PayPal is the world’s largest online payment processor, and as such, exclusion from their platform is a major blow for any online business.
The most detailed answer I have found by PayPal about banned businesses comes in their Acceptable Use Policy, last updated in July of 2015.
PayPal’s policy, broadly speaking, prohibits two sorts of transactions:
Transactions related to dangerous, illegal or violent activities or items, such as:
Drugs
Cigarettes
Stolen Goods
Hate speech or Racial Intolerance
Copyright Infringement
Sexually-oriented materials or services
Certain weapons or knives
Transactions related to scams or high-risk finances, such as:
Pyramid schemes
“Get rich quick” schemes
Multi-level marketing programs
Lotteries
Off-shore banking
Currency exchanges or check cashing businesses
Anything for the purpose of bribery or corruption
PayPal also includes a list of businesses which require approval, such as:
Airlines
Charitable donations
Stock and bonds
Alcoholic beverages
E-cigarettes or non-cigarette tobacco products
Prescription drugs or devices
For a full list of businesses which are banned or require approval, consult PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy.
Published on: 01 / 24 / 2018