Why Stripe holds payouts
- New account with limited transaction history
- Unusual transaction patterns (sudden volume spike, multiple chargebacks)
- High chargeback rate (over 1% can trigger review)
- Business category in Stripe's enhanced-review list
- Customer disputes or fraud reports
- Compliance concerns (sanctions screening)
How to prevent holds
- Complete W-8BEN-E and all verification thoroughly during onboarding
- Provide clear, specific business description matching actual operations
- Maintain customer service responsiveness to prevent chargebacks
- Scale transaction volume gradually rather than sudden spikes
- Keep clear refund policy and visible terms on your website
- Provide products or services that match Stripe's policy
How to resolve a hold
- Read Stripe's hold notice carefully for specific requested documents
- Provide requested documents within the deadline (usually 7 to 14 days)
- Contact Stripe support via in-app messaging
- Provide additional documentation: business plan, customer contracts, supplier invoices
- If hold persists beyond 30 days, escalate via Stripe's account manager (for higher-volume accounts)
- Consider alternative payment processors (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy) if Stripe permanently restricts