Manage payment methods for connected accounts

Payment method management for connected accounts depends on the charge type and merchant of record (MoR). For charges where the connected account is the MoR, including direct charges and indirect charges that have on_behalf_of set, the payment method must be enabled on the connected account. For charges where the platform is the MoR, including indirect charges that dont have on_behalf_of set, the connected accounts enabled payment methods dont matter. The payment method must be enabled on the platform.

If you explicitly specify payment methods for each payment, you need to make sure that those payment methods are enabled. The charge type determines whether they must be enabled on your platform or on the connected account. Stripe recommends that you instead use dynamic payment methods.

If you use dynamic payment methods, you configure which payment methods your connected accounts accept on the Payment methods page of your Connect settings. The Payment methods settings page includes two sets of payment method configurations:

• For your connected accounts: These configurations apply to direct charges and to indirect charges that have on_behalf_of set. They define the default availability of payment methods. For certain payment methods, you can override these configurations for specific accounts or account countries.
• For your platform account: These configurations apply to indirect charges that dont have on_behalf_of set and to charges on your platform that arent related to Connect.

Each set includes a default configuration thats used for any payments where you dont specify a different configuration. You can create additional configurations to use instead in certain payment scenarios. For example, you can create a configuration for use with subscription payments or with payments that exceed a certain amount.

To edit a payment method configuration, select a configuration set and then click the configuration. To add a configuration, select a configuration set and then click + Create.

For information about managing the payment method configurations for your platform account, see Payment method configurations. The rest of this document applies to the payment method configurations for your connected accounts.

Configure default payment method availability

Each payment method configuration that you configure on your platform for your connected accounts defines the default payment method availability for payments where you specify that configuration. The Default payment method configuration defines the default payment method availability for any payment where you dont specify a different configuration.

You must use the Dashboard to configure these payment method configurations on your platform. You cant use the Payment Method Configurations API. However, you can use the API to override these configurations for individual connected accounts.

For most payment methods, you can select one of the following default statuses from the dropdown.

Some payment methods can only be enabled for individual accounts. They display Configured per account instead of the default selection dropdown.

Some payment methods also allow you to set different defaults for different countries. If you expand a payment method, and it displays a list of countries with status dropdowns, you can set its default for each country to On, Off, or Blocked. If you change the payment methods main default status, it also sets all of the country defaults.

If you change a payment method to On by default or Off by default, it doesnt affect connected accounts that have explicitly turned that payment method on or off. It only affects connected accounts that still use that methods default setting.

If a payment method supports availability rules, you can configure its default rules by clicking its overflow menu .

Allow connected accounts to manage payment methods Recommended

You can allow certain connected accounts to view and update their own payment methods. Accounts can do so if they have access to the full Stripe Dashboard or to the Payment method settings embedded component. Their default payment methods match the defaults that you set, which they can override (except for payment methods that youve blocked).

You control this access separately for each payment method configuration. To enable it, select the payment method configuration, then find the Account customization section and turn on Allow connected accounts to customize their own payment methods from the Dashboard.

Manage payment methods for individual connected accounts

For connected accounts without access, or if you dont allow payment method self-management, you can manage a connected accounts payment methods from its details page.

1. From the Connected accounts page in your Dashboard, click the connected account and then select the Payment methods tab.
2. Hover over the desired payment method and click the View details tooltip.
3. Deselect Inherit from platform settings.
4. Click the current status and select a new one from the dropdown. If the payment method requires the connected account to activate the payment method capability themselves, you cant select Enabled.
5. If the payment method supports availability rules, you can override its default rules by clicking Customize.
6. If you enable a payment method with a corresponding capability, and it isnt enabled by default, you must also request the capability for the connected account.

Payment method eligibility

Some connected accounts might not be eligible to accept certain payment methods. Neither you nor owners of those accounts can turn on those payment methods for them. Some of the reasons for payment method ineligibility include:

• The account hasnt fulfilled the requirements for the payment methods capability.
• The payment method prohibits the merchant category code (MCC) used by the account.
• The account is a payee or recipient only, and doesnt accept payments.
• Stripe has flagged the account for fraud risk and has blocked its capabilities.

To check which connected accounts are eligible to use a payment method:

1. From the Settings > Connect > Payment methods > Connected accounts page in the Dashboard, select a payment method configuration containing the payment method.
2. Expand the payment method to view its details. Most payment methods display a list of the number of accounts in each status per country:
   • Missing info: Accounts that have outstanding requirements.
   • Ineligible: Accounts that arent eligible to accept the payment method because of reasons such as a prohibited MCC or unsupported country.
   • Eligible: Accounts that are eligible to accept the payment method, but dont have it enabled. These accounts can accept the payment method when its explicitly included in a transaction.
   • Enabled: Accounts that are eligible to accept the payment method and that have it enabled.
3. Click Download account list to export a CSV list of specific connected accounts and their statuses for the selected payment method.

The CSV list doesnt include accounts that have no payment activity in the past 90 days, unless the account is less than 30 days old.

For payment methods with an associated capability, enabled accounts show the status of the capability instead of Enabled:

• requested_active
• requested_inactive
• requested_needs_info

Payment method capabilities

Most payment methods have an associated capability that must be activated for a connected account before that account can enable the payment method.

If you set a payment method to on by default, Stripe automatically requests the capability for all eligible connected accounts that need it and that have already fulfilled its requirements. If a connected account doesnt meet the requirements, requesting the capability might cause the account to display Restricted in the Dashboard. In that case, you can manually request the capability in the Dashboard or using the API.

When you create a connected account with a payment method thats on by default, Stripe automatically requests that payment methods capability if it doesnt add any new requirements to the account.

Most payment methods have the same verification requirements as the card_payments capability, with some restrictions and exceptions. The payment method capabilities table shows which payment methods have additional requirements.