Mercury
Fintech · FDIC via partner bankThe default for non-US founders. Built for startups, free wires, no SSN.
Official siteThe default pick for non-US founders, and the one we recommend most. Accepts Chinese nationals, smooth online application — its form is the cleanest and most straightforward of the bunch, the least painful to fill out — and unlimited virtual cards. Two things to know: a relationship manager only comes with the Pro plan ($299/mo) or $10M+ balances — everyone else uses tickets; and it won't serve jewelry or non-Kickstarter crowdfunding. The most reliable option overall.
Eligibility at a glance
- Banking provided by
- Choice Financial Group / Column N.A.
- Requires SSN
- No
- Overseas operating address
- Yes
- Intl wire (out)
- Free
- Virtual cards
- Unlimited
- Account manager
- Pro plan ($299/mo) or $10M+ balance
Best for
- Non-US founders with a US LLC or C-Corp (Delaware, Wyoming)
- SaaS, tech startups, and professional services
- Anyone who needs API + accounting integrations (Stripe, Shopify, QuickBooks)
- Teams that need unlimited virtual cards
Where it falls short
- Strict on high-risk industries: cannabis, gambling, adult, crypto exchanges
- Email-only support — no phone line
- Rejections are effectively final and hard to appeal
- Tightened on “thin” profiles in 2026 (no website / LinkedIn / clients)
Restricted countries
Restricted industries
Documents to prepare
- A company website
- A company domain email address
- Full company documents (including the EIN)
- An operating address: a real place of business (a home address, US or overseas, with proof; no virtual / PO Box). A registered agent or virtual mailbox is fine as the company's registered address
- Your national driver's license (within validity)
- The owner's passport (a live face-KYC is required, so the owner must be present)
- Personal bank statements for the last 3 months (domestic or overseas)
Why accounts get closed or lockedOfficial
Mercury may close an account under its Terms of Use or deposit account agreement, and for legal / compliance reasons it won't always disclose the specific cause. Below are the common closure and lock scenarios from its official article — checking yourself against this list before you open is far more useful than appealing after a closure.
Terms-of-service / deposit-agreement violations
- You or your business operates from an unsupported location
- You operate in a restricted industry
- Using the platform for non-business purposes (unless it's a personal account), or using a personal account for business
- Using your Mercury account to make payments on behalf of third parties
- Abusive, discriminatory or threatening behavior toward Mercury and its staff
- Using the account to circumvent a third-party platform's terms of service
- Using Mercury's card products in violation of card-network rules
- Using the account to buy or sell cryptocurrency
- An unpaid Mercury subscription
- A negative account balance
- Conflicting instructions or disputes over the account that can't be resolved
US banking-law compliance
- Insufficient responses to requests for more information about your company
- Activity that may involve restricted or sanctioned individuals / entities, or acting on their behalf
- Possible use of Mercury for illegal or illicit activity, or to facilitate online gambling
- Possible use of Mercury to evade federal or state regulatory obligations — e.g. issuing cards to non-affiliated third parties to sidestep KYC and other compliance requirements
Inactivity
- The account has been inactive for an extended period and/or is deemed dormant
What happens after a closure
- Account access is disabled; received or previously scheduled transactions may still process
- Where applicable, you'll get an email with fund-disbursement details, usually included in the closure notice
- In some cases funds may be held, returned or unavailable due to regulatory obligations
- The decision is final in most cases; Mercury may follow up or request more information if circumstances change
Locked (rather than closed) accounts
- Common lock triggers: pending information requests, required review of account activity or business details, unpaid subscription fees, levies / garnishments and other legal process
- While locked, access is limited: scheduled or incoming transactions may still process, but you can't initiate new activity
- If Mercury emails you for more information, reply by the stated deadline — silence can escalate a lock into a closure
From Mercury's official help center (2026-07). Mercury may be unable to share more detail or reconsider a closure — so don't cross the lines: third-party payments, crypto trading and dormancy are the three that catch non-US founders most often.
Read the official article →