01Who this agreement is between
This agreement is between Stratos Fintech LLC ("Stratos") and the business or individual who accepts it in the Stratos control panel (the "Merchant"). Payments are offered through a licensed acquiring bank, payment facilitator or money services business (the "Partner"). The Merchant also accepts the Partner's own terms, which govern the funds; nothing in this agreement makes Stratos a party to the Partner's account with the Merchant.
02What Stratos does
Stratos provides software: payment pages and links, the control panel, the app, the records of payments, fees, reserves and settlements, and the reports a Partner asks for. Stratos does not hold, receive or transmit funds on its own account, and does not accept deposits or issue electronic money.
Funds are collected, held, cleared, settled and paid out by the Partner. Balances and statements in the control panel are Stratos's records of what the Partner holds for the Merchant.
03The business file
The Merchant gives true and complete information and documents for its business file: the business's registration, tax and bank details, its beneficial owners, directors and signatories, or, for a freelancer, identity, registration, tax and platform history and the purpose of the payments. The Merchant tells Stratos within 14 days of any change.
The Partner decides whether to accept the Merchant and may ask for more at any time. Live payments start only when Stratos and, where required, the Partner have approved the file.
04Using the service
- Take payments only for the goods and services described in the business file.
- Do not take payments for anything unlawful, or for goods and services the Partner or the card schemes prohibit.
- Keep records of every sale, delivery and refund for at least five years.
- Handle customer complaints and refunds promptly and fairly.
- Never ask customers for card numbers outside the payment pages provided; card details are entered only on pages hosted by a licensed processor.
05Fees, reserves and settlement
The Merchant's fee plan and any rolling reserve are shown in the control panel (Settlements) before they apply. Fees are deducted from each settlement batch; the split of every batch (gross, fees, reserve held and released, net payout) is shown to the Merchant.
A reserve is a share of each payout the Partner keeps back for chargebacks and refunds, released after the number of days shown. Stratos may change the fee plan or the reserve with 30 days' notice, or at once where a risk to customers, the Partner or Stratos requires it.
06Disputes and chargebacks
The Merchant answers disputes with evidence within the deadlines shown, and bears chargebacks, refunds and the fees on them. Where the Merchant's chargeback ratio is above the levels the Partner or the card schemes set, Stratos may raise the reserve, hold payouts or suspend payments until it falls.
07Screening, monitoring and suspension
Stratos and the Partner screen the Merchant, its owners and directors against the UN Security Council consolidated list, the OFAC sanctions lists and other applicable lists, and monitor payments. Stratos may delay, hold or refuse a payment, suspend the account or instruct the Partner to keep a reserve where screening, monitoring or the law requires it. The Partner reports suspicious activity to the competent financial intelligence unit and other authorities; the law may stop Stratos from telling the Merchant about it.
08Data
The Merchant authorises Stratos to send payment and business-file data to the Partner and to the processors listed in the Privacy Policy, to process, verify, screen and settle payments. Each party protects personal data under the law that applies to it.
09Liability
Stratos is not liable for the Partner's acts or omissions, for funds it never held, or for indirect or consequential loss. Stratos's total liability in any 12 months is limited to the fees Stratos received from the Merchant in that period. Nothing limits liability that the law does not allow to be limited.
10Term and ending it
This agreement runs until either party ends it with 30 days' written notice. Stratos may end or suspend it at once for a breach, a sanctions match, fraud, or where the Partner stops serving the Merchant. Reserves are released by the Partner after the reserve period, less chargebacks and refunds.
11Governing law
This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States, with the courts of Wyoming.
12Accepting this agreement
The Merchant accepts this version (2026-10) on its Business file in the control panel. Stratos records the version, the person who accepted it and the time. A new version is shown for acceptance before it applies.