Grasshopper Bank vs Mercury: what each publishes
As of October 7, 2026
The published rules of Grasshopper Bank and Mercury, side by side: which industries each excludes or accepts, where owners must live, which countries each names, the licence each holds and the fees each publishes. Each answer links to the page that quotes the rule with the date we read it.
This is not a ranking, and the two names are in alphabetical order. Either provider may still decline your company because of its activity, where it is registered, where its owners live or which licence it holds. The free check applies the rules of every provider in our base to your answers.
Policy by industry
| Industry | Grasshopper Bank | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Sources disagree | Depends on the activity |
| iGaming | Sources disagree | No |
| Adult | Sources disagree | No |
| Unlicensed financial services | With conditions | No |
| AI and SaaS | No published rule | No published rule |
| Forex and CFD | With conditions | No published rule |
| Marketplace | No published rule | No published rule |
Grasshopper BankLicence
| Licensee | Grasshopper Bank | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Licensee | Grasshopper Bank, N.A. · national bank chartered by the OCC, Member FDIC (FDIC cert 59113) | Mercury Technologies Inc. · banking services via Choice Financial Group (FDIC cert 9423) and Column N.A. (FDIC cert 58224) (US) |
| Regulator | FDIC / OCC · | FDIC-insured partner banks · |
Where owners must live
Grasshopper Bank
To open an account, you must be 18 years of age or older and a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident with a verifiable address in one of the 50 states or District of Columbia.
Mercury
No published rule
Rules about countries
Grasshopper Bank
No published rule
Mercury
To open a Mercury account, your company must be formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory.
However, we're unable to open accounts for founders who live in – or businesses that operate or do business in – any of the countries and regions listed below. This is based on your country of residence, not your citizenship or nationality.
All countries named (51)
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Croatia, Cuba, DR Congo, Eritrea, Gambia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Fees
Grasshopper Bank
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovator Business Checking | Not stated | None ('Monthly Account Maintenance Complimentary'); USD 5 a month once the account is dormant ('Dormant Account') | · Source |
| Accelerator Checking | Not stated | None ('Monthly Account Maintenance Complimentary'); USD 5 a month once the account is dormant ('Dormant Account') | · Source |
Mercury
| Plan | Account opening | Monthly | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Free to open ('opening a Mercury business account is free') | USD 0 a month | · Source |
| Mercury Plus | Free to open ('opening a Mercury business account is free') | USD 29.90 a month billed annually; USD 35 a month billed monthly | · Source |
| Mercury Pro | Free to open ('opening a Mercury business account is free') | USD 299 a month billed annually; more when billed monthly | · Source |