Shopify Payments is Shopify’s own way to take card payments. There’s no separate merchant account to open, and activating it is a short form in your admin. What slows people down is the list of things Shopify checks first: your country, your business type, your bank account and your login security.
We build and run Shopify stores through our Shopify development service, so weigh that. Every fact below was checked against the Shopify Help Center and Shopify’s pricing page in October 2026.
Short answer: to set up Shopify Payments, turn on two-step authentication, then go to Settings > Payments, click Activate Shopify Payments, enter your personal and business details and submit them for verification. Once you’re verified, connect a payout bank account. You need a business located in a supported country, a business type Shopify Payments allows, and a checking or current account that can receive transfers. Savings accounts don’t work.
Shopify Payments Requirements
As of October 2026, from the Shopify Help Center:
| Requirement | What Shopify asks for |
|---|---|
| Location | Your business is located in one of 40 supported countries and regions |
| Business type | Your business and products aren’t on the prohibited list |
| Age | You’re at least 18, or a parent or guardian sets up the account |
| Login security | Two-step authentication on your Shopify account |
| Bank account | A checking or current account that can receive transfers in a supported payout currency |
| Identity | Personal, address and business details; documents if Shopify can’t verify them |
| Who can activate | The store owner only, not staff |
Sources: Eligibility, Supported countries, Account setup, Bank account requirements.
Before You Start
Check your country is supported
Shopify Payments is available to businesses located in these countries and regions (source): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
If yours isn’t on the list, you use a third-party payment provider instead. In-person selling with Shopify POS has its own country list.
Check your business type is allowed
Some legal businesses still can’t use Shopify Payments. Shopify’s high-level prohibited categories are (source):
- Regulated products, such as cannabis, prescription drugs, medical devices, tobacco, firearms, ammunition and weapons
- Financial services, such as money transfers, cryptocurrencies, check cashing and credit repair
- Adult content
- Pseudo-pharmaceuticals: products with health claims no regulator has verified
- Gambling, including lotteries, contests and sweepstakes
- Counterfeit goods
Shopify says the list isn’t exhaustive and varies by country, so read the Shopify Payments Terms of Service for yours before you build checkout around it.
Turn on two-step authentication
Shopify requires two-step authentication to use Shopify Payments, and says payouts might be put on hold until it’s on (source). You can use an authenticator app or a security key. SMS can’t be set up as a new two-step method, though accounts that already use it can keep it (source). Each staff member sets up their own.
Pick your store currency
Choose your store currency before your first sale. It’s used for product prices and reports across your admin, and changing it after your first sale means contacting Shopify Support (source).
Bank Account Requirements
Payouts go to a checking or current account that can receive transfers in a currency Shopify supports for your country (source). These don’t work:
- Savings accounts
- Checking accounts that only accept wire transfers
- Flex-currency accounts
- Money transfer services that mimic bank accounts
Non-Shopify virtual accounts are allowed, but Shopify warns they can see more failed payouts. Each country has its own transfer rules. In the US, the account must be a full checking account at a US bank, in USD, and able to receive ACH transfers. US stores can also be paid into a Shopify Balance account (source). If you run more than one store, they can share a payout account.
What Information Shopify Asks For
What you enter depends on your country and business type. In the US, choosing the right business type matters most (source):
- No EIN, only an SSN or ITIN: choose Individual. You give your legal name, date of birth, SSN or ITIN, email, US phone number and home address.
- Sole proprietorship with an EIN: the same personal details for the owner, plus the business’s registered name, EIN, phone number and US business address.
- LLCs, corporations and other types: the account representative’s details plus the business’s. The US requirements page lists each type.
Names, dates of birth, tax numbers and addresses must match your official documents exactly. If an EIN can’t be verified, Shopify may ask for an IRS document such as an SS-4 or a 147C letter, and the registered name and EIN in your account must match it.
You’ll also set the name customers see on their card statement. In the US it must be 2 to 19 characters and include your shop name, legal name, store name or URL.
How to Set Up Shopify Payments
Shopify’s steps (source):
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
- In the Shopify Payments section, click Activate Shopify Payments.
- Enter your personal, address and identification information, then click Next.
- Enter your business information.
- Enter the phone number to show on customers’ bank statements, then click Next.
- Review your Business type and Store details, then click Confirm.
- Click Submit for verification.
If you already use a third-party gateway, click Switch to Shopify Payments instead. You don’t have to turn the old gateway off first, so checkout keeps working while you switch. You can also run Shopify Payments alongside it.
Connect your payout bank account
Once you’re verified, go back to Settings > Payments, click Connect a bank account in the Shopify Payments section, enter the details and click Save.
Verification and Documents
Shopify and its banking partners must verify you and your business to meet financial crime rules, and they can ask for more information at any point in the account’s life (source). If they need documents, you get an alert in your admin. Payouts can be on hold until the documents are verified.
