Is Stripe available in Egypt, Saudi Arabia or the UAE? What the supported-countries list means for you
Stripe's supported-countries list includes the UAE but not Egypt or Saudi Arabia. What 'supported' actually means, what a UAE or US Stripe account requires, and the alternatives when Stripe is not the right fit.
The short answer
As of 20 September 2026, Stripe's list of supported countries includes the United Arab Emirates and does not include Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan or Morocco. The list is about where your business is registered, not where your customers are. A business holding a UAE trade licence or freelancer permit can apply for a UAE Stripe account. A business in Egypt or Saudi Arabia cannot open a Stripe account in its own country; the usual route is an entity registered in a supported country, commonly a US LLC, and Stripe decides after its own review. Nothing on the list is a promise of approval.
What "supported country" means
Stripe's list answers one question: in which countries can a business hold a Stripe account. That depends on where the business is legally registered, and the list on stripe.com/global is the gate to the sign-up form itself. If your country is not on it, there is no form to open.
Three details matter for readers in the region:
- The customer's country is irrelevant. Stripe's page says that once your country is supported you can sell to customers anywhere. A buyer in Cairo or Riyadh can pay a Stripe-connected business registered in Germany; what matters is where the seller is registered.
- "Preview" and "extended network" are not "supported". As of 20 September 2026, India and Indonesia are marked preview, and Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa sit under an extended network. No Arab country is in either group.
- The list changes. Check the page on the day you decide, not a screenshot from a group.
Being listed is a condition, not a result. Stripe's restricted businesses FAQ says "We independently review every account and all relevant information during account activation", and that review decides whether a business is supported.
Country by country
Egypt
What the list says: Egypt is not listed as of 20 September 2026. No Egyptian tax card or commercial register changes that, because the gate is the country itself.
What applies: a business registered in a country Stripe supports, commonly a US LLC, which US law lets a non-resident form and own without citizenship, residency or travel. The requirements are in the next section. If your customers are in Egypt and pay in Egyptian pounds, local gateways such as Paymob, Kashier or Fawry are the first place to look; each publishes its own requirements on its own site.
What does not apply: a US "unregistered business" (sole proprietor) account. Stripe's US requirements page says unregistered businesses need an owner or representative physically located in the US.
Saudi Arabia
What the list says: Saudi Arabia is not listed as of 20 September 2026.
What applies: the same as Egypt: an entity registered in a supported country, commonly a US LLC, or a licensed UAE business you genuinely own.
A common misunderstanding: the Saudi freelance document (وثيقة العمل الحر) regulates freelance work inside Saudi Arabia. It does not make Stripe available, because the list works by country. It is also a Saudi document only, with no standing in Egypt.
The United Arab Emirates
What the list says: the UAE is listed. That means a business licensed in the UAE can apply, not anyone who lives there.
What Stripe requires, from its UAE business types page and activation requirements page, as of 20 September 2026:
- Sole establishments and their branches, free zone establishments, LLCs and their branches, and free zone LLCs, each holding a valid trade licence or freelancer permit issued within the UAE (DED eTrader licences are recognised). Individuals without a licence or permit are not eligible.
- Every owner at 25 % or more is added to the account. LLCs supply the memorandum of association showing owners and shares, plus proof of an active bank account such as a statement from the last six months.
- Identity documents by status: passport and Emirates ID for UAE and GCC nationals; passport, Emirates ID and residence visa for other residents; a passport alone for individuals outside the UAE.
- Payouts go to a UAE bank on Stripe's supported banks list. Sole and free zone establishments may use a personal account, single-member LLCs a personal or business account, multi-member LLCs a business account only.
What this means from Egypt or Saudi Arabia: a UAE account needs a real UAE licence in the business's name and the real owners on the account. A relative's licence is not a route: the owners are verified and payouts go to that business's bank. Obtaining a UAE licence is its own project, outside this article.
Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Morocco
None is listed as of 20 September 2026, and the same logic as Egypt applies.
The US-account route, and what Stripe asks for
This is the route the rest of the article assumes, so here is what Stripe itself publishes for US accounts.
