Terms & Policies
Prohibited and Restricted Businesses & Activities
If you use Finix’s payment processing services (“Services”), you must comply with this Prohibited & Restricted Businesses & Activities list (“List”). This List is based on several factors, including legal and regulatory requirements, card network rules, restrictions from our financial partners, and other risks (e.g., reputational, chargebacks).
Finix reserves the right to change this List at any time by posting a new version of it to our website. You agree to any such changes by continuing to use the Services after a new version has been posted.
You must operate within the United States, excluding U.S. territories, to use the Services.
Here are the MCC codes that Finix currently supports. If you have any questions about whether Finix can support your business, please reach out to your Finix point of contact or email Finix Support.
PROHIBITED
You must not use the Services in connection with the activities listed below.
Illegal Products & Services
Any goods or services that violate any law, statute, or regulation
Any activity, product, or service that is fraudulent, deceptive, unfair, or predatory
Intellectual Property Infringement
Products that infringe on the intellectual property rights of others, including counterfeit goods or any product or service that infringes on copyright, trademark, or trade secrets of any third party, such as many cyberlockers
Unfair, Predatory, or Deceptive Products or Services
Direct Marketing: Continuity or subscription services, travel arrangement services, or telemarketing services
Outbound telemarketer and telecommunications
Multi-level marketing schemes
“Negative option” renewal, continuity subscription, or marketing practices involving free or low-dollar trial or “pay only for shipping” periods, after which a credit card is charged periodically or a significantly higher amount
Distressed property sales and/or marketing
Investment or “get rich quick” schemes
Sale of social media activity, including promising to increase the amount of social media followers
“Upselling” practices
Adult Content & Services
Adult entertainment, adult retail stores, or adult content websites including electronic commerce adult content (videotext) merchants
Certain Legal, Political, Financial, & Consulting Services
Bidding fee auctions, including penny auctions
Collection agencies
Commodity or security trading
Credit counseling, credit repair services, credit protection, or identity theft protection services
Cryptocurrencies, crypto exchanges, or crypto dealers
Digital wallet or prepaid merchants, including staged digital wallets
Debt/tax elimination, debt/tax reduction, or debt/tax consulting services
High interest rate non-bank consumer lending, payday or title loans, or any consumer financing services
Money transfers, wire transfers, money orders, money transmitters, and check cashing services, including businesses required to be registered as Money Service Businesses (MSBs)
Political action committees (PACs)
Quasi-cash or stored value goods and services
Virtual currency that can be monetized, resold, or converted to physical or digital goods and services that exit the virtual world
Firearms, Explosives, & Dangerous/Hazardous Materials
Firearms and weapons, including accessories such as ammunition, components, silencers, and suppressors
Gambling & High Risk Industries
Gambling activities and establishments, including lotteries, internet gaming, fantasy sports, contests, sweepstakes, or any special incentives or prizes to induce cardholders to make a purchase of goods or services
Sports forecasting or odds making
Cruise lines
Timeshares or related marketing businesses including businesses that resell timeshares
Infomercial merchants
Pawn shops
Prepaid phone card or phone services, including businesses selling mobile minutes
Real estate “flipping”
Discount membership clubs
Discount coupon businesses or online sites
Discount medical or dental plans, including discount insurance
Rebate-based businesses
Software resellers
Telehealth and telemedicine
Drugs & Pharmaceuticals
Pseudo pharmaceuticals
Drug paraphernalia
Internet or mail-order pharmacies or drug stores
Cigar stores and stands
Card-not-present tobacco, eCigarettes, and “vape” supplies and accessories
Marijuana and CBD dispensaries or online sales, including sales of products that include CBD or THC as ingredients
Substances designed to mimic illegal drugs, such as Kava and Kratum
Additional Prohibitions - Misuse of the Finix Services
Submitting sales for payment that resulted from another commercial entity providing goods or services to the cardholder, including those businesses that may otherwise qualify themselves as a PSP or Payment Facilitator
Accepting a card as payment for a dishonored check or for an item deemed uncollectable by another merchant
Accepting a card at a scrip-dispensing terminal
Providing goods or services that are, or potentially are, brand or reputationally damaging such escort services, mail order bride services, or any occult or psychic service
Accepting loan repayments on a credit card
RESTRICTED
You must not use the Services in connection with the activities listed below without Finix’s prior approval.
Age restricted products or services
Auto dealerships, new and used, when accepting loan payments (loan payments on a VISA branded credit card are prohibited)
Bail bond services or bankruptcy lawyers
Business payment solution providers (BPSPs)
Businesses with an anticipated percentage of international card sales greater than 20% of total sales
Career placement or advice center services
Crowd sourced fundraising, except crowd sourced fundraising is prohibited for the purchase of stock or equity, when a promise is made to deliver a good or service in the future, or there is no consideration in return for the payment or donation
Consumer bill payment service providers
Dating services (card-not-present)
Delayed delivery businesses where the good or service the merchant is providing the cardholder is not shipped, delivered, or fulfilled when the card transaction is processed but is to occur at a future date
Insurance sales, premiums, and services
Massage parlors
Online personal computer technical support (not Direct Marketed in nature)
Package stores–beer, wine, and liquor
Political campaigns
Personal enhancement products and/or nutraceuticals where there is not any consumer-present retail option
Sexual aids/toys
Shipping or forwarding brokers
Solar panel businesses
Travel agencies or tour operators, except agencies or operators servicing sanctioned locations (e.g., Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria) are prohibited
Warranty companies
Additional prohibitions and restrictions may apply. Any business or persons on any government or sanctions watch list are prohibited from using the Services.