You run a US company from another country, or you are about to open a Stripe account for one. The onboarding form asks for phone numbers, and it is not obvious which ones must be American. Stripe’s help center answers that directly. Here is what it says, checked on October 31, 2026, and where a US +1 number fits. This post covers the phone fields only; it is not legal or tax advice.
Which phone numbers does Stripe ask for?
Stripe’s page on phone number requirements for US Stripe accounts lists three numbers:
| Number | What Stripe says |
|---|---|
| Business phone | Must be “a valid and active US-based phone number”. Not required for Individual or Sole Prop accounts. For companies incorporated through Stripe Atlas, it can be in any country. |
| Customer support phone | Can be in any country. Shown on card statements, invoices and receipts. |
| Representative or owner phone | Can be in any country, except Individual and Sole Prop accounts, where it must be an active US-based number. |
So there are two places where Stripe asks for a US-based number: the business phone on most company accounts, and the representative phone on Individual and Sole Prop accounts. Everywhere else, any country is fine.
What does “US-based” mean for the business phone?
Stripe’s wording is “a valid and active US-based phone number”, and the page does not define it further. It does not list which kinds of US numbers it takes, and we will not guess on Stripe’s behalf. Stripe’s own form is where you find out whether it takes a given number.
Two things a phone number does not do:
- It does not make your company American. Your company’s formation, address and ownership are separate questions with their own documents. Our guide to a US number for a non-US LLC explains where a phone line sits next to those.
- It does not change your account type. Whether you open an Individual, Sole Prop or company account depends on how your business is set up, not on your phone. If you are unsure which applies, ask a qualified adviser.
Where does a TripoSIM US number fit?
The TripoSIM US Virtual Number is a US +1 number that runs in an app on your phone over Wi-Fi or mobile data. Here is how it lines up with each field.
Customer support phone. This is the natural fit. Stripe allows any country here, so the choice is about your customers. A US customer who sees your charge on a card statement can call a +1 number like any US number, without international rates. With the TripoSIM number, calls to you are included up to a fair use of 300 minutes a month. When you are offline, callers can leave a voicemail of up to 2 minutes, up to 30 a month, kept 30 days.
Business phone. If your account needs a US-based business phone, the TripoSIM number is a US +1 number your company can answer. Stripe decides whether it accepts it in that field.
Representative or owner phone. For most accounts this can be your own mobile, in any country. For Individual and Sole Prop accounts it must be an active US-based number, and again Stripe decides which numbers it accepts.
Sign-in codes. The number receives verification codes (OTP SMS) from apps. Stripe sent its verification code to a TripoSIM US number in TripoSIM’s test on October 3, 2026, one of 22 apps TripoSIM tested from October 3 to 18, 2026. The verification research lists them all.
The number also has limits worth knowing before you print it on receipts. It receives texts from US and Canadian senders but cannot send texts, so customers cannot get a text reply from it. It calls out to US and Canadian numbers only, with 300 minutes a month included. It cannot call 911.
How should you set up two-step login on Stripe?
Stripe’s page on enabling two-step authentication lists its methods from most to least secure:
- Passkeys
- Security keys
- Touch ID or Windows Hello
- Authenticator apps
- Text messages (SMS)
Stripe advises setting up two or more methods, and avoiding text messages in favor of the more secure options. A simple setup that follows that advice:
- Main method: a passkey on your phone or laptop, or a security key.
- Second method: an authenticator app on a different device.
- Your US number: keep it on the account as your contact number, rather than as your only way in.
That way you can still sign in on a day your phone has no internet, and you are not tied to any one number if you change it later.
How do you keep the support line answered?
A support number printed on receipts only helps if someone picks up or calls back. A few habits make that work from abroad:
- State your hours in a US time zone, such as “Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern”, in your greeting and on your website. The US time-zone clock shows the overlap with your day.
- Name the business in the greeting, so a customer who saw the number on a statement knows they reached the right company.
- Offer a written route. Put your support email next to the number, because the number cannot answer texts.
- Call back within the included minutes. Each outgoing call is rounded up to the next full minute; unanswered calls are free.
- Never let it lapse. When a plan ends, the number is kept 30 days on the yearly plan or 90 days on the monthly plan, then released. Update your Stripe support number before you let any number go. Our guide on number recycling explains why.
Running more than one company? One person can have as many TripoSIM US numbers as they like, each with its own plan, so each company’s support line can be its own. The founders page covers that setup.
When is another option better?
- Several people answer support. The TripoSIM number is for personal and small-business use, and call centers are not allowed. A business phone system with call queues fits a team.
- Customers expect text replies. The number receives texts only, so use email or a chat tool for written support.
- Stripe’s form does not take a number. Use a number the form accepts for that field. The support number can be in any country.
Bottom line
Stripe asks US accounts for three phone numbers. The business phone must be “a valid and active US-based phone number” on most company accounts, the support number can be in any country, and the representative number can be in any country except on Individual and Sole Prop accounts. A US +1 number suits the support line that customers see on their statements, and Stripe decides which numbers it accepts in each field. Whatever you enter, protect the account with a passkey, security key or authenticator app, not text messages alone. The plans page has both TripoSIM plans.