iQ Payments | Merchant Onboarding Guide
Last Updated 05/05/2025
These terms are pursuant to the Master Services Agreement and Merchant Agreement or Payment Solution Schedule between you and iQmetrix.
Definitions of terms are defined here.
- Merchant Account & Verification
- iQmetrix allows businesses to register for the Services if they are located in the United States or Canada. The principals of a Merchant must be either a United States/Canadian citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States or Canada, AND the Merchant must be a United States or Canada business or nonprofit organization having a physical presence in the United States or Canada and authorized to conduct business by the State in which it operates. A Merchant who opens a Merchant Account must be eighteen (18) years of age or older. You may open a Merchant Account for a business or nonprofit organization only if it is legitimate and you have the authority to enter into this Agreement on its behalf. Your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes acceptance by the business or nonprofit organization. Each Merchant Account must be linked to a verified United States or Canada bank account based on the businesses registered country.
- iQmetrix asks Merchant for additional information, such as street address, telephone number, tax identification number, and date of birth to verify your identity. You authorize iQmetrix to obtain consumer reports and background checks from a credit reporting agency and/or a third-party that conducts identity and background checks on the signer of the application, owners, partners, or members with 25% or more ownership, and principal shareholders, if the entity is a corporation and the person that has managerial control of the business, if different than the signer. You agree to provide supplemental documentation upon request (including but not limited to articles of incorporation, articles of organization, passports, driver’s license and/or a business license). You authorize iQmetrix, directly or through third parties, to make inquiries or verify that this information is accurate (for example, through social media or third-party databases).
- Your use of Marks is governed by the Rules; you must familiarize yourself with and comply with these requirements. The Scheme Owners are the sole and exclusive owners of their respective Marks. The Merchant agrees not to contest the ownership of the Marks for any reason. The Scheme Owners may at any time, immediately and without advance notice, prohibit the Merchant from using any of the Marks for any reason. The Scheme Owners have the right to enforce any provision of the Rules and to prohibit the Merchant and iQmetrix from engaging in any conduct the Scheme Owners deem could injure or could create a risk of injury to the Scheme Owners, including injury to reputation, or that could adversely affect the integrity of the interchange system. The Merchant will not take any action that could interfere with or prevent the exercise of this right by the Scheme Owners. On an ongoing basis, the Merchant is promptly to provide iQmetrix with the current address of each of its offices, all “doing business as” (DBA) names used by the Merchant, and a complete description of goods sold and services provided.
- Underwriting
- Applying its standard acceptance policies designed to ensure compliance with Applicable Laws and Rules, iQmetrix will review the information that you submit in connection with your request to contract for the Services and will, in its discretion, approve or reject your application to use the Services. iQmetrix or Adyen may require additional information to be provided. You must provide accurate and complete information. If we cannot verify that this information is complete and accurate, your identity cannot be validated, or creditworthiness determined unsatisfactory, we may deny your use of the Services, or close your Merchant Account, notwithstanding the fact that it may have been previously approved. These are not all the reasons an account may be declined or closed. Your Merchant Account could be declined or closed for compliance reasons, as well. iQmetrix may close your Merchant Account at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice.
- You agree that iQmetrix may share information about you and Merchant Account with Adyen. After you submit your application, iQmetrix may conclude that you will not be permitted to use the Services. You also agree that iQmetrix is permitted to share information about you and your application (including whether it is approved or declined), and your Merchant Account with the Scheme Owners, your bank or other financial institution. This includes sharing information (a) about your transactions for regulatory or compliance purposes, (b) for use in connection with the management and maintenance of the Services, (c) to create and update their customer records about you and to assist them in better serving you, and (d) to conduct iQmetrix’s risk management process.
- You agree that iQmetrix may periodically obtain additional consumer reports to determine whether you continue to meet the requirements for Merchant Account.
- Prohibited Activities
- By applying as a Merchant, you confirm that you will not accept payments or use the Service in any of the categories/businesses, or engage in any of the activities listed on Adyen’s Prohibited and Restricted Services and Products List (as may be updated by Adyen, the Scheme Owners, and/or iQmetrix in their sole discretion from time to time) (available at: https://www.adyen.com/legal/list-restricted-prohibited), except if, an express waiver is provided, and agreed to, by Adyen for products or services in the “restricted” category.
