Prohibited and Restricted products & services
Effective from January 11, 2021
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Our eligibility criteria:
To meet internal and external obligations, some industries may be prohibited or restricted from working with Adyen. This is based on a range of factors including but not limited to the following:
Local, national and international laws
Requirements of our payment partners (e.g. card networks)
Level of assessed risk (e.g. chargebacks, fraud)
Reputational impact to Adyen and cost aspects associated with this
1. Business model
Depending on your business model product or services restrictions or prohibitions may apply. First, define if you are operating a ‘Merchant’ business model or a ‘Platform / Partner business’. Then check if any restrictions or prohibitions are applicable to your business in the list in the next section.
Merchant
A business that sells products/services to its customers in its own name and on its own responsibility.
Platform / Partner business
Any partner or platform merchant connected to Adyen enabling another party (third party or Adyen sub-merchant) to use the Adyen services to sell their products and services through the services of such platform or partner.
If your business is connected to Adyen through a Platform / Partner business, the restrictions in this category also apply to you.
Merchant
E.g. a grocery store or online retailer that sells products from various brands. Includes franchisees.
Platform / Partner business
E.g. a marketplace / platform, staged digital wallet operator, payment facilitator. Restrictions also apply to sub-sellers.
Note that if you are onboarded to operate as a ‘Platform / Partner business model’ requirements apply based on the business model itself. For instance, Payment Facilitators require registration with the Card Schemes.
If you are in doubt about what business model applies to your business, talk to your Adyen representative or get in touch.
2. Restricted and Prohibited Products and Services
The list below shows all the products and services that are restricted or prohibited from using Adyen services for ‘Merchant’ business models and ‘Platform / Partner business’ models.
This symbol indicates that your products or services offering is restricted. We will require additional documentation prior to onboarding. When Adyen agrees to provide its services for a broad category of services (e.g. DVDs) it does not imply that consent is given for subcategories within that category which are prohibited or restricted as per this list (e.g. counterfeit DVDs).
The fact that Adyen agrees to provide its services for a particular product or service should not be interpreted as an advice or opinion as to the legality of a merchant’s products and services and of the intended use of the services therefore. The merchant is and remains solely responsible to ensure that their products and services and those of their affiliates are compliant with applicable laws, regulations and scheme rules.
This symbol indicates that the business or service is prohibited from using Adyen’s services. When entering into an agreement with Adyen and using Adyen's services you are confirming that you are not offering or are affiliated to the products or services listed as prohibited.
The scheme owners of local payment methods may have more stringent restrictions with respect to certain products or services. Businesses should check current restrictions or prohibitions applicable to the relevant payment method when using it to ensure compliance.
If you require additional information about the onboarding requirements and restrictions applicable to your business talk to your Adyen representative or get in touch.
Adult
Adult goods (excluding fetish products)
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Fetish products
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Content: Books, magazines, audio, videos, websites, streaming services and other content formats deemed offensive or of a sexual nature
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Entertainment: Gentleman's clubs, topless bars, strip clubs, sexually oriented massage parlors, saunas, escort agencies or any sexually-related services
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Financial Businesses
Bearer share entities
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Binary options
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Buy now pay later / Instalment payment methods
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Credit repair and credit protection business
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Debt repayment and collection agency
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
E-wallet or e-money that can be monetized, re-sold or converted to physical and digital goods and services or otherwise exit the virtual world
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Financial service or money service business, including but not limited to: • traveler checks • money orders • Foreign Exchange • check cashing • virtual currencies • cash advances by non-financial institutes
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Fines or penalty collections of any kind
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Independent or unlicensed financial advisors
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Insurance sales and services (life)
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Insurance sales and services (non-life)
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Money transfer & remittance businesses
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Payday loans, unsecured loans and loans originating from non FDIC insured banks
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Payroll, invoice & business services
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Provider or seller prepaid access/stored value
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Shell banks
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Intellectual Property (IP)
Counterfeit products, replicas or designed infringements of them including products designed to circumvent IP
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Essay mills, paper mills where the intent is to falsely submit documents as their own work
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Products designed to circumvent copyright protection techniques or to otherwise facilitate the unlicensed use of copyrighted material
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
The use of Adyen's logo and IP without express permission or in a way that creates reputation risk for Adyen
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Marketing practices
Business investment opportunities operating as ‘get rich quick schemes’
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Business models that use ransom- or extortion like practices
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Business practices that are designed to evade excessive chargeback monitoring programs
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Data Pass
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Deceptive marketing tactics related to disclosure, false or inaccurate claims, before/after claims, endorsements, cancellation or refunds avoidance, pre-checked opt-ins, poorly disclosed negative options, misappropriation of incentives, disproportionate rebates, sweepstakes
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Fake references and other services or products that foster deception
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Inbound telemarketing for postcard or mailings
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Products or services that promote hate, violence, discrimination, terrorism, harassment or abuse in any shape or form
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Pyramid selling, chain letters or other financial scams
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Not-for-Profit
Charities
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Crowdfunding
Merchant
Platform / Partner Business
Other products & services
Regulated
Securities & Trading
Third party Payment Processing
Technology