Registration. Stripe's US requirements page says registered businesses must be registered in the US even if you operate in another country. That sentence is why the route exists: the company is American, the owner is not.
Address. The same page asks for the physical location where the majority of your business activity is carried out; PO boxes are not accepted. If you run the company from your flat in Alexandria, that flat is the operating address, and Stripe says to update it in the Dashboard when it differs from the incorporation address. Entering the registered agent's office as your workplace is a misstatement.
Verification. Stripe confirms the legal entity name and type, the EIN, the representative's SSN or ITIN and the address, and may request official documents. Its verification page lists a government photo ID, proof of address, formation documents, evidence of website ownership and beneficial-owner details.
A URL. Its website requirements page requires a URL for any website, social profile or app you use to promote or sell. A social profile can serve if it shows what you sell.
A US bank account. Stripe's bank account guidance says requirements vary by provider, business structure and founder location, and names no provider; opening a US business account from Egypt compares Mercury, Relay and Wise Business. The same Stripe page notes the IRS typically issues an EIN in 1–15 business days with a US address, US phone and SSN, and in 15–50 business days otherwise.
Restricted businesses. The restricted businesses page lists prohibited categories (adult content, gambling, non-fiat currency, certain financial services and more) and restricted ones needing prior approval, and says the list is representative, not exhaustive. Its high-risk jurisdictions are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions; Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are not among them.
Cross-border operation. The same page lists, among prohibited uses, cross-border acquiring where the merchant's business address is outside the acquiring Stripe entity's jurisdiction, "unless permitted under the card network rules". Read with the US requirements page, which allows operating from another country, this means a US company run from Egypt is a case Stripe evaluates itself at the time you apply. Nobody outside Stripe can promise the outcome.
Formation, EIN, bank account and Stripe are four stages decided by four parties. The Stripe guide for founders in Egypt covers what Stripe reviews at each.
Where you live, and what applies
| Where you live | Stripe in your own country? | Route that can apply | Who verifies what | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | No | A business registered in a supported country, usually a US LLC | State (formation), IRS (EIN), bank (account), Stripe (activation) | Local gateways may fit EGP customers better |
| Saudi Arabia | No | Same as Egypt, or a licensed UAE business you genuinely own | Same | The freelance document does not change the list |
| UAE | Yes | A UAE-licensed business: sole establishment, free zone or LLC | Stripe checks licence, owners at 25 %+, IDs, bank | No licence or permit, no account |
| Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco | No | Same as Egypt | Same | Re-check the list before you decide |
Alternatives when Stripe is not the fit
Merchant-of-record providers
A merchant of record (MoR) sells your product in its own name, collects the payment and the applicable tax, and pays you out. Paddle's supported countries page says it works with software businesses anywhere except a list of unsupported countries; as of 20 September 2026 Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are not on it, the list can change, and Paddle may request further information before releasing a payment. It fits software and digital products, not physical goods, and its fee is higher than a plain gateway's; read its pricing page before building on it.
Local gateways
For customers in your own country paying in local currency, a locally licensed gateway is the direct answer. Requirements differ and change; read them on the provider's page.
PayPal and Payoneer
A PayPal Business account in Egypt offers a site checkout that takes PayPal and cards, payment links, invoicing and subscription plans, subject to your account's eligibility and PayPal's acceptance; but the money lands in a PayPal balance that is subject to holds and limitations, and withdrawal in Egypt runs through a confirmed Visa card or a US bank account (PayPal in Egypt covers the details). Payoneer gives you receiving-account details for transfers from business clients and marketplaces, plus payment requests a client can pay by card through a link; its embedded store checkout (Payoneer Checkout) is limited to Hong Kong entities as of 28 September 2026. Every payment option without a commercial register compares these routes.
| Option | Card checkout on your site? | Needs a company in a supported country? | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe (US or UAE account) | Yes | Yes | Stores, SaaS, subscriptions, customers abroad |
| Merchant of record (e.g. Paddle) | Yes, in the MoR's name | No | Software and digital products |
| Local gateway | Yes, for local customers | No | Local customers in local currency |
| PayPal Business | Yes, subject to account eligibility; settles into a PayPal balance | No | Individual customers abroad, or a second channel next to a card processor |
| Payoneer | Payment request link only; store Checkout limited to Hong Kong | No | Transfers from business clients and marketplaces |
When this is the wrong answer
Your customers are in Egypt or Saudi Arabia and pay locally. A US company and Stripe add cost without adding anything. Use a local gateway.