- If Adyen or iQmetrix determine that you have received funds resulting from fraud or a prohibited activity, those funds may be held, voided, or returned. In addition, if we reasonably suspect that your Merchant Account has been used for an unauthorized, illegal, or criminal purpose, you give us express authorization to share information about you, your Merchant Account, your access to the Services, and any of your transactions with law enforcement.
- E-Sign Disclosure and Consent
- Electronic Delivery
By accepting this Agreement, you agree and consent to receive electronically all Communications that we provide in connection with your Merchant Account and your use of the Service by posting it on our website, uploading it to the iQmetrix Platform, text messaging or emailing it to the address listed in your Merchant Account. You also agree that electronic disclosures and notices have the same meaning and effect as if we had provided you with paper copies, whether or not you choose to view or print or download the disclosure or other notification. Such disclosures and notices are considered received by you within 24 hours of the time posted to our website, or within 24 hours of the time emailed to you unless we receive notice that the email was not delivered. Communications may include, but are not limited to:
- agreements and policies, such as this Agreement and our Privacy Policy, including updates;
- annual disclosures;
- transaction receipts and confirmations;
- statements and history;
- federal and state tax statements; and
- Chargeback notifications.
It is your responsibility to keep your primary email address up to date. You understand and agree that if iQmetrix sends you an electronic Communication, but you do not receive it because your primary email address on file is incorrect, out of date, blocked by your service provider, or you are otherwise unable to receive electronic Communications, iQmetrix will be deemed to have provided the Communication to you. Please note that if you use a spam filter that blocks or reroutes emails from senders not listed in your email address book, you must add iQmetrix to your email address book so that you will be able to receive the Communications we send to you. You can update your primary email address or street address at any time by emailing iQmetrix Customer Service at support@iqmetrix.com.
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS)
- “Cardholder Data” is information associated with a payment card, such as account number, expiration date, and CVV2. iQmetrix will maintain all applicable PCI DSS requirements to the extent iQmetrix possesses or otherwise stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data on your behalf, or to the extent iQmetrix could impact the security of your cardholder data environment.
- You agree to comply at all times with PCI DSS. Further, you agree to certify such compliance and provide documentation in accordance with the Rules, or when asked by iQmetrix to become compliant. You also agree that you will use only PCI compliant service providers in connection with the storage, processing, or transmission of Cardholder Data.
- You are fully responsible for the security of data (including but not limited to Cardholder Data) on your website or otherwise in your possession or control. You agree to comply with all Applicable Laws and Rules in connection with your collection, security, and dissemination of any personal, financial, or transaction information.
- Unless you receive the express consent of your customer, you may not retain, track, monitor, store, disclose or otherwise use data (e.g., to send any marketing or promotional materials to Customer) except for the transaction for which it was given and any post-transaction activities in connection with such immediate transaction (e.g., Chargeback).
- In the event of a data breach in which the Scheme Owners have determined you were not in compliance during the time of the breach, you will be responsible for any fines and/or penalties that they assess.
- Payment card information is considered Personal Information. You agree that you will not compile lists of payment card information or transaction information. You also agree to secure all Personal Information, including transaction receipts, contracts, rental/lease agreements and warranty information. The parties agree that securing Personal Information includes limiting access to select personnel (required for compliance with your obligations under this Agreement) and destroying such Personal Information in a manner that ensures that it is not readable, when no longer required for purposes of compliance with your Agreement. You (and if necessary, each principal, Guarantor or other individuals that have signed this Agreement) agree and consent to the fact that we may, from time to time, use your credit, financial and related Personal Information provided in connection with this Agreement and any update, renewal or extension of same for the following purposes: (i) evaluate current and ongoing credit worthiness; (ii) evaluate your eligibility for the services and establish, administer, service, and collect in respect of the Services and enforce provisions of your Agreement; (iii) to share personal and credit information with and collect such information from our affiliates, agents, representatives, credit reporting agencies, businesses and financial institutions pursuant to the provision of the Services contemplated in your Agreement; (iv) to verify your identity including matching records or credit information; (v) to share Personal Information in connection with your Authorization, POS equipment (the “Equipment”) sale/rental/lease, automatic debit process and with third parties to register a security interest as contemplated in your Agreement; (vi) for detecting and preventing fraud and complying with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations, including checking your identity against watch lists established by regulatory agencies or similar bodies in the United States and foreign countries; (vii) for evaluating the performance of our merchant portfolio; (viii) to allow our service providers to collect, use, store or process Personal Information on our behalf; (ix) to meet legal, regulatory, audit, processing and security requirements. We may otherwise collect, use, and disclose Personal Information as permitted or required by law. You also authorize us to obtain financial and credit information relating to you, from credit reporting agencies, businesses, and financial institutions with which you make arrangements with, and references you have provided, in connection with our decision to provide the Services and monitor your financial and credit status. Additionally, you agree to authorize us to share information concerning your business with any of our agents and/or affiliates and applicable Scheme Owner, Scheme Owner members and credit reporting and debt recovery agencies in connection with the performance of the Services set forth in your Agreement.
