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Pinch Merchant Applications Explained

We know our application process is thorough, and we are here to help get you through the process and be on your way to cashflow certainty.

Before we can help you get paid, we’ll need a few details about your organisation. This is a standard part of onboarding that helps us meet our legal and regulatory obligations.

The information you provide keeps you, your customers, and us safe. It ensures your account is properly verified, protects against fraud, and gives everyone confidence that payments are flowing smoothly to the right place.

Merchant Application Steps

There are 5 key steps required to be completed before the Merchant Application can be submitted for review:

Step 1 - Business Details

Here we collect your general business information:

What Information  We Need 

  • Registered name of your business or organisation.

  • Contact details.

  • Nature of your operations (e.g. professional services, community association, charitable activities).

Why We Ask

  • As a regulated Payment Facilitator, we’re legally required to confirm that every business using Pinch is legitimate.

  • Verifying these details helps ensure the right organisation is connected to the right account.

  • This protects both you and your customers, building trust from the very first payment.

Step 2 - Financial Profile

Next, we’ll ask about your payments activity.

What Information  We Need 

  • Typical transaction size.

  • Expected monthly volumes.

  • The kinds of payments you’ll be processing.

Why We Ask

  • It helps us configure your account correctly so your payments flow without delays or disruptions.

  • It allows us to match your business name with your bank account details, ensuring funds are only settled into the correct, verified account.

  • It supports fraud prevention and risk monitoring, which keeps the Pinch platform safe for every business using it.

What If I Don't Have This Information

  • A calculated estimate will still assist the complaince review team.

Step 3 - Authorised Representative

We’ll need details of the individual who is authorised to act on behalf of your organisation. Depending on your structure, this may be:

What Information  We Need 

  • A Director or Shareholder (for companies).

  • A Responsible Person such as the Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary (for associations and charities).

  • A Trustee (for trusts).

  • The Individual Owner (for sole traders).

This person will also need to provide Proof of Identity — either a Driver’s Licence or Passport with a utility (only one is required).

Why We Ask

  • Regulations require that every account has a verified individual linked to it — someone clearly accountable.

  • This protects you as the applicant, your customers, and all businesses using Pinch by ensuring only the right people can authorise activity on your account.

  • It gives confidence to your customers that their payments are being handled by a verified and responsible person.

Step 4 - Additional Documentation

Documents We Need to Verify Your Organisation

To set up your account, we’ll need a few documents to confirm your organisation’s details. The exact documents depend on your structure.

1. Bank Statement

We require a recent bank statement for the account you’d like payments deposited into.

  • The statement must be unedited, complete, and dated within the last three months.

  • Every page should be included.

  • We cannot accept transaction summaries.

  • If your account is brand new and you don’t yet have a statement, please upload a letter from your bank (on their letterhead) confirming the account details. An account opening confirmation letter is perfect.

2. Business / Organisation Registration

Provide evidence of your official registration, such as:

  • Companies: ABN/ACN registration from the Australian Business Register.

  • Incorporated Associations: Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent state/territory registration.

  • Charities / NFPs: Registration from the ACNC or your relevant regulator.

  • Sole Traders: ABN registration.

3. Trust Deed (if applicable)

If your organisation operates as a trust, please provide a copy of the trust deed so we can confirm the trustees and controlling parties.

Step 5 - Individuals

Who We Need Information About

To meet regulatory and compliance requirements, we need details about the key people involved in your organisation.

The exact people we require depends on your organisation type:

  • Companies (for-profit or otherwise): We need information for all individuals who own 25% or more of the entity, or who otherwise have significant control (often Directors or major Shareholders). These people are commonly referred to as Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs).

  • Incorporated Associations, Charities, and Not-for-Profits: These organisations don’t have “owners” in the traditional sense. Instead, we ask for details of your Responsible Persons – this usually means members of your Management Committee or Board, including roles such as Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary. You may also wish to include your Public Officer, if applicable.

  • Trusts: We’ll typically need details of the Trustees and any individuals who ultimately control the trust.

  • Partnerships: We require information about all Partners.

  • Sole Traders: We require details of the individual operating the business.


Why We Ask

Regulations require us to verify the identity of the people who ultimately own, control, or are responsible for an organisation. While the terminology may vary depending on your structure, the goal is the same: ensuring transparency and compliance.

If you’re unsure who you need to list, our support team is always here to help guide you through.

Once all this information has been submitted, it will be handed over to our internal Compliance team to review and finalise an outcome. 

Updated: 2025