What counts as $100K in liquidity?

Cash or cash-equivalents in a business bank account, brokerage account with liquid holdings, or a committed line of credit from an established bank. Screenshots of balance, recent statements, or a bank letter confirming liquidity all work. Crypto holdings don't count toward the threshold; neither do promised but uncommitted investor funds.

Does it have to be $100K exactly?

$100K is the minimum threshold. Higher balances strengthen the application and may allow lower reserves. Pre-revenue merchants should expect the standard 15%/60-day or 10%/90-day reserve during the initial processing window.

What if I have revenue under $30K/mo?

You're in the gap zone: not established enough to qualify by volume, not pre-launch enough to use the startup-capital path. Best move is to either scale to $30K+/mo on a crypto processor or alternative processor first, or demonstrate $100K+ capital as if you were pre-launch.

Pre-Revenue Peptide Startups: Capital Requirements

Q: Can a pre-revenue peptide startup get a merchant account?

Yes, with $100,000+ in demonstrable liquidity or a signed line of credit. The capital requirement replaces the monthly-volume requirement that established merchants meet. Holistic Payments approves pre-revenue startups with proof of capital, a compliant RUO site, and a clean principal profile.

New peptide brand with no revenue? Here's what $100K+ in liquidity looks like to underwriting, what counts, and how to apply as a pre-launch startup.

By Blake Toves, Founder at Holistic Payments · Published April 17, 2026

Pre-revenue peptide startups qualify for U.S. bank processing by demonstrating $100,000+ in liquidity or a signed line of credit. The capital requirement substitutes for the $30K/mo volume requirement that established merchants meet. Cash, brokerage holdings, and committed credit lines all count. Crypto holdings and uncommitted investor promises do not. Optional: attach a screenshot of your liquidity proof on the intake form to speed approval.

Why the capital requirement exists

Acquiring banks underwrite merchants on two axes: processing track record and financial backstop. Established merchants (≥$30K/mo) satisfy the first, the bank can see historical chargeback ratios, refund rates, and volume stability. Pre-revenue merchants have no processing history, so the bank substitutes financial capacity. If chargebacks spike during the first 90 days, the bank needs confidence the merchant can cover them without going insolvent.

$100K is the threshold our U.S. bank partner writes business against. Higher balances strengthen the application and can influence the reserve tier (15%/60 vs. 10%/90) as well as the fee tier.

What counts toward the $100K

Counts

Business bank account balance, checking, savings, or money market at a U.S. bank
Brokerage liquid holdings, stocks, bonds, ETFs, or money market funds you can redeem inside 30 days
Committed line of credit, signed facility with an established bank, not a revolving credit card
Certificate of deposit with a redemption date inside 90 days
Documented investor funds, closed SAFE or priced round with capital actually in your account

Doesn't count

Crypto or stablecoin holdings
Promised or verbal investor commitments not yet funded
Personal credit card limits
Home equity (not liquid enough for underwriting purposes)
Business valuation or enterprise value, only cash and cash-equivalents count

How to prove capital on the application

The intake form has an optional evidence-upload field. Attach one of the following:

Recent bank statement, last 30 days, with your business name visible on the header and the balance legible
Brokerage screenshot, balance view from Schwab, Fidelity, IBKR, Robinhood, etc., with your name visible
Line of credit document, the signed facility agreement from your bank
Bank letter, a "proof of funds" letter on bank letterhead (ask your banker)

Redact account numbers if you want, the balance and account-holder name are what underwriting needs. You can also submit this later, but including it with the initial application shortens underwriting review by a few days.

The pre-revenue playbook

Stand up an RUO-compliant site. Even if you have no revenue yet, underwriting reviews your live site. See our RUO compliance checklist.
Register your business entity. U.S. LLC or C-Corp preferred. EIN letter from the IRS.
Open a business bank account and fund it.
Gather capital proof (see "How to prove capital" above).
Submit the RUO merchant intake form. Attach the liquidity screenshot to the evidence field.
Expect 1–2 week approval from a complete pre-revenue application.

What pre-revenue approval looks like

Pre-revenue merchants typically start at the 9.5% tier (the starter rate for $30K–$80K/mo merchants) because there's no volume history. As you ramp, you move down the fee schedule. Reserves are the standard 15%/60-day or 10%/90-day options, with full release to 0% after 90 days of good performance.

FAQ

What if my capital proof is from a foreign bank?

Considered case-by-case. U.S. bank balances are preferred. Foreign balances need to be in a well-regulated jurisdiction (UK, EU, CA, AU, CH, SG) and you'll need to provide additional documentation on source of funds.

Do I need to keep the $100K in the account after approval?

Yes, through at least the reserve-release window (90 days). The bank isn't going to check your balance weekly, but if your account shows significant financial stress during the initial processing period, it can trigger a re-review.

Can co-founders combine capital?

Yes, two owners can combine to hit $100K if both balances are documented and both are listed as principals on the application.

Is there a path under $100K for pre-revenue?

Not through this U.S. bank program. For very-early-stage merchants without capital, the typical path is (1) scale to $30K+/mo on an alternative processor (crypto, peer-to-peer), then (2) apply with that processing history as your track record.

Pre-launch peptide brand with $100K+?

Apply. Attach your capital proof. 1–2 week approval.

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