Virtual card payments can be declined for several reasons, from incorrect card details to authentication or funding issues. This article helps you identify the cause and fix it quickly.
For: All Spendesk users with a virtual card, on any plan.
Symptoms
The payment is declined at checkout with no confirmation.
Your card is blocked right after you enter payment details.
You see a "budget unavailable" message even though your card limit isn't reached.
Causes
Cause | Description |
Incorrect card details | Wrong card number, expiration date, CVC, cardholder name, or billing address triggers a security block. |
Insufficient funