AB-LEGAL-004 — Alta Bank Merchant Services Agreement
1. Overview
This Merchant Services Agreement (“Agreement”) governs merchant services offered by Alta Bank.
Merchant services may include merchant accounts, Alta Pay, invoices, payment links, recurring invoices, branded payment pages, customer checkout pages, merchant analytics, Alta Commercial, payment notifications, payment records, and related tools.
By applying for, accessing, or using Alta Bank merchant services, the merchant agrees to this Agreement, the Alta Pay Terms, the Alta Bank Business Banking Agreement, the Alta Bank Deposit Account Agreement where applicable, the Alta Group Terms of Service, the Alta Group Privacy Policy, any applicable fee schedule, and any other rules or disclosures provided by Alta Bank.
Alta Bank may update this Agreement at any time.
2. Roleplay and Virtual Economy Notice
Alta Bank merchant services are designed for use within Minecraft, Discord, roleplay communities, virtual economies, and related online environments.
Unless Alta Bank clearly states otherwise in writing:
- Alta Bank does not provide real-world merchant acquiring;
- Alta Bank does not process real-world card payments;
- Alta Bank does not hold real-world merchant funds;
- merchant balances and payments may represent in-game, fictional, simulated, or roleplay value only;
- merchant services may depend on the rules of the relevant Minecraft server, Discord server, or roleplay community;
- this Agreement does not create real-world banking, payment, investment, legal, or corporate rights.
Merchants are responsible for understanding that Alta Bank merchant services are roleplay and virtual economy services unless expressly stated otherwise.
3. Merchant Eligibility
Alta Bank may allow approved businesses, organizations, companies, institutions, or users to access merchant services.
Alta Bank may require a merchant to:
- maintain an Alta Bank business account;
- complete business verification;
- identify an owner or authorized representative;
- provide accurate merchant information;
- describe the goods or services offered;
- connect or identify relevant Discord, Minecraft, website, or community information;
- accept this Agreement and related terms;
- comply with Alta Bank and Alta Group rules.
Alta Bank may approve, deny, restrict, suspend, or terminate merchant access at its discretion.
4. Merchant Account
A merchant account allows an approved merchant to request, receive, track, and manage payments through Alta Bank merchant services.
The merchant is responsible for all activity through its merchant account, including activity by the primary owner and Company Members.
Alta Bank may rely on its records to determine who is authorized to act for the merchant.
Use of merchant services does not create ownership in Alta Bank, Alta Group, or any Alta subsidiary.
5. Company Members
A merchant may invite Company Members to manage merchant services. The in-progress feature exposes only Owner and Member, and an invitation gives a Member full access equivalent to the Owner across enabled company products.
A Company Member may be able to:
- create invoices;
- create payment links;
- view payments;
- issue refunds where supported;
- manage branding;
- view analytics;
- manage customer records;
- respond to disputes;
- update merchant settings;
- manage recurring invoices;
- access support.
The merchant is responsible for confirming each Member’s authority, explaining the full-access model, monitoring activity, and promptly removing a Member who should no longer act for the merchant. Any Member may invite or remove other Members and edit company settings, but no Member may remove the primary owner.
Alta Bank does not verify employment or internal authority. Actions taken through an authenticated Member account may be treated as authorized merchant instructions.
To the maximum extent allowed by applicable rules and law, Alta Bank is not responsible for losses caused by a merchant’s invitation or retention of a Member, the full-access membership model, failure to remove a Member, shared credentials, or an internal dispute. This does not exclude liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or liability caused by Alta Bank’s fraud, gross negligence, or intentional misconduct.
6. Merchant Services
Alta Bank may provide merchant services including:
- merchant invoices;
- payment links;
- customer checkout pages;
- recurring invoices;
- scheduled payments;
- branded invoice pages;
- branded payment pages;
- payment confirmations;
- payment records;
- merchant analytics;
- Alta Commercial subscriptions;
- customer notifications;
- merchant notifications;
- refunds and reversals where supported;
- dispute tools;
- support tools;
- other approved merchant features.
Alta Bank may add, remove, limit, or change merchant services at any time.
7. Merchant Responsibilities
The merchant is responsible for:
- providing accurate business information;
- describing goods and services honestly;
- issuing accurate invoices;
- creating accurate payment links;
- charging correct amounts;
- honoring customer purchases or obligations;
- responding to customer issues;
- cooperating with disputes;
- paying applicable fees;
- maintaining sufficient balances for refunds, reversals, or fees;
- protecting merchant account access;
- following Alta Bank and Alta Group rules;
- following applicable Minecraft, Discord, server, or community rules.
The merchant is responsible for customer-facing claims, descriptions, promises, and obligations made through merchant services.
8. Invoices
Alta Bank may allow merchants to create, send, manage, cancel, void, or track invoices.
Invoices may include line items, amounts, descriptions, due dates, payment status, customer information, merchant branding, notes, fees, and payment options.
The merchant is responsible for ensuring each invoice is accurate, authorized, and not misleading.
Alta Bank may remove, restrict, cancel, void, or review invoices that appear fraudulent, abusive, misleading, risky, inaccurate, or harmful to platform integrity.
9. Payment Links
Alta Bank may allow merchants to create payment links.
Payment links may be fixed amount, open amount, one-time, reusable, limited, paused, expired, cancelled, or otherwise configured.
The merchant is responsible for ensuring payment links are accurate, safe, and not misleading.
Alta Bank may pause, disable, remove, or restrict payment links at any time if needed to protect customers, merchants, Alta Bank, Alta Group, or platform integrity.
10. Recurring Invoices and Subscriptions
Alta Bank may allow eligible merchants to create recurring invoices, subscriptions, or repeating payment requests.
Recurring invoices may require eligibility, account approval, customer authorization, Alta Commercial subscription status, or additional review.
The merchant is responsible for:
- clearly describing recurring charges;
- obtaining proper customer approval where required;
- setting accurate billing amounts and timing;
- cancelling recurring billing when appropriate;
- responding to customer questions or disputes.
Alta Bank may pause, fail, cancel, restrict, or terminate recurring invoices when necessary for insufficient funds, expired authorization, account restrictions, merchant restrictions, technical issues, nonpayment, or risk concerns.
11. Branded Payment Pages
Alta Bank may allow eligible merchants to customize invoices, payment links, checkout pages, or customer-facing payment pages.
Merchant branding may include names, logos, colors, support information, descriptions, website links, or approved custom text.
The merchant may not use branding that:
- impersonates Alta Bank, Alta Group, or another business;
- misleads customers;
- infringes intellectual property;
- contains unsafe or abusive content;
- contains malicious links;
- creates confusion;
- violates Alta rules;
- harms platform integrity.
Alta Bank may reject, edit, reset, remove, or disable merchant branding at any time.
12. Payment Processing
Alta Bank may process merchant payments through Alta Pay or other approved Alta Bank systems.
Payments are not final until completed and recorded by Alta Bank.
Alta Bank may delay, hold, reject, reverse, cancel, review, or adjust merchant payments when necessary to address:
- fraud;
- abuse;
- duplicate payments;
- unauthorized payments;
- incorrect amounts;
- insufficient funds;
- technical errors;
- account restrictions;
- merchant restrictions;
- customer disputes;
- platform risk;
- rule violations.
Alta Bank’s records are the official records of merchant payment activity unless Alta Bank determines that a correction is required.
13. Settlement and Availability of Funds
Merchant payment proceeds may be available immediately, delayed, held, reserved, or restricted depending on Alta Bank rules, merchant risk, payment type, dispute status, and account status.
Alta Bank may establish settlement timing, holds, reserves, review periods, or payout procedures for merchant funds.
A displayed merchant balance may include pending, held, restricted, or unavailable funds.
Alta Bank may adjust settlement records if errors, reversals, refunds, duplicate transactions, or improper credits occur.
14. Refunds
Alta Bank may allow merchants to issue refunds where supported.
The merchant is responsible for refund obligations arising from customer disputes, failed deliveries, duplicate charges, incorrect invoices, merchant error, or other customer issues.
Alta Bank may require a merchant to maintain sufficient funds for refunds.
Alta Bank may process a refund or reversal without merchant approval if Alta Bank determines that the payment was unauthorized, duplicated, fraudulent, mistaken, abusive, technically incorrect, or otherwise improper.
