We get a lot of questions on two related topics: why you need a US bank account and address to start a Kickstarter project, and why Kickstarter uses Amazon Payments to process credit cards instead of PayPal or someone else. Both are meaty subjects, so let’s dig in.
As you know, every Kickstarter project has a funding goal and deadline, both of which are determined by the project creator. When that deadline is reached, one of two things happens:
- If the project has met or exceeded its funding goal, all backers’ credit cards are instantly charged and funds go directly to the project creator.
- If the project has not met its funding goal, all pledges are immediately canceled. And that’s it.
Amazon Payments is the only processor that currently supports these requirements, and currently Amazon Payments does not support non-US recipients — meaning that you need a US bank account and address to launch a project on Kickstarter. (You can pledge to projects from anywhere — it’s only project creation that’s limited.) Many of us have been using PayPal for so long we assume that it can support any process, but it can’t. (We’re keeping a close eye on PayPal’s new Adaptive Payments service which hopes to support these types of transactions for non-US residents.)
Allowing international project creators is our #1 feature request, and we hear it loud and clear. We promise we’re working on it.