What gets documents accepted:
- Upload them only through the secure banners in your admin. Documents sent by email or chat are redacted and can’t be used.
- Photograph paper documents in color, with all four edges in frame. Don’t scan, copy or screenshot them.
- For documents issued digitally, upload the original, unaltered PDF with every page.
- Make sure the details match what you entered in your account.
Review can take up to 24 hours after upload. In Europe and the UK, Shopify is re-verifying accounts through 2026, and any deadline shows in your admin (source).
Payout Schedule and Timing
Go to Settings > Payments, click Manage in the Shopify Payments section, and choose a daily, weekly or monthly schedule under Payouts schedule. Switching schedules is free, but pending payouts wait for the next date on the new schedule. Stores in Japan can’t choose daily (source).
Settlement time is the gap between a payment being captured and the money being ready to pay out. It depends on your country, your risk level and the payment method. Weekends and holidays don’t count, and payments from Friday to Sunday are paid out together (source). In the US the minimum is 3 business days. New accounts start longer and shorten as you fulfill orders on time. Shopify says US payouts typically reach your bank in 3 to 5 business days (source).
Payment Methods You Get
In the US, card payments turn on automatically when you activate Shopify Payments: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard and Visa. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Shop Pay are also on automatically (source). Local payment methods such as Bancontact or iDEAL | Wero are switched on separately in the Payments page and show to customers in those countries. Some need approval first, and Shopify starts that review automatically when you activate.
Test Shopify Payments Before Launch
Test mode lets you place orders without capturing real payments. It needs a paid plan and a completed Shopify Payments setup (source):
- Go to Settings > Payments and click Manage in the Shopify Payments section.
- In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode, then click Save.
- Check out with one of Shopify’s test card numbers, such as 4242 4242 4242 4242 for Visa, any future expiry date and any 3-digit code.
Two cautions from Shopify. Apple Pay and Google Pay use real cards, so confirm the test mode banner is on the order. And don’t fulfill test orders, because shipping labels you buy are charged. Turn test mode off before launch, or real payments won’t be captured.
Fees: Shopify Payments vs a Third-Party Gateway
Shopify says there are no setup, monthly or hidden fees for Shopify Payments beyond the card rate and your plan (source). Your card rates depend on your plan and country. To see yours, go to Settings > Payments and click Manage in the Shopify Payments section.
Use a third-party gateway instead, and Shopify adds its own transaction fee on top of the gateway’s charges. As of October 2026, from Shopify’s pricing page:
| Plan | Fee on third-party gateway payments |
|---|---|
| Basic | 2% |
| Grow | 1% |
| Advanced | 0.6% |
| Plus | 0.2% |
If you run Shopify Payments alongside a third-party gateway, the card payments the gateway handles pay that fee. Payments Shopify Payments handles, such as Shop Pay and local methods, are charged its standard rates plus a 1.25% premium. Manual payment methods like cash on delivery and bank transfer carry no transaction fee (source). For the full picture, see our post on Shopify transaction fees.
Account Holds
Shopify Payments accounts are reviewed throughout their life. You can take payments right after setup, but if Shopify’s banking partners need more information, the account goes on hold until you’re verified (source). During a hold your store keeps running, but payouts stop until the cause is fixed. Common causes are missing information, wrong bank details, product eligibility and legal action by creditors. Only the store owner can see the details and resolve a hold, so keep the owner email monitored.
Related Posts
- Shopify transaction fees: what selling on Shopify really costs
- Shopify multi-currency setup: selling in local currencies once payments are on
- Shopify fraud prevention: fraud analysis and 3D Secure on your orders
- Shopify gift cards and store credit: other ways customers pay
FAQ
What are the requirements for Shopify Payments?
A business located in a supported country, a business type and products Shopify Payments allows, two-step authentication on your account, and a checking or current account that can receive transfers. You also enter personal and business details for verification, and you must be at least 18.
How do I set up Shopify Payments?
Turn on two-step authentication, go to Settings > Payments, click Activate Shopify Payments, enter your personal and business details, and click Submit for verification. Once verified, click Connect a bank account to set up payouts.
Can I use a savings account for Shopify Payments?
No. Shopify Payments pays out only to checking or current accounts that can receive transfers. Savings accounts, wire-only checking accounts, flex-currency accounts and money transfer services aren’t supported.
How long does Shopify Payments verification take?
Document review can take up to 24 hours after you upload them. You can take payments right after setup, but payouts can be held until your details are verified.
How long do Shopify Payments payouts take?
It depends on your country and account. In the US, the minimum settlement time is 3 business days, and Shopify says payouts typically arrive in 3 to 5 business days. New accounts usually start with longer settlement times.
Is Shopify Payments available in my country?
It’s available in 40 countries and regions, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, the UAE and most of Europe. Elsewhere, you use a third-party payment provider.