Mercury vs Novo: what each publishes
As of October 7, 2026
The published rules of Mercury and Novo, 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 | Mercury | Novo |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | Depends on the activity | Depends on the activity |
| iGaming | No | No |
| Adult | No | No |
| Unlicensed financial services | No | No |
| AI and SaaS | No published rule | No published rule |
| Forex and CFD | No published rule | No |
| Marketplace | No published rule | No published rule |
NovoLicence
| Licensee | Mercury | Novo |
|---|---|---|
| Licensee | Mercury Technologies Inc. · banking services via Choice Financial Group (FDIC cert 9423) and Column N.A. (FDIC cert 58224) (US) | Novo Platform Inc. · financial technology company, not a bank · banking services by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. (FDIC cert 28368), Member FDIC |
| Regulator | FDIC-insured partner banks · | FDIC (partner bank Middlesex Federal Savings) · |
Where owners must live
Mercury
No published rule
Rules about countries
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
Novo
No published rule
Fees
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 |