Setting up Shopify Payments

You can activate Shopify Payments from the Payments page in the Shopify settings. Before you set up Shopify Payments, review your eligibility and bank account requirements.

The information needed to complete your Shopify Payments account setup depends on the country where your store is based. Refer to the list of requirements for each supported country.

After you set up Shopify Payments, your customers can make payments on your store using both credit, and debit cards that have a CVV number.

Costs of using Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments costs vary based on your plan. You can lower credit card rates by upgrading your subscription with Shopify. You can see the full list of pricing broken down by plan on Shopify's pricing page.

Beyond the credit card rate and the subscription fees for your store's Shopify subscription plan, there are no monthly fees, no hidden fees, and no setup fees for Shopify Payments. When you're using Shopify Payments as your processor, there are no third-party transaction fees for orders.

If you decide to change your plan at any time, then your Shopify Payments credit card rate is updated. When you activate Shopify Payments, you stop paying the subscription transaction fees listed on Shopify's pricing page. Likewise, if you're using Shopify Payments and switch to another payment processor, then you begin paying the subscription transaction fees to Shopify. These fees are over and above the fees paid to your new third-party payment processor.

After you have set up Shopify Payments and started getting orders paid with Shopify Payments, you can export your transactions to track your fees. Learn more about exporting your transactions.

Set up Shopify Payments

Before you set up Shopify Payments, you should decide on your store currency. Your store currency is the currency that is used in your Shopify admin. It's the currency that you price your products in and that's used in your reports. You should select a store currency before you make your first sale. If you need to change your store currency after you've made your first sale, then contact Shopify Support to change your store currency.

Only the store owner can change the payment provider.

The information needed to complete your Shopify Payments account setup depends on the country where your store is based. Refer to the list of requirements for each supported country.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
  2. Activate Shopify Payments in one of the following ways:
    • If you haven't set up a credit card payment provider on your account, then click Complete account setup in the Shopify Payments section.
    • If you have a different credit card payment provider enabled, then click Activate Shopify Payments in the Shopify Payments box, and then Activate Shopify Payments in the dialog. This removes any other credit card payment provider from your account.
  3. Enter the required details about your store. If you're eligible, then a Shopify Balance account is created for you. Otherwise, you're prompted to enter your banking information.
    • Depending on your region or eligiblility for Shopify Balance, you must also activate two-step authentication for your store.
  4. Click Save.

How to complete account setup

When setting up a Shopify Payments account, it's important that the form is correctly and completely filled out to reduce the possibility of verification issues from our banking partners in the future.

In the Business details section, choose the business type. If applicable, add in your Business Number, EIN, or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) depending on which country your business is located in. The address in this section should be the address listed on any business registration documentation that you have. If you don't have a registered business with a number, then it might be more appropriate for you to choose individual/sole proprietor as your business type.

If you set up your Shopify Payments account as a registered business or any business type other than individual/sole proprietor, then you still need to provide personal details for an account representative. The account representative needs to be an owner, a senior executive, or director who exercises significant control over the company and who has the power to legally bind the company to Shopify Payments Terms of Service. This is a requirement from our banking partners for verification purposes.

If you're located in the United States, then you need to set up two-step authentication to receive payouts. Payouts might be placed on hold if you don't have two-step authentication active on your Shopify account.

To learn more about the identity documentation requirements and what documents are accepted for each country, refer to the personal information requirements for Shopify Payments.

Any requests for personal information documentation are listed under Section B1-3 of the Shopify Payments Terms of Service Agreement. To review our Terms of Service in full, scroll to the bottom of the page and choose your country.

After you set up Shopify Payments, you can configure your settings or make a test transaction on your store.

If you want to transfer ownership of your Shopify Payments account, then contact Shopify Support.

Information requirements for Shopify Payments

In response to regulations in different countries, you're required to provide information about you and your business. The information is collected to help identify merchants using Shopify Payments, including the beneficial owners of a particular corporate entity. The purpose of collecting this information is to comply with regulatory requirements designed to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes.