- Information Sharing
- You agree that iQmetrix is permitted to share information about you and your application (including whether it is approved or declined), and your Merchant Account with your bank or other financial institution. This includes sharing information (a) about your transactions for regulatory or compliance purposes; (b) for use in connection with the management and maintenance of the Service; (c) to create and update iQmetrix’s customer records about you and to assist iQmetrix in better serving you; and (d) to conduct iQmetrix’s risk management process.
- In addition, we may share some or all of the information about you and your transactions with our processor, the Scheme Owners, and our other partners (and their respective affiliates, agents, subcontractors, and employees), who may use this information to perform their obligations under their agreements with iQmetrix, to operate and promote the respective Scheme Owners, to perform analytics and create reports, to prevent fraud, and for any other lawful purpose.
- We may also use your (and each Guarantor’s or other individuals that have signed this Agreement) business and Personal Information and disclose such information to parties connected with or involved in the proposed or actual financing, insuring, securitization, sale, assignment or other disposal of all or part of our respective businesses or assets (including, for example, your Agreement, Merchant Account or amounts owing to us) for the purposes relating to the evaluation and/or performance of these transactions. Successors and assignees of our business or assets may collect, use, and disclose your business or Personal Information as described in this section. You understand that some of our affiliates or service providers may be located outside the United States, and your Personal Information may be transferred or processed outside of the United States, subject to legal requirements applicable to us and our service providers or affiliates, including those requirements set forth by foreign jurisdictions.
- Payment processing best practices
- DO’S
- Only present for payment valid charges that arise from a transaction with a bona fide cardholder.
- Add a risk filter such as reCAPTCHA to your website to prevent fraudulent activities such as card testing. You may be charged for every authorization. This effort will reduce fraud and fees.
- DON’TS
- Don’t set a minimum transaction amount of more than $10 for any credit cards or of any amount for debit cards.
- Don’t set a maximum transaction amount for any credit cards.
- Don’t establish any special conditions for accepting a card.
- Don’t make any cash disbursements or cash advances to a cardholder as part of a transaction.
- Don’t accept any direct payments from cardholders for goods or services, which have been included on a sales draft.
- Don’t require a cardholder to supply any personal information for a transaction (for example, phone number, address, driver’s license number) unless (i) instructed by the Voice Authorization Center; (ii) presented an unsigned card; or (iii) processing a Card Not Present transaction don’t submit any transaction representing the refinance or transfer of an existing cardholder obligation which is deemed uncollectible, for example, a transaction that has been previously charged back, or to cover a dishonored check.
- Don’t submit sales drafts or credit drafts transacted on the personal card of an owner, partner, officer, or employee of your business establishment or of a guarantor who signed your application form, unless such transaction arises from a bona fide purchase of goods or services in the ordinary course of your business.
- Don’t carry out factoring, that is, the submission of authorization requests or sales drafts for card transactions transacted by another business.
- Don’t use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters.
- Don’t transmit cardholder account numbers to cardholders for Internet transactions.
- Don’t store or retain card verification codes (a three-digit code printed on the back of most cards and a four-digit code printed on the front of an American Express card) after final transaction authorization.
- Don’t store or retain magnetic stripe data, PIN data, chip data or AVS data - only cardholder account number, cardholder name and cardholder expiration date may be retained subsequent to transaction authorization.
For Internet transactions, copies of the transaction records may be delivered to cardholders in either electronic or paper format.