Summary: Starting in spring 2026, Stripe will require more data due to stricter anti-money laundering regulations in Germany and the EU. Before you start gathering documents: First check your Startnext project under Contract > Verification to see if a red notification appears there. Only then do you actually need to take action.
What's happening right now
Many campaign creators are currently receiving emails regarding their verification on Startnext and the fact that Stripe needs additional information for verification. This is understandably unsettling.
The short answer: In many cases, you don’t need to do anything. Stripe has enabled the new requirements in some accounts before the corresponding fields in the verification dialog can even be filled out. If you can’t find a way to enter the required information in Stripe’s verification workflow: It’s not your fault. No action is needed at this time.
Check first, then act
Before you send anything to Stripe, check your Startnext project:
- 1Open your project interface by clicking the green gear icon.
- 2Go to Contract > Identification.
- 3Watch for a red warning message.
Do you see a red message? If so, there really is missing data. Follow the instructions in the dialog box. No red message? You don't need to do anything at this time.
Tip: If you see a blue notification, it means that Stripe will need certain information from you in the future. Check the Stripe dialog linked there to see if there are any pending requests you can address. If your project ends by June 30, 2026, you can generally ignore the blue notification, as Stripe will not require this information until July 2026.
Why Stripe is asking for more information now
In short: because the law has changed. As a payment service provider, Stripe is required to comply with these changes—and passes these requirements on to accounts connected to Stripe, including yours, since we at Startnext process donations through Stripe.
In spring 2026, significant tightening of the Money Laundering Act (GwG) came into effect in Germany and the EU. This includes, among other things, the new GwG Reporting Regulation (GwGMeldV), which has been in effect since March 1, 2026.
What this means for you, specifically
When you verify your account as an organization (club, LLC, gUG, cooperative, etc.), Stripe asks for more detailed information than before:
- the ownership structure of the company,
- the relationships between individuals and the organization (management, beneficial owners / UBO),
- and cross-checks the information more thoroughly against public records (commercial register, association register, transparency register).
What you need to do—and what you shouldn't do
What you need to do specifically depends on what you see under "Contract > Legitimation" in your project.
- If you received an email from Startnext regarding additional Stripe information but there is no red notification displayed, you don't need to do anything—you can simply file the email away and continue working.
- If you see a blue message, your information won’t be needed until later. In that case, open the Stripe dialog linked there and answer all the questions that are already visible. If your project ends by June 30, 2026, you can usually ignore the blue message.
- If, on the other hand, a red warning message appears, enter the required information directly in the linked Stripe dialog.
Please submit the data exclusively via the Stripe dialog linked from your Startnext project interface. Other methods—such as email attachments, uploads on Startnext, or third-party sites—will not work and will delay the process.