In the context of Stripe's direct charges method, the connected account is charged for handling disputes because disputes are typically associated with transactions that take place on that particular account. When a customer raises a dispute regarding a transaction, it is the connected account that must respond to the dispute and manage any associated fees or financial liabilities stemming from it.
This reflects the fundamental structure of the direct charges method, where the connected account maintains the responsibility for the payments it processes, including any disputes that may arise. Thus, any costs associated with handling disputes are charged directly to the connected account, ensuring that revenue and risk are aligned with the account generating the transactions.
Other account types like the platform account or test account do not incur these charges in the same way; the platform account typically acts as an intermediary for transactions but does not directly deal with disputes, while a test account is primarily used for development and simulation purposes and does not handle real transactions. An external account, which might refer to an outside bank account or payment method, is not directly involved in the management of disputes either. Therefore, the connected account is the clear choice for handling disputes under the direct charges method.