15. Reversals and Adjustments
Alta Bank may reverse or adjust merchant payments when necessary.
Reasons may include:
- duplicate payment;
- mistaken payment;
- unauthorized activity;
- fraud or suspected fraud;
- payment link abuse;
- invoice abuse;
- customer dispute;
- merchant dispute;
- technical error;
- insufficient authorization;
- rule violation;
- platform integrity concern.
A merchant may be responsible for any negative balance, unpaid fee, refund, reversal, or related obligation caused by merchant activity.
16. Disputes
Customers, merchants, or Alta Bank may initiate dispute review.
Disputes may involve:
- unauthorized payments;
- incorrect amounts;
- duplicate payments;
- failed payments;
- missing goods or services;
- misleading invoices;
- merchant misconduct;
- customer misconduct;
- refund requests;
- recurring payment issues;
- technical errors.
Alta Bank may resolve disputes based on account records, payment records, invoices, screenshots, logs, support messages, merchant information, customer information, staff review, and applicable rules.
Alta Bank’s decision is final unless Alta Bank chooses to reopen the matter.
17. Holds and Reserves
Alta Bank may place holds, delays, reserves, or restrictions on merchant funds when necessary.
Reasons may include:
- fraud risk;
- new merchant activity;
- unusual volume;
- high payment amounts;
- high dispute rate;
- customer complaints;
- suspicious activity;
- unpaid fees;
- verification issues;
- platform risk;
- rule violations;
- pending investigation;
- technical errors.
Alta Bank may release, extend, increase, decrease, or apply holds at its discretion.
18. Fees
Alta Bank may charge merchant fees.
Fees may apply to:
- payment processing;
- invoices;
- payment links;
- recurring invoices;
- subscriptions;
- branded payment pages;
- Alta Commercial;
- analytics;
- refunds;
- reversals;
- disputes;
- failed payments;
- account reviews;
- premium tools;
- other merchant services.
Fees may be listed in a fee schedule, product page, invoice, agreement, disclosure, dashboard, or account notice.
Alta Bank may deduct fees from the merchant’s Alta Bank account, merchant balance, payment proceeds, or other available balance where allowed by its rules.
19. Alta Commercial
Alta Bank may offer Alta Commercial as a merchant or business banking product tier.
Alta Commercial may include free, paid, premium, or subscription-based features.
Paid features may include higher limits, recurring invoices, branded pages, advanced analytics, expanded company membership capacity, priority support, or other tools.
Alta Bank may downgrade, suspend, restrict, or terminate Alta Commercial access for nonpayment, abuse, inactivity, account restrictions, or rule violations.
20. Prohibited Merchant Activity
Merchants may not use Alta Bank merchant services to:
- commit fraud;
- exploit bugs;
- submit false information;
- create fake invoices;
- create misleading payment links;
- impersonate another merchant;
- misrepresent goods or services;
- scam customers;
- abuse refunds or reversals;
- manipulate balances;
- hide funds;
- evade restrictions;
- sell prohibited goods or services;
- harass customers or staff;
- violate Minecraft server rules, Discord rules, Alta rules, or applicable law;
- conduct activity Alta Bank considers unsafe, abusive, misleading, or harmful.
Alta Bank may investigate and restrict merchants involved in prohibited activity.
21. Prohibited Goods and Services
Alta Bank may restrict or prohibit certain goods, services, business models, or merchant categories.
Prohibited or restricted categories may include:
- scams or fraudulent offers;
- unauthorized financial services;
- impersonation services;
- stolen goods;
- hacked accounts;
- exploit tools;
- malicious software;
- harassment services;
- rule-breaking server services;
- misleading investment offers;
- illegal or prohibited real-world goods;
- any product or service that Alta Bank determines creates unacceptable risk.
Alta Bank may update prohibited or restricted merchant categories at any time.
22. Merchant Verification and Review
Alta Bank may review merchants before or after approval.
Alta Bank may request information about:
- business identity;
- ownership or management;
- goods or services;
- customer base;
- transaction volume;
- risk level;
- Discord or Minecraft activity;
- website or storefront;
- support process;
- prior disputes;
- proof of legitimacy.
Failure to provide requested information may result in denial, restriction, suspension, or termination.
