Your Mercury Account Is Moving to Column N.A.: What Founders With a US Company Must Do

Most founders who incorporate in the United States run the banking side through Mercury. Mercury is currently moving accounts from Choice Financial Group to Column N.A. This is not a bank failure — it is a partner-bank change. But a founder who misses the notice, or keeps putting it off, can end up with a closed account and a balance mailed from the US as a physical cheque. For someone living abroad, that means weeks without access to their own money.

The deadline: the exact date is specific to the notice you receive. Mercury gives each account its own “confirm your details” deadline, usually within a few weeks. The general migration window runs to December 2026. Check your email and your dashboard notifications today; the price of missing the date is account closure.

What is actually happening?

Mercury is not a bank — it is a financial technology company. Your money is held by FDIC-insured partner banks behind the scenes. For years the partner for many customers was Choice Financial Group. Mercury is now moving those accounts to Column N.A.

The reason is technical and has nothing to do with you: Mercury is simplifying its partner-bank network and moving towards its own banking licence. In April 2026 the company received conditional approval from the OCC, the US banking regulator, to establish its own bank, “Mercury Bank, N.A.” The move from Choice to Column is part of that consolidation.

What it means for you in practice is clear: a new account number, a new routing number and new debit cards. How you log in to Mercury, your settings, your Treasury account and any IO credit cards stay the same.

This is a procedure, not a crisis. The only thing that turns it into a crisis is ignoring the procedure.

Who does this affect most?

Everyone — but above all founders who live outside the United States and own a US LLC or C-Corp. Two reasons.

First, the migration includes a fresh identity verification step. Some users report being asked for documents such as proof of a US address or invoices showing they work with US clients. Treat this not as a formal requirement but as a possibility worth preparing for.

Second, the worst-case outcome — mailing the balance as a cheque — is merely an inconvenience for someone living in the US and a serious collection problem for someone abroad. Cashing a US paper cheque outside the country is not straightforward.

The process runs in five stages

1. Confirm your details and accept the new terms (your action)

In the dashboard you accept Column N.A.’s terms and conditions and review and update your company information. This step has a deadline, and it is the critical one.

2. Mercury verifies your information (up to a few weeks)

The team reviews the company details you provided. They may request additional documents during this window, so keep an eye on your inbox.

3. The new account opens and the transfer tool kicks in (automatic)

After approval, your first Column N.A. account opens automatically. The account transfer tool moves balances, recurring payments and activity to the new accounts, new cards are issued, and you are given a list of counterparties that need to be informed.

4. The old accounts stay open for a while (transition period, typically 60–90 days)

Your old Choice accounts and cards keep working through the transition. During this period you cannot deposit or pay cheques from the old account — run all cheque activity through the new one. Incoming payments are routed to the new account automatically.

5. The old accounts are deactivated and closed (end of the period)

When the transition period ends the old accounts go dormant and any remaining balance moves across. A few weeks later they close entirely. Access to your historical statements continues from the Documents & Data page.

The critical risks

Ignore the notice and the account closes, with the money mailed as a cheque. If you do not complete the confirmation step, the account is scheduled for closure and the remaining balance is sent to your address as a physical cheque. For a founder living abroad, this is the most expensive scenario.

Your account and routing numbers change. You need to pass the new numbers to everyone who pays you or takes payment from you: Stripe, PayPal, customers, your accountant, payroll. Companies that run ACH pull (automatic debits) in particular must be updated by you — the transfer tool does not change those on your behalf.

Fresh KYC documents may be requested. Some non-resident users report being asked for proof of a US address or invoices from US clients during this migration. It is not a stated rule, but having your documents ready is sensible.

Cheque activity is restricted during the transition. Through the transition period you cannot deposit or write cheques from the old account. Run all cheque activity through the new Column N.A. account.

Seven things to do now

1. Check your email and the Mercury dashboard. The migration notice and your specific deadline are there. Old accounts show a countdown badge.

2. Confirm your company details and accept the new terms. This is the critical step. If your information is out of date, correct it first, then confirm.

3. Use the account transfer tool rather than moving things manually. Balances, recurring payments and card reissuance are handled in one orderly pass.

4. Send the new account and routing numbers everywhere. Stripe, PayPal, Wise, customers, your accountant and payroll. Update anyone running ACH pull yourself.

5. Have your KYC documents ready. Company address, proof of activity, invoices from US clients. Upload them promptly if asked.

6. Run cheque activity through the new account during the transition. The old account’s cheque function will be switched off.

7. Confirm the balance and activity have moved before the old account closes. Once the handover is complete, check the new account as well.

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There is no need to panic. This is not a bank failure. Your deposits are covered by FDIC insurance on both the Choice and Column sides, and your access to the platform is not interrupted during the migration. The risk is operational: missing the notice, skipping the number updates, and ending up in the cheque scenario. Close those three off and the migration is a few clicks of work.

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This article is general information and does not constitute investment, legal or personalised tax advice. Mercury is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank; banking services are provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., both FDIC members. For the dates and steps specific to your account, rely on the official notice Mercury sends you.

Sources: Mercury Help Center (Switching Mercury partner banks) and the Mercury company blog. Last updated: June 2026.