Opening a Mercury Account as a Non-US Founder (2026)

You formed a US LLC and got an EIN; the next step is a business account. One of the most common remotely opened options is Mercury, used to receive Amazon payouts, connect Stripe and pay US expenses.

Short answers:

• What is Mercury? A fintech company that opens accounts for US-formed companies. It is not a bank itself; banking services are provided through partner banks (Choice Financial Group and Column N.A.).
• Can non-residents open one? Yes, unless the founder lives in a country on Mercury's prohibited list. The list is based on country of residence, not citizenship.
• Is it a personal account? No. It's opened in your US company's name.

Prerequisites

Per Mercury's eligibility page:

• The company must be formed and registered in the US or a US territory (LLC or C-Corp)
• It must have existing or planned US operations
• The principal place of business can be in the US or abroad. Residential addresses are accepted; registered agent addresses, P.O. boxes and UPS Store addresses are not
• Everyone owning 25% or more, directly or indirectly, must be listed

Mercury doesn't serve money services businesses and crypto exchanges, adult entertainment, cannabis, internet gambling, or trusts.

Documents

Per Mercury's document list:

• Formation document: state-filed Articles of Organization, Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Formation
• EIN document: IRS letter CP575 or 147C, or the SS-4 as returned by the IRS — not just the application. See our EIN guide
• ID: passports for every 25%+ owner and the person with operating control

Address rules — where most applications stall

Mercury collects three addresses:

• Legal address: from your formation documents; must be a physical US address, not a P.O. box
• Physical address: where you actually work. A verifiable address abroad is accepted. Virtual addresses, mail centers and registered agent addresses are not
• Mailing address: where cards are sent

Mercury may ask for proof, such as utility bills or financial statements from the last 90 days, or a signed lease.

The US-operations rule — keeping the account open

Most guides skip this. Mercury states that US operations are required to maintain the account. If your business has no US workplace, no owner living in the US and no owner with a US-issued ID, Mercury may ask for extra proof during the application or by email after approval.

Accepted proof includes:

• A record of a sale to a US customer (a screenshot works)
• An invoice or contract with a US customer, partner or supplier
• A signed lease for a US office or coworking space
• The company's most recent federal tax return

The documents must match activity in the account. Without US operations, the account may be locked or eventually closed. For a seller on Amazon US, the Amazon payout report is natural proof.

Application steps

1. Fill in the form: legal name, industry, business description, physical address, source of funds and current or planned US operations.
2. Add every 25%+ owner and the person with operating control.
3. Upload the formation document, EIN document and passports.
4. Watch for Mercury emails marked "[Action Required]" if they need more information.

Tips that improve approval odds

• Be concrete: not "e-commerce" but "we sell home textiles on Amazon US; revenue comes from FBA sales."
• Keep documents consistent: company name, address and ownership identical across formation documents, the EIN letter and the application.
• Pick the right address: don't enter a registered agent address as your physical address.
• Show the US link up front: mention US customers, an Amazon US account or a US supplier if you have one.

If you're declined, fix the gaps and use Mercury's reapplication process, or start with another provider.

After Mercury

Route Amazon payouts to Mercury, connect Stripe for your own site, and plan how profit moves home. For the tax form US platforms will ask for, see the W-8BEN guide.

FAQ

Is Mercury a bank? No. Mercury is a fintech; banking services are provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A.

Can I use a registered agent address? Not as your physical address. Mercury doesn't accept registered agent, virtual or P.O. box addresses there; your real address abroad is accepted.

My EIN letter hasn't arrived — can I apply? Mercury asks for CP575, 147C or a returned SS-4, and says it can accept a screenshot of the EIN confirmation from the IRS website if you don't have a document yet.

What if I have no US sales yet? Planned US operations qualify at application, but Mercury requires US operations to keep the account; without them it may be locked or closed.

The takeaway

Mercury is an account a non-US founder can open remotely for a US company. Watch three things: consistent documents, a real physical address (not a registered agent), and actual US operations. For the full setup see the US LLC guide.

Sources and scope

Mercury Help Center: Eligibility · Prohibited countries · Address requirements · Documents · Verifying US operations. Checked on 9 October 2026. Mercury's requirements can change; check the current pages before applying. General information only.