The webinar, organised by The Soltesz Institute discussed the unique banking and payment issues, emphasizing banks' caution due to the fast-changing nature and higher risks associated with new businesses. Startups often face unique banking and payments challenges which established businesses don’t usually deal with. Banks are cautious by nature and want to avoid risk, and startups naturally bring more uncertainty due to their new, fast-changing nature.
Change in activity
Startups often face unique banking and payments challenges which established businesses don’t usually deal with. Banks are cautious by nature and want to avoid risk, and startups naturally bring more uncertainty due to their new, fast-changing nature.
Activity
Startups are known for their innovation skills, and while they may approach traditional operations from a unique perspective, this doesn’t always align with the strict compliance protocols of the banks and financial institutions serving them. If the compliance officer, who is evaluating a startup's application doesn’t fully understand or feel confident about the business operation being not only legal but also sustainable, they may refuse to take the risk with that startup altogether. Therefore, it is crucial that the business provides a well-defined and easy-to-understand business plan of its exact activities to help compliance officers grasp the business model.
Lack of experience
Startups often lack funding, so they need to be as creative as possible, which might mean they are not using the best professionals when it comes to legal advice or setting up data security protocols. Many startups also lack experience with managing compliance or technology which can lead to unintentional mistakes. By facilitating transactions related to a faulty business operation, banks may face serious consequences.
Investors
Startups also often lack knowledge about their investors. While securing investment is exciting, accepting money from high-risk countries or unknown individuals can cause serious issues. If a bank finds these investors or their payment methods suspicious, it might freeze the accounts or impose restrictions. It’s essential to verify investors’ identities and ensure their funds come from traceable and taxed activities to avoid this.
Lack of cash
Startups are also working with whatever limited resources they have, which might mean their business may never reach the level of success they hope for. Since the bank or financial institution has already put in effort, energy, and time to complete the initial evaluation and onboarding of the business, if the startup doesn’t grow as expected, the institution may never recover the cost of that investment. Banks and financial institutions typically charge clients based on their volume—the money they move through the institution—as a percentage or number of transactions. This means they might never even cover the initial cost and effort invested if the startup's volume doesn’t increase as anticipated.
The right bank of financial institution
Choosing the right payment and banking partner is vital, especially for startups. Knowing who is handling the business's hard-earned funding is not only crucial for its success but also for the reputation it builds. Working with unreliable payment providers or banks that freeze accounts or, worse, go bankrupt and disappear with the startup's funds could completely destroy the business. Not all banks or payment providers are the same, and understanding the risks associated with each provider can make or break an operation. Offshore-regulated banks may seem convenient, but the regulations around safeguarding client funds or executing transactions might differ, creating serious risks. With these high-risk-friendly banks or payment providers, issues could arise at the portfolio level. If one of their clients in the pool commits a fraudulent transaction, it can freeze the cash flow of the entire bank or financial institution, including the startup's funds. This is why it’s always important to have backup options rather than relying on just one provider.
What to do?
When presenting a business application to a bank or financial institution, the safest approach is to show that the applicant is a low-risk client. This means having a clear business setup, activities, up-to-date documents, and organized due diligence information. Banks will scrutinize everything—from how legal the business activities are to how the business handles customer payments and complaints. If anything is unclear or poorly organized, banks, lacking a proven track record with startup companies, are more likely to reject the application.
Building strong relationships with banks and payment providers is just as important as getting investors or developing products. Banks, payment institutions, financial licensed companies, and financial service providers aren’t just service providers; they’re partners in your operations. Keeping their trust is key to helping the business grow and succeed.
You can re-watch the webinar at the Soltesz Institute website: https://solteszinstitute.com/
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