Skip to main content
Start

Banking and payments assistance

Available now

Free help with US business bank and payment accounts

A new company needs somewhere to receive money and a way to take payments. Firmlane helps you apply for US business bank and payment accounts, such as Mercury and other US business banks, Wise, PayPal and Stripe. The assistance is free. Each provider runs its own checks and makes its own decision, so we focus on what we can control: choosing providers that fit, preparing the right documents and keeping your details consistent.

  • Free: no Firmlane fee for banking and payments assistance
  • Mercury and other US business banks, Wise, PayPal and Stripe
  • Provider-specific document checklists
  • Providers decide approval; nobody can guarantee an account
Get free help What providers ask for

Where we help

The accounts founders ask us about most

Each provider serves a different need. Many founders use a bank account to hold money and one or more payment providers to get paid.

  • Mercury

    Business accounts for US companies, including companies founded by people outside the US. Mercury describes itself as a fintech company, not a bank, with banking services provided by partner banks.

  • Other US business banks

    Traditional and online banks each set their own rules. Some open accounts for non-resident owners remotely; others require a branch visit or do not serve certain countries.

  • Wise

    A business account for sending and receiving money internationally. Wise verifies the business, its owners and controller, and its trading address.

  • PayPal

    A business account for receiving payments. PayPal verifies the business, the account holder and owners with 25% or more, and may ask for documents.

  • Stripe

    Online card and payment processing. A US Stripe account needs a verifiable EIN, and Stripe verifies the people who represent and own the business.

  • Founder perks

    Partner offers for Firmlane customers may be available on our perks page. Offers and terms come from the partners themselves.

    See founder perks

How it works

How the free assistance works

  1. 01

    Get the basics in place

    Providers want an approved company and an EIN before you apply. If you form with Firmlane, both are part of your order.

    Company and EIN

  2. 02

    Tell us what you need

    Where the owners live, what the business sells, who pays you and in which currencies. That decides which providers are realistic.

  3. 03

    Pick providers that fit

    We explain the options for your situation, including known restrictions, so you apply where you have a real chance.

  4. 04

    Prepare your documents

    You get a checklist for each provider. We help you check that names, addresses and ownership match across every document.

  5. 05

    You submit the application

    Applications are made in your company's name, and providers verify the people behind it directly. You submit and accept the provider's own terms.

  6. 06

    Follow-up questions

    Providers often ask for more information. We help you understand the request and prepare your answer. The decision stays with the provider.

    Provider decides

Be ready

What providers typically ask for

Summarized from each provider's own public help pages, checked on October 17, 2026. Providers change their requirements and can ask for more during review.

  • Company

    Mercury
    Formation documents. The company must be formed in the US or a US territory, with existing or planned US operations.
    Wise
    Business name, company type, EIN and registered address. Wise says it can't onboard businesses from Nevada or US territories.
    PayPal
    Legal name, address, business type, industry, country of incorporation and EIN. Proof such as a Certificate of Good Standing if asked.
    Stripe
    A verifiable Taxpayer Identification Number, such as the company's EIN.

  • EIN proof

    Mercury
    An IRS-issued EIN document.
    Wise
    An IRS document showing the EIN, if asked.
    PayPal
    A copy of the IRS letter assigning the EIN, among other accepted documents.
    Stripe
    A verifiable EIN for a company account.

  • People

    Mercury
    Government ID, such as a passport, for each owner with 25% or more and at least one person with operating control.
    Wise
    Details for owners with 25% or more and a controller. SSN for US owners; photo ID for non-US owners.
    PayPal
    For owners with 25% or more: date of birth, home address, SSN or tax ID, or passport details if there is no US tax ID, plus a signed ownership statement.
    Stripe
    SSN or ITIN for the people on the account. Stripe's help center also describes a local non-US tax ID with supporting documents for people who have neither.

  • Address

    Mercury
    A US or international principal place of business. It can be residential, but not a registered agent, P.O. box or UPS box address.
    Wise
    A physical trading address. No P.O. boxes, registration agencies, mail forwarding services or virtual addresses.
    PayPal
    A physical address, not a P.O. box.
    Stripe
    Business details and the representative's details, verified during sign-up.

  • Restrictions

    Mercury
    Not available when founders or financial controllers live in certain countries.
    Wise
    Asks about your business activities, website and expected monthly volumes.
    PayPal
    Business must be organized in, operating in or resident in the US to open a US account.
    Stripe
    Requirements are for US accounts; check Stripe's current rules for your situation.

This is a summary to help you prepare, not the providers' full requirements. Always follow what the provider asks for in its own application.

Realistic expectations

Why applications stall, and how to avoid it

Banks must know who owns and controls you

Under FinCEN's Customer Due Diligence Rule, US banks must identify and verify the beneficial owners of a company opening an account: every individual who owns 25% or more, and one individual with significant control, such as a CEO or managing member. Payment providers run similar checks. Expect to share ownership details and ID for each of these people.

The most common reasons for delays

  • Mismatched details. The company name, EIN and addresses should match exactly across your formation documents, IRS letter and application.
  • The wrong kind of address. Mercury and Wise both say a registered agent address does not count as your business's principal or trading address. Use a real place where the business is run, which can be your home address abroad where the provider accepts it.
  • Where you live. Some providers do not serve residents of certain countries, regardless of where the company was formed.
  • An unclear business description. Say plainly what you sell, to whom and roughly how much money will move. A working website helps.
  • Missing tax IDs. Some providers ask owners for an SSN or ITIN, and others accept a foreign tax ID with supporting documents.

Founders outside the US

Living outside the US does not rule you out. Mercury, for example, says it supports US companies founded by people around the world. But your options depend on your country of residence and business type, and some providers may not be available to you at all. If a provider asks for an ITIN, see our ITIN application service. If you still need an EIN, see EIN assistance.

Scope

What the free assistance covers

Firmlane helps you

  • Understand which banks and payment providers fit your company and where you live
  • Prepare a document checklist for each provider
  • Check that names, addresses and ownership details are consistent
  • Understand and answer follow-up requests from providers
  • Find any founder perks that may be available to you

Firmlane does not

  • Open accounts, approve applications or guarantee approval
  • Act as a bank, hold your money or move funds for you
  • Submit identity verification on your behalf
  • Give legal, tax or financial advice

No one can honestly guarantee a bank account

Banks and payment providers make their own approval decisions based on their own risk and compliance policies, and they can change them at any time. Firmlane helps you apply but never guarantees that any provider will open an account, approve you for payments or keep an account open. Be cautious of anyone who promises guaranteed approval.

Related

About this service

Firmlane is not a bank, payment processor or money transmitter and does not hold customer funds. Banking and payments assistance is general help with preparing applications; it is not legal, tax or financial advice. Each bank and payment provider sets its own eligibility rules, fees and terms and makes its own approval decisions. Provider names are used only to describe their public requirements and do not imply endorsement or affiliation. Provider requirements are summarized from their public pages as of the review date below and can change.

Official sources

Last reviewed

Provider requirements change often. Always follow the provider's current application.

Get help opening your US accounts

Free assistance from Firmlane: the right providers for your situation, a document checklist for each and help with follow-up questions.

Get free help See founder perks

$0 Firmlane service fee on eligible formations. You pay the state filing fee, shown before you pay.