needed. See how to accept online payments without a website.

You’re already making serious money: setting up a company in a supported country is probably worth the paperwork. You can keep a USDC checkout as a backup, so a single account review doesn’t stop all your sales.

Turning USDC into local money

If you go with USDC, plan the cash-out before you need it. Most people use an exchange that operates in their country: deposit the USDC, sell it for local currency and withdraw to a bank account. Compare the fees and the exchange rate, keep a record of every payment for your taxes, and check what your local rules say about receiving crypto. There’s more detail in accept card payments and get paid in USDC.

Quick answers

Can I use a friend’s Stripe account in another country?

No. The account belongs to them, the money is paid to them, and Stripe will treat it as a different business using their account. It usually ends with the account closed.

Do my customers need a crypto wallet?

No. They pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, like any other checkout. Only you need a wallet, to receive the USDC.

Is receiving USDC legal where I live?

In most countries, yes, but some restrict it, and tax rules vary. Check your local rules and keep records of every payment you receive.

Will Stripe add my country soon?

Stripe does add countries from time to time, but there’s no public timeline. Don’t hold back your business waiting for it.

You open your email and there it is: your Stripe account has been closed, or payouts are paused “pending review”. Orders are still coming in, customers are still clicking pay, and suddenly you can’t take their money.

It happens more often than people think, and it doesn’t always mean you did something wrong. This guide walks through what to do in the first few days, what happens to money Stripe is holding, and how to keep taking payments while you sort it out.

First, find out why

Stripe usually gives a short reason in the email or in your dashboard. The common ones:

• Restricted business type. Some industries simply aren’t supported, or are only supported with extra approval.
• Too many disputes or refunds. A spike in chargebacks is one of the fastest ways to get flagged.
• Information that couldn’t be verified. A mismatch between your business details, your website and your bank account.
• Unusual activity. A sudden jump in volume or a big change in what you sell can trigger an automatic review.

Write the reason down. Everything else depends on it: whether an appeal makes sense, and what to fix before you apply anywhere else.

Should you appeal?

If the reason looks like a misunderstanding, yes. Reply through your dashboard or the email thread and keep it short and factual:

• what you sell, in one or two sentences
• a link to your website, refund policy and terms
• proof of fulfilment for a handful of recent orders: tracking numbers, delivery confirmations, invoices
• if disputes were the issue, what you’ve changed to bring them down

Appeals work more often when the account was flagged automatically and the business is plainly legitimate. They rarely work when the business type itself isn’t supported. In that case your time is better spent moving on.

What happens to money Stripe is holding

When an account is closed, Stripe typically holds the remaining balance for a period to cover possible refunds and chargebacks, often around 90 days, sometimes longer. It’s frustrating, but the money is usually paid out at the end of that period once the risk window has passed.

While you wait:

• Keep answering disputes. Every chargeback you win is money back in that held balance.
• Don’t close your bank account or change payout details.
• Keep records of every order and delivery. You may need them.

Save your customer data

Export your customers, payments and subscription data from the dashboard while you still have access. If you bill customers on a subscription, ask Stripe about migrating saved card details to your next PCI-compliant processor, so customers don’t all have to re-enter their cards.

How to keep taking payments

You have a few realistic options, and many businesses end up combining two of them.

Another payment facilitator

PayPal, Square and similar services let you sign up quickly because you’re a sub-merchant under their account. If your business type is supported, this is the fastest way to get card payments back. Be aware that they look at the same risk signals Stripe does, so fix the underlying issue first or you may find yourself here again.

A traditional merchant account

A merchant account through a bank or an acquirer takes longer to approve and asks for more paperwork, but it’s usually more stable once you have it. Providers that specialise in “high-risk” merchants exist too. They accept more business types, at higher fees and often with a rolling reserve.

A crypto on-ramp checkout

This is the newer option. Your customer still pays with an ordinary card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, but the payment is processed by a licensed on-ramp provider, and you receive a stablecoin such as USDC in your own wallet. There’s no merchant account on your side, because the card relationship is between the customer and the provider.

This is how WerninBill’s card payment gateway works. You install the plugin for WooCommerce, WHMCS, OpenCart or PrestaShop, add your wallet address, and you’re taking card payments again, usually the same day. It costs 1% per transaction plus the provider’s own fee. It makes sense if you’re comfortable being paid in USDC and converting it when you need cash. It isn’t a way around the rules: adult content, gambling, drugs and other restricted businesses aren’t allowed here either.

Payment links as a stopgap

If you need to collect a few payments while everything else is being set up, a payment link lets you send a customer a single URL for the amount they owe. No store integration needed.

Fix the cause before you move

Whatever you choose next, the same things that worried Stripe will worry the next provider. Before you apply anywhere:

• Make sure your website clearly shows what you sell, your prices, delivery times, contact details and refund policy.
• Use a clear billing descriptor, so customers recognise the charge on their statement and don’t dispute it out of confusion.
• Reply to customer complaints quickly. A refund is almost always cheaper than a chargeback.
• Check the provider’s list of prohibited businesses before you integrate, not after.

Quick answers

Can I open a new Stripe account?

Generally no. Stripe links accounts by business details, bank accounts and people, and opening a new one after a closure usually ends in another closure. Appeal instead, or move to a different provider.

How long until I get my held balance?

Often around 90 days, depending on your business and dispute history. Stripe tells you the expected date in the dashboard or by email.

Will switching providers affect my customers?

Only at checkout. One-off customers won’t notice much. Subscription customers may need to re-enter card details unless your old processor migrates them to the new one.