Setting Up Stripe Connect Express for Affiliate Payouts (ID + Bank) | Harmonia
Verify Stripe Connect Express once to get paid: confirm your ID and add your bank on Stripe's own screens. Harmonia never sees your SSN or bank details.
Getting paid on Harmonia takes one setup step: complete Stripe Connect Express verification once. You confirm your identity and add your bank on Stripe's own screens, Stripe runs the KYC check the law requires, and after it clears your payouts run on their own. Harmonia never sees or stores your Social Security number or bank details. You only do this the first time a brand approves you, so you can browse programs and apply before sharing anything personal.
This guide covers when verification kicks in, what Stripe asks for, what we never touch, and the verified badge you get when it clears.
The short version
- One-time setup. You complete Stripe Connect Express verification once. After it clears, payouts run on their own.
- Triggered on first approval. It appears the first time a brand approves you for a program, not at signup.
- ID and bank, on Stripe's screens. Stripe confirms your identity and stores the bank account your payouts land in.
- We never see your details. Stripe holds your Social Security number and bank account. Harmonia never sees or stores either.
- Browse and apply first. Only the payout step is gated by verification. Browsing and applying are open from day one.
- A verified badge follows. Once verification clears, a verified badge shows on your profile.
What verification is, in plain words
A payout sends real money to your bank account. By law, the company moving that money has to confirm who you are first. That check is called KYC, short for know your customer. Stripe runs it through Stripe Connect Express, its payout product.
You verify once. Stripe asks for the details it needs, confirms them, and stores your bank account. From then on, your payouts run automatically. The same verification is what lets Stripe issue your 1099-NEC at year-end if you clear the IRS reporting threshold, so you never chase a separate tax form.
When you set it up: the first time a brand approves you
Verification is not a signup step. You join Harmonia by invite, then browse programs and apply to the ones that fit, all before sharing any personal details.
The payout setup appears at one specific moment: the first time a brand approves you for a program. That is the point where money becomes possible, so it is the point where Stripe needs to confirm your identity.
| Step | When it happens | What you share |
|---|---|---|
| Join by invite | You accept your invite | Email, basic profile |
| Browse and apply | Any time after joining | Nothing new |
| Verify with Stripe | First time a brand approves you | ID and bank, on Stripe's screens |
| Get paid | After the brand's invoice clears | Nothing more |
You can browse before you verify
Browsing programs and applying are open from day one. Only the payout step is gated by Stripe verification, and that step appears the first time a brand approves you. You never share an SSN or bank details just to look around.
What Stripe asks for
When you reach the payout setup, we send you to Stripe's own hosted screens. You do two things there.
- Confirm your identity. Stripe asks for the details it needs to verify you, the same KYC any payout platform runs. This usually means your legal name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number.
- Add your bank. Stripe stores the account your payouts land in.
That is the whole setup. When Stripe finishes the check, you come back to Harmonia and your account is marked ready for payouts.
What Harmonia never touches
Everything you type on Stripe's screens stays with Stripe. We are not in the middle of it.
- Your Social Security number. Stripe collects and holds it. Harmonia never sees or stores it.
- Your bank account details. Same: held by Stripe, never visible to us or to your brand.
- What we do learn. Only whether your account is verified and ready for payouts. Not the details behind it.
Why this design matters
Keeping your SSN and bank details inside Stripe is the point, not a side effect. We never need to hold them, so there is nothing sensitive for us to leak or expose. Your brand never sees them either.
The verified badge
Once your Stripe Connect Express verification clears, a verified badge appears on your profile. It tells brands two things: your identity is confirmed through Stripe KYC, and you are ready to be paid.
- What it means. A complete, payout-ready account with identity confirmed through Stripe.
- What it is not. It is not a ranking, a quality score, or a gate. It only marks that your verification cleared.
- Why brands value it. A verified athlete is one a brand can pay without an admin holdup, which makes approving you and launching together simpler.
For the steps inside your account, see the identity verification help article.
After verification: how payouts run
Once you are verified, you do nothing else to get paid. Your payouts run automatically through Stripe Connect. Once your brand's monthly invoice clears, we pay out daily, with a $25 minimum. Balances under that roll forward. On December 15 we pay out any remaining balance regardless of the minimum. We issue your 1099-NEC automatically at year-end.
You earn the commission the brand sets, in full. The 20% platform fee is billed to the brand, so it is never taken out of your payout.
For the full picture, see how athletes get paid and the affiliate payout timeline. For the tax form, see affiliate taxes and the 1099-NEC. To check your own status, see the payouts help article.
FAQ
Why do I need to verify my identity to get paid?
Payouts move real money to your bank, so the law requires the payout provider to confirm who you are first. Stripe Connect runs that check, the same KYC any payout platform runs. It also lets Stripe issue your 1099-NEC automatically at year-end if you clear the IRS reporting threshold. You verify once. After it clears, your payouts run on their own.
Is my Social Security number safe?
Yes. Stripe collects and holds your Social Security number and bank details directly, on its own screens. Harmonia never sees or stores either one, and your brand never sees them. We only learn from Stripe whether your account is verified and ready for payouts, not the details behind it.
When do I have to complete verification?
The first time a brand approves you for a program. It does not happen at signup. We prompt you to finish Stripe Connect Express verification at that point because it is the step that unlocks payouts. Finishing it before your first payout is due keeps your money moving without a wait.
Can I browse and apply before I verify?
Yes. Browsing programs and applying to them are open from day one. Only the payout step is gated by Stripe verification, and that step appears the first time a brand approves you. You never share an SSN or bank details just to look around or apply.
What is the verified badge?
Once your Stripe Connect Express verification clears, a verified badge appears on your profile. It tells brands your identity is confirmed through Stripe KYC and that you are ready to be paid. It is a signal of a complete, payout-ready account, not a ranking or a score.