Prohibited Activities

As a regulated entity, MarketPay is required to ensure that its activities comply with legal and regulatory requirements, particularly regarding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF), as well as compliance with payment networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.).

This list of prohibited activities, initially designed for acquiring and PAYFAC services, can serve as a reference for onboarding. In the context of onboarding alone, AML/CTF and anti-fraud controls, as well as regulatory compliance in general, are exclusively the responsibility of the financial institution. In case of doubt about an activity, it is recommended to consult the Compliance department.

Therefore, MarketPay reserves the right to refuse contractual agreements with companies whose corporate purpose falls within the (non-exhaustive) list below. This list is non-exhaustive and provided for informational purposes only. It is subject to change and may be updated by MarketPay at any time.

 

Prohibited category of activity

Example of use case

Any sale of products and services that do not comply with the legislation in force

This category refers to any illegal activity in France (non-exhaustive list) such as:

  • Sale of drugs and illegal substances
  • Sale of counterfeit goods, including handbags, clothing, accessories, etc.
  • Etc...

Activity related to cannabis products or their derivatives

  This category includes:

  • Sale of cannabis products or their derivatives (leaves, flowers, resin, CBD, HHC) with a THC content greater than 0.3% or not indicated
  • Sale of electronic cigarettes, vaping and related or similar accessories

Cigar sales activity 

This category refers to cigar retailer.

Activity with weapons and ammunition, explosives and dangerous materials

  This category includes:

  • Military activity
  • Arms and ammunition manufacturers (defence & military activity, war vehicles, explosive devices, etc.)
  • Sale of firearms or equipment, ammunition, parts for firearms.
  • Sale of other defensive devices (revolvers, pistols, fake weapons, guns, swords, etc...)
  • Fireworks and other exhibits
  • Hunting, trapping and related services

Adult content activity and services

This category includes:

  • Any activity of a sexual nature (pornography, prostitution, sale of sexual accessories, etc...
  • Strip club
  • Escort agencies
  • Marriage services or dating agency

Gambling & money organisations (gaming)

 This category covers gambling organisations including:

  • Casino (sale of chips & games, etc...)
  • Lottery
  • Horse-race betting services
  • Sports betting services
  • Circle games online
  • Online games such as sports betting, horse or greyhound races, sport games, other activities facilitating bets, skill games and lottery, etc...

Spiritism activity 

This category includes the sale of services such as hypnotists, mediums, card readers, astrologers, clairvoyants, energy healers, magnetisers, shamans, and similar practitioners.

Political organisations and associations

This category includes organisations and associations that promote the interests of a political party or candidate at national, regional or local level and organise fundraising events.

Religious associations and places of worship

This category includes:

  • Places of worship (church, mosque, synagogue, temple)
  • Religious associations, including those that carry out social actions

NGO 

This category covers non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that collect donations in areas of conflict and natural disasters.

State-owned merchant 

This category includes a company with a significant participation of > 20% by a State

Embassies and consulates

Government services of embassies or consulates

Related services in the support of administrative procedures

This category covers companies specialised in the accompaniment (acceleration or simplification of the process) of administrative procedures for obtaining visas, work permits, residence permits, etc...

Precious metals and currency market

This category includes:

  • A company specialising in the purchase and sale of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum or palladium ingots, or precious stones
  • Online platform for trading/brokerage or buying and selling of currencies, precious metals, gemstones, other products, etc...

Cryptocurrency and liquid assets

Online platform for buying and selling digital assets, shares, units, foreign currencies, cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) regulated by a financial authority within the EEA

Mining related activities 

This activity mainly covers the extraction of non-renewable resources such as coal, gas, oil, uranium, peat, etc...

This category includes:

  • Mineral Mining Corporation
  • Petroleum Development Corporation
  • Nuclear power plant

Online Parapharmacy 

This category includes parapharmacy businesses that sell parapharmaceutical products via an online platform

Activities related to telemarketing services

This category refers to the telemarketing or telemarketing company that manages telephone prospecting campaigns, commercial relaunches, or sales of products by telephone.

Debt collection 

This category covers companies specialising in the management and recovery of unpaid debts on behalf of their clients (businesses, institutions or individuals).

Marketplace 

Online platform that connects sellers and buyers to facilitate the sale of goods or services

Crownfunding platform 

Marketplace collecting funds on behalf of third parties

Transfer of funds 

This category covers:

  • Money transfer from person to person (P2P)
  • Transfer of money from account to account

Small business financing 

Entity providing payment services to small businesses (e.g., payroll management, bill payments) to initiate subsequent payments.

Pre-provision of a digital portfolio in stages

Funding a digital portfolio in stages (unless the funding is for a chain purchase)

Financing a portfolio with stored value

Finance a portfolio of stored value that can be used for purchases from multiple merchants

Pre-paid loading/reloading

Company specialising in loading and reloading a prepaid card account

Activities related to certain IT services

This category covers certain IT services (non-exhaustive list):

  • Cyberlockers, which are online storage services often used to share or host files
  • File storage
  • Online file sharing

Airline

Company providing air passenger and cargo services

Cruise line 

Company specialising in the organisation of cruises

Activities related to Energy Saving Certificates (EECs) or emission of carbon credits

This category includes:

  • Firms specialising in EEC countries (brokerage or trading companies from EEC countries, companies that set up EEC files, financing companies for energy-saving projects), etc.
  • Carbon credit brokers or sales platforms, etc.

Diagnostic accessibility (Ad'Ap)

This category is for companies that carry out diagnosis or compliance work within the framework of an Ad'Ap (Agenda d'Accessibilité Programmée), a French-specific accessibility compliance program.

Sale of SIM cards and recharge of mobile package

This category is intended for resellers of prepaid SIM cards and mobile recharge (ex: specialised shop, kiosks, grocery stores, etc...)

Sale of works or objects of art, auction

This category covers art galleries, auction houses, art dealers and antique dealers, online art auction or auction platform, art intermediaries