Mercury Prohibited Countries: Account & Card Rules (2026)

Mercury is a fintech platform, not an FDIC-insured bank; banking services are provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. For founders living in Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia or Cambodia, Mercury’s published country rules prevent opening an account. The rules also cover businesses operating or doing business in listed locations, so check both your residence and your business activities.

This guide explains Mercury’s account-opening restrictions, how they differ from card issuance and card-use rules, and what to check before considering another provider. Eligibility, country lists, address requirements and the alternative-provider sources below were checked on October 25, 2026. A short visit and a change of residence are different situations; this guide does not establish whether temporary travel or account login is permitted in a particular country.

Financial analysts in an office overlooking a glowing Southeast Asia market map — Financial analysts monitor glowing data routes connecting offices and markets across Southeast Asia.

What “Prohibited Countries” Actually Means

Mercury’s eligibility page says your company must be formed and registered in the United States or a US territory. Most nomad LLC owners already have that. The restriction is about where the founder lives. Mercury’s prohibited countries page says it is “unable to open accounts for founders who live in – or businesses that operate or do business in – any of the countries and regions listed,” and that this is “based on your country of residence, not your citizenship or nationality.”

The list on that page includes Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal, along with many other countries in South Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. Fully sanctioned countries (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions) are shown in a separate category.

For a nomad who splits time between countries, the question that matters is your country of residence, not where you happen to be traveling that month. Mercury’s application asks for each beneficial owner’s residential address (no P.O. boxes or virtual addresses).

Restriction	What it controls	Practical distinction
Account opening	Founder residence and where a business operates or does business	Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia appear on this list. Nationality alone does not decide Mercury eligibility.
Card issuance and shipping	Whether residents can receive physical or virtual cards	Vietnam is listed for both physical and virtual issuance restrictions; Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia are listed for physical-card mailing restrictions. This does not establish account-opening eligibility.
Card purchases	Where Mercury cards can be used and the location of merchants	Vietnam and Indonesia appear on the card-use list. Check this separate list before a purchase; an account-opening restriction is not the same rule as a declined card payment.

Why Southeast Asia Ended Up on This List

Mercury does not publish a rationale for each country. For background, TechCrunch reported in July 2024 that Mercury stopped serving customers with addresses in Ukraine, Nigeria, Croatia, and some other countries. It also reported that the FDIC had raised concern that Mercury’s partner, Choice Bank, opened Mercury accounts in legally risky countries. That reporting does not cover Southeast Asia, and Mercury has not said the two are connected.

What to Check If You’re Based in a Restricted Country

Wise Business is an option to investigate, not a confirmed replacement for every founder Mercury cannot support. Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia are absent from Wise’s general unsupported-locations list, but that alone does not establish Business eligibility or access to USD account details, balances or cards. Check the business registration country, the owner’s residence, business type and each required feature with Wise; its Philippines requirements are not proof that a US LLC managed from Vietnam or Indonesia qualifies.

Relay’s prohibited list does not include Vietnam, the Philippines or Indonesia, but its restrictions apply to an owner’s citizenship as well as residence. Its current required-documents page asks beneficial owners for a physical US address, and non-US-owned US businesses need an operating presence in the US. Absence from the country list is not approval: confirm that every required owner and the business meet Relay’s requirements before applying. Payoneer eligibility was not verified for this article.

Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers, covered elsewhere on this site, are for investing, not day-to-day business banking. They are not substitutes for a Mercury account.

Provider	What to verify before applying
Mercury	Founder residence and business operations/dealings against its prohibited list; US formation and existing or planned US operations. Card issuance and card use have separate rules.
Wise Business	Business registration country, owner residence, entity type and feature availability. Absence from the general unsupported-locations list does not establish Business eligibility.
Relay	Each required owner’s citizenship and residence against its prohibited list; beneficial-owner physical US address and the business’s US operating presence.
Payoneer	Not verified for this article; no eligibility recommendation made.

If your LLC already has a Mercury account and you plan to move to a listed country, do not assume the account stays safe. Mercury’s page says it cannot serve founders who live in those countries. TechCrunch’s 2024 report describes Mercury closing accounts of customers in Ukraine and Nigeria after a policy change. We did not find a Mercury statement on how it treats existing customers who relocate, so ask Mercury support first.

Keep documentation ready either way. Mercury’s company address requirements page lists documents such as a signed lease, a utility or mortgage statement from the last 90 days, or proof of occupancy at a coworking space such as a signed lease or invoice. The documents must show the company name or beneficial owner’s name and the full physical address. Check Mercury’s current list before you apply.

Before you apply anywhere, check your country against Mercury’s prohibited list first. Mercury’s eligibility page says anyone holding 25% or more ownership must be identified, so check where each such owner lives.

Nomad Sea Guide Take

If you live in Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, or another listed country, Mercury says it cannot open an account for you, so look at other providers first. Before opening any account, confirm the current Mercury list on Mercury’s site, since eligibility rules can change.

Banking rules vary by individual situation and by country, so treat this as a starting point. Confirm your specific eligibility with each provider before applying. This is not professional financial advice.

Suitcase, passport, phone, and travel documents on a table overlooking tropical beach — A packed suitcase, passport, phone, and travel documents await a tropical getaway.

FAQ

Does Mercury close accounts for existing customers who move to a prohibited country?

We could not find a Mercury statement on this. Its page says it cannot serve founders who live in listed countries, and TechCrunch reported closures of accounts in Ukraine and Nigeria in 2024. If you already bank with Mercury and plan a long-term move, ask Mercury support first.

Is Wise Business a full replacement for a Mercury account?

Not necessarily. Wise Business is built for holding and paying money in multiple currencies, and we would not treat it as a like-for-like US business bank account. Check which features and account details are offered for your country.

Can a US citizen living in the Philippines still open a Mercury account?

Mercury’s prohibited-countries page says the rule is based on country of residence, not citizenship or nationality. The Philippines is on the list, so a US citizen living there is covered by the same rule.