In a direct charge, who bears sole responsibility for disputes?

• A. The connected business
• B. The platform
• C. Stripe
• D. The customer

Answer: (A)

In a direct charge, the merchant who processes the payment—the connected business—owns the transaction and therefore bears the responsibility for any disputes. Because the charge is issued directly by that connected account, they handle chargebacks, refunds, and related disputes, while the platform simply facilitates the connection and Stripe acts as the processor. While Stripe can provide tools and support for dispute evidence, the liability rests with the connected business that actually processed the payment.