23. Customer Communications
Merchants are responsible for communicating honestly and clearly with customers.
Alta Bank may require merchants to provide support information, delivery terms, refund policies, service descriptions, or other customer-facing information.
Alta Bank may send payment-related notifications to customers and merchants through dashboards, Discord, email, payment pages, support channels, or other approved methods.
24. Records and Reporting
Alta Bank may maintain merchant records, including:
- merchant applications;
- verification information;
- Company Members;
- invoices;
- payment links;
- payment attempts;
- successful payments;
- failed payments;
- refunds;
- reversals;
- disputes;
- fees;
- customer information;
- merchant branding;
- staff actions;
- audit logs;
- notifications.
Merchants may receive dashboards, analytics, reports, statements, or exports where supported.
Alta Bank’s records are the official records of merchant services unless Alta Bank determines that a correction is required.
25. Account Restrictions and Termination
Alta Bank may restrict, suspend, or terminate merchant services at any time.
Reasons may include:
- fraud or suspected fraud;
- excessive disputes;
- excessive refunds;
- unpaid fees;
- false information;
- failed verification;
- prohibited activity;
- account security concerns;
- platform risk;
- inactivity;
- abuse of Alta Pay;
- violation of this Agreement;
- violation of Alta Group or Alta Bank rules;
- business reasons.
Termination of merchant services does not cancel obligations that existed before termination, including fees, refunds, reversals, disputes, records, or investigations.
26. Relationship to Customers
Alta Bank provides payment and merchant tools, but the merchant is responsible for its relationship with customers.
Alta Bank is not responsible for the merchant’s goods, services, delivery, quality, promises, pricing, customer support, refunds, or business conduct unless a specific written agreement states otherwise.
Alta Bank may assist in dispute review but is not required to resolve every customer-merchant disagreement.
27. Relationship to Other Agreements
This Agreement applies to merchant services.
Other Alta Bank agreements may also apply, including:
- Deposit Account Agreement;
- Business Banking Agreement;
- Alta Pay Terms;
- Lending Agreement;
- Cardholder Agreement;
- Fee Schedule;
- product-specific disclosures.
If there is a conflict between this Agreement and a more specific product agreement, the more specific agreement controls for that product unless Alta Bank states otherwise.
28. Service Availability
Merchant services may be unavailable, delayed, interrupted, changed, or discontinued at any time.
Alta Bank does not guarantee that invoices, payment links, checkout pages, recurring invoices, merchant dashboards, analytics, bots, websites, APIs, or support systems will always be available or error-free.
Alta Bank may perform maintenance, emergency shutdowns, upgrades, resets, or feature changes when necessary.
29. Privacy
Alta Bank may collect and use merchant information as described in the Alta Group Privacy Policy and any applicable Alta Bank privacy notice.
Alta Bank may collect and maintain information related to merchant accounts, Company Members, customers, invoices, payments, disputes, refunds, reversals, verification, branding, support requests, and security reviews.
30. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent allowed by applicable rules and law, Alta Bank, Alta Group, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, contractors, agents, and representatives shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or lost-profit damages arising from merchant services.
Alta Bank’s total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount paid by the merchant to Alta Bank for the specific merchant service giving rise to the claim during the thirty days before the claim, unless a specific written agreement states otherwise.
31. Indemnification
The merchant agrees to defend and hold harmless Alta Bank, Alta Group, subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, contractors, agents, and representatives from claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses arising from:
- merchant misuse of services;
- merchant goods or services;
- customer disputes;
- false or misleading merchant information;
- violation of this Agreement;
- violation of Alta Group or Alta Bank rules;
- fraud, abuse, or misconduct;
- unauthorized account sharing;
- user-submitted content;
- merchant branding;
- violation of third-party rights;
- violation of server rules, platform rules, or applicable law.
32. Changes to This Agreement
Alta Bank may update this Agreement at any time.
Updated versions become effective when posted, published, or otherwise made available.
Continued use of merchant services after an update means the merchant accepts the updated Agreement.
33. Contact
Questions, disputes, or support requests should be submitted through official Alta Bank support channels.
34. Approval
This Merchant Services Agreement is adopted by Alta Bank as the governing agreement for merchant services.