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Shut down?
Your merchant account was terminated. What happens next.
A termination is the acquiring bank ending your account. If it was for certain reasons, like excessive chargebacks or fraud, your business and owners can be added to Mastercard's MATCH list for five years. Ask in writing whether you were listed and under which reason code. Disclose it to the next bank. Approval is never guaranteed.
We place payment processing, business banking and crypto rails for high-growth, complex businesses with institutions that take the industry, then watch the chargeback ratios, reserves and reviews that get accounts closed, with more than one rail so one bank's no doesn't stop the business. Approval is never guaranteed.
This is stressful. Here's what's actually happening, and what to do first.
In the next 48 hours
- Get the reason in writing. Ask the processor or bank which policy or rule they applied.
- Download everything. Statements, transaction history and dispute records, before access goes.
- Don't reopen under a new name. Banks check the owners, not just the company.
What not to do
- Don't reopen under a new entity. Banks check the owners, not just the company name.
- Don't change how the business is described so a reviewer sees a different company than the one that was shut down.
What this means for your next approval →
Will a termination put me on the MATCH list?
Only if it fits a MATCH reason code. MATCH is Mastercard's list of terminated merchants. Listings last five years and include principal owners, not just the business (Mastercard SPME, Sec. 7.1.1, Feb 11, 2025). Excessive chargebacks (code 04) means over 1.5% and at least $5,000 in chargebacks over three months. Full guide: the MATCH list.
Can I still get a merchant account?
Possibly. Mastercard's rules allow an acquiring bank to onboard a MATCH-listed merchant. Expect tougher terms: a reserve, higher pricing, closer monitoring.
Why not just open a new company?
Because it doesn't work and it can be illegal. MATCH matches on owners, tax IDs, addresses and URLs. The FTC's order against Paddle bans using shell companies to get merchant accounts (FTC v. Paddle).
Who can take a MATCH listing down?
For qualifying terminations the bank must list you; it isn't discretionary. Only the listing bank can report an error to get you removed early, so calling Mastercard won't move it (Mastercard SPME).
What happens next?
We're not a bank, processor, or money transmitter. We structure the deal, build the file, and place it with institutions in our network: decades of relationships with 40+ financial institutions and solution providers. The bank decides, and approval is never guaranteed.
Related
Questions
How long does MATCH last?
Five years. Early removal is narrow: an error reported by the listing bank, or a PCI listing once you're compliant.
Can someone remove me from MATCH for a fee?
No. Removal runs through the listing bank and Mastercard.