US Regulator FTC Warns Payment Firms Over Service Denials Linked To Views

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warning letters to Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Stripe against denying services based on political or religious views.

The letters were sent by Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson and addressed practices referred to as debanking, where customers are denied access to financial services despite lawful activities. The action follows a 2025 order issued by Donald Trump directing regulators to examine such practices. The agency cited provisions under the FTC Act that prohibit unfair or deceptive conduct.

The regulator stated that denying services in ways inconsistent with company terms or user expectations could lead to investigations and enforcement action.

The four companies account for a large share of digital payments in the United States and have faced scrutiny in the past over account restrictions.