As local rules and regulations evolve, Shopify and its partners might contact you to collect additional information about you and your business. These standard reviews can occur at any time during the lifespan of your Shopify Payments account.

The information that Shopify is required to collect differs from country to country, but typically includes details about the following:

  • the individual creating the Shopify Payments account
  • the business associated with the Shopify Payments account
  • the individuals who ultimately own or control the business, which includes the business owner or a senior executive with legal signing authority for the business

To help the verification process, when providing documents as evidence, ensure that your documentation:

  • is clear and and large enough to read
  • is correct and valid
  • is up-to-date with the most recent date possible
  • is complete with all details visible
  • is free of any errors or typos
  • matches the information provided

Documents for identity and home address verification

If your identity is unable to be verified using the information that you provided at the time of Shopify Payments sign-up, then you might be requested to provide additional documentation. To verify an individual on a Shopify Payments account, two separate documents might be required:

  • a document that serves as proof of identity
  • a document that serves as proof of home address

You can't use the same document to serve as both proof of identity and proof of home address.

When uploading proof of identity documents, ensure the following:

  • Documents must be uploaded in full color. Scans, photocopies, and black and white images aren't accepted.
  • Documents must be valid and not expired.
  • Documents must be clear and large enough to read.
  • Photocopies of identity documents aren't accepted.
  • Complete documents must be uploaded. A complete document contains the following:
    • both the front and back of a driver’s license or identity card as separate images
    • the entire personal information page of a passport
  • Documents may be uploaded in .png or .jpg format.

Proof of home address documents require the following:

  • Documents must be clear and large enough to read. No information can be redacted or covered.
  • Documents must be dated within the past three to six months, depending on the Shopify Payments requirements for your country.
  • Documents must be complete. A complete document contains the following:
    • the full page of the document
    • the full name and address of the individual, which are clearly stated and legible
  • Documents may be uploaded in .png, .jpg, or .pdf format.

For more details on information and document requirements, refer to the full list of accepted document types for each country.

Documents for business verification

If your business can't be verified using the information that you provided at the time of Shopify Payments sign-up, then additional documentation might be requested. The documents that you provide must include the business name, business address, and company registration number or VAT number.

For business verification, upload your official federal business registration document, if available, which includes your federal tax registration number.

Business documents require the following:

  • Documents must be clear and large enough to read.
  • Documents must be valid and representative of up-to-date registration.
  • Complete documents must be uploaded. A complete document contains the following:
    • the full business name, business address, and either VAT number OR company registration number are clearly stated and legible
    • all pages of a multiple-page document. Upload a PDF containing all the relevant pages
  • Documents can be uploaded in .png, .jpg, or .pdf format.

For more information, refer to the full list of accepted document types for each country.

Beneficial ownership information

Companies registered in Ireland are required to provide beneficial ownership information. This information must be accurate and current. For more information, refer to the beneficial ownership information for Ireland.

Uploading your verification documents

Because of the sensitive nature of personal information contained in the requested verification documents, only documents that are uploaded through the secure banners in your Shopify admin are accepted. Documents sent through email or chat are redacted for security and privacy reasons and are rendered unusable.

Document review process

Your identity, address, and proof of legal entity document uploads must be reviewed and matched successfully to the information on your Shopify Payments account before your business can be fully verified.

During the review process, your payouts might be placed on hold until your information is verified, but usually your store remains open and customers can still buy your products. If you have uploaded documents that meet the requirements, and then later receive notification that your information wasn't verified, then contact Shopify Support.

Learn more about account holds.

Payment method manual review process

Some local payment methods for Shopify Payments must be approved before you can use them. When you activate Shopify Payments, the approval process for applicable local payment methods begins automatically. A payment method remains in “manual review” status during the review process. If your application is approved, then you and your customers can begin using the payment method.

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