US phone number that passes KYC
Mercury and Stripe reject most VoIP numbers. Here's the shortlist of carriers that actually work — and why Google Voice usually doesn't.
Why you need a real US phone number
US fintech onboarding is built on phone-number verification. Every step in the next two modules — opening Mercury, signing up for Stripe, getting a Wise account — sends an SMS to a US phone number. If your number is flagged as VoIP, you get a polite "we can't verify this number" message and the application stalls.
What does NOT work in 2026
- Google Voice — flagged as VoIP by Mercury, Stripe, and Wise. ~30% success rate, getting worse.
- TextNow / Hushed / similar burner apps — same problem, often blocked at signup.
- Your foreign mobile with a US-redirect service — banks see the underlying foreign number and refuse.
What DOES work
A real US carrier line on a SIM (eSIM is fine) that's registered to your name. The cheapest credible options are Ultra Mobile PayGo and Tello. Both work without a US address and ship internationally (or activate as eSIM).
Unlock the rest of this module
Get this guide plus the other four modules (Wyoming LLC, EIN, Stripe Atlas, Wise) — lifetime access, $49 one-time, or free if you have an invite link.
Members get every guide on this site plus new content as we ship it.