By registering for Payments AI, you cannot use this Service to accept payments in connection with any prohibited businesses, business activities, or business practices.
List of Restricted/Prohibited Items:
First, you cannot sell or promote any items or services that are prohibited by law in the jurisdiction of the transaction.
You cannot sell any of the items listed below:
Any illegal goods or services or that encourage, promote, facilitate, or instruct others to engage in illegal activity.
Escort & Bride catalogs, sexual services, mail order brides, prostitution, sexually explicit content (books, videos, streaming, websites), strip clubs, sexually-oriented massage parlors
Financial consulting services and Real Estate
Foreign Currency Exchange services or software, binary options, Forex trading platforms
Cryptocurrency of any kind, including but not limited to: Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, DeFi tokens, and cryptocurrency exchange platforms
Dropshipping
Live animals, Human body parts/fluids/remains (excluding hair pieces), live endangered animals, ivory, or products derived from protected species
Items that include computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, dishonest adware, crimeware, unauthorized rootkits, and other malicious and/or illegal software
Cloud storage, VPN, file sharing, (high-risk) cyber lockers
Security brokers/investments of any kind including the purchase of: securities, currencies, derivatives, commodities, shares, options, precious metals, and other financial instruments
Medical Benefit Packages, discount medical cards, Medical/therapy services, medical consultation services, dental plans, medical spa services, intravenous (IV) therapy, IV drip bars, vitamin infusion clinics, and hangover cure services
Unapproved drugs, and devices mimicking illegal drugs, designer drugs, synthetic drugs, research chemicals, bath salts
Phone unlock services, jailbreakers
Pornography and adult content featuring children and/or individuals under the age of 18 years; and/or featuring rape/violence/bestiality and/or all other illegal sexual content
Casual dating services, adult dating platforms
Tobacco, smoking supplies, e-cigarettes, e-liquids, vaping liquid, vaping accessories, nicotine products, hookah supplies, cigars, chewing tobacco
Products that infringe or violate copyright, trademarks, privacy, IP rights, counterfeit goods, replica or knock-off products, stolen or recalled property, satellite/cable signal decoders
Rape/Violence content, products promoting hatred, racism, religious persecution, or containing offensive content, extremist or terrorist content
Sites promoting hatred, racism, religious persecution, or containing offensive content
Charities, non-profit organizations, crowdfunding platforms
Direct Marketing, Inbound teleservices, outbound telemarketing and travel-related arrangement services, Insurance services (life and non-life), catalog merchants, door-to-door sales
Travel agents, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, timeshare and timeshare maintenance services
Selling social media activity: Twitter/X followers, Facebook likes, YouTube views, or any click farm services
Lifetime Services (lifetime memberships, lifetime subscriptions, lifetime access)
Virtual Credit, stored value products, prepaid access resellers, gift card resale
Penny auctions and auctions with non-refundable bid or participation fees. Legal gambling or Game of Skill where participants receive cash or cash equivalents or prizes with/of material value: including but not limited to: Casinos, poker, bingo, slot machines, betting, lotteries, racing, fantasy sports. This includes all US-based gambling services.
Weapons, firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, explosives, hazardous materials, combustibles, knives (as weapons), brass knuckles, throwing stars, silencers/suppressors
Nutraceuticals, supplements, and CBD products (without specific written approval from Payments AI — see Approval Restrictions for Nutraceuticals and Supplements)
Payday loans, unsecured loans from non-FDIC insured institutions, credit repair, credit protection services
Debt repayment and collection agencies
Money transfer and remittance services
Buy now pay later (BNPL) or installment payment method providers
Auction houses, ticket agencies, bidding fee auctions
Pseudoscience services including clairvoyance, horoscope readings, psychic readings, fortune telling, tarot readings
Political, social, or religious campaigning or donation collection
Standalone tipping services or tipping platforms
Pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs, prescription medical devices
Pawn shops, bail bonds, bankruptcy lawyers
Detective agencies, private investigators
Essay mills, academic fraud services, contract cheating
Get rich quick schemes, pyramid selling, chain letters, Ponzi schemes, financial scams
Gambling services of any kind, including online casinos, sports betting, poker sites, online bingo, and lottery ticket sales
Deceptive marketing practices including false advertising, pre-checked opt-ins, negative option billing, and business models designed to evade chargeback monitoring
Social media manipulation services (buying/selling followers, likes, views, or engagement)
Malicious software including viruses, trojans, crimeware, rootkits, spyware, ransomware
Note on Nutraceuticals: Payments AI has specific approval to process standard nutraceutical and supplement merchants, subject to a mandatory review and approval process. This approval does not extend to CBD, THC, kratom, SARMs, peptides, weight-loss products, sexual enhancement products, IV therapy, or any supplement making medical or drug claims. A minimum 10% rolling reserve for 180 days is required for all approved nutraceutical accounts. See: Approval Restrictions for Nutraceuticals and Supplements
If you are uncertain as to whether your business is a Prohibited Business or have questions about how these requirements apply to you, please reach out to us by clicking the blue support widget in the bottom right-hand corner of this page or email us at [email protected]