You already hold a UAE licence. Apply for a UAE account directly; a US company would be a detour with an annual cost.
You sell software only and a merchant of record covers your markets. You may not need a company at all. Compare the MoR's fee against a company plus Stripe's fee first.
Your category is prohibited or restricted. The company will form; Stripe's review comes afterwards and can close the account and hold funds. Read the list first.
Your income is still small. Formation, renewal and filings are fixed costs; when they are a large share of what you make, wait.
You hope to avoid tax. A US company does not cancel the obligations of an Egypt or Saudi tax resident, and it adds US filings such as Form 5472 for a foreign-owned single-member LLC with reportable transactions, even with no income. Our Form 5472 guide explains it.
Someone offers you a "ready" Stripe account. That is an account verified on someone else's entity, identity and bank. Buying a Stripe account explains why those accounts close.
How to choose
- Where is your business registered? UAE-licensed: apply for a UAE account. Egypt, Saudi Arabia or another unlisted country: continue.
- Where are your customers, and in what currency? Local customers, local currency: local gateway, stop here.
- What do you sell? Software only: compare a merchant of record first. Physical goods, services or a store with its own checkout: continue.
- Is your category restricted? If yes, stop.
- Can you truthfully give the address you work from, a real URL and your own identity? If yes, a US LLC plus Stripe is a route you can apply through, with four parties deciding four stages.
- Does the fixed cost fit your income? Check the pricing page and compare it with what you earn.
If you reach step 5, the accepting payments from Egypt page separates what is guaranteed from what is assisted.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stripe available in Egypt?
No. As of 20 September 2026 Egypt is not on Stripe's list, so an Egyptian business or a person living in Egypt cannot open a Stripe account for Egypt. The route is a business registered in a supported country, commonly a US LLC, which Stripe reviews before activation.
Is Stripe available in Saudi Arabia?
No. Saudi Arabia is not listed as of 20 September 2026, and no Saudi licence or freelance document changes that, because the list works by country. A Saudi resident can apply through a business registered in a supported country, such as a US LLC or a licensed UAE business they own.
Can a freelancer in the UAE open a Stripe account?
Yes, with a valid freelancer permit or trade licence issued within the UAE. Stripe's UAE pages say individuals without a licence or permit are not eligible. Sole and free zone establishments can receive payouts to a personal account at a bank on Stripe's supported list.
Can I open a US Stripe account with a US LLC while living in Egypt?
Stripe's US requirements allow a US-registered business that operates from another country, and ask for the physical address where most of your activity happens, which can be your real address in Egypt. You also need an EIN, a US bank account, a URL and your own identity documents. Stripe then reviews and decides; formation does not guarantee activation.
Does Stripe accept a registered agent address or a virtual address?
Stripe asks for the physical location where the majority of your activity is carried out and does not accept PO boxes. A registered agent's office is where the state sends legal notices, not where you work. Give the address you actually work from; registered agent vs virtual address vs operating address explains the difference.
Can customers in Egypt or Saudi Arabia pay through Stripe?
Yes. The list restricts where the seller is registered, not the buyer. A customer in Egypt or Saudi Arabia can pay a Stripe-connected business registered in the US or the UAE by card, subject to the card's own rules. For local customers in local currency, compare a local gateway's fees first.
What comes next
- In the UAE with a licence: start at Stripe's UAE pages linked above and apply directly.
- In Egypt or Saudi Arabia and headed for a US company: read what Stripe reviews when you apply from Egypt, then how to open a US business account from Egypt, including Mercury's published requirements.
- Weighing Stripe Atlas against a formation service: Stripe Atlas or an LLC formation service compares the two.
- Running a Shopify store: Shopify Payments is not available in Egypt covers the options.
- Ready to form: US company formation explains the service, accepting payments separates what is guaranteed from what is assisted, and the pricing page shows the year-one and renewal cost.