Square Doesn't Support Your Industry. We Do.
Square is built for coffee shops and retail stores — not peptides, CBD, firearms, or forex. If Square declined your application or shut down your account, you need a processor that's built for high-risk industries. Akord has 25+ banking relationships specifically for merchants Square won't touch.
Why Square Declined You
Square has a long list of restricted business types. Unlike Stripe, which sometimes approves first and terminates later, Square often declines high-risk merchants outright during the application process. Their restricted list includes: firearms and ammunition, CBD and hemp, supplements, adult content, subscription services with recurring billing, and many more.
Square's model works well for in-person retail and simple e-commerce, but it's not designed for industries with complex compliance requirements, higher chargeback exposure, or regulatory scrutiny. If your business falls outside their comfort zone, they simply won't work with you — and they're not going to make exceptions.
What You're Dealing With Right Now
If Square declined you at the application stage, you likely don't have the frozen-funds problem — but you do have a revenue problem. You can't accept card payments while you figure out the next step.
If Square approved you and later terminated, you may have funds held under their standard reserve/hold policy, and depending on the reason, you may have been placed on the MATCH list.
Either way, the fix is the same: work with a processor built for your industry from day one. Akord's banking partners specifically underwrite the categories Square avoids.
How We Get You Processing Again
Industries We Place Every Day
Even if you're on the MATCH list, we have banks that will review your application.
Common Questions After a Square Termination
Shut Down by Another Processor?
Ready to Get Approved?
Stop fighting with processors that weren't built for your business. Apply with Akord and get matched to a bank that actually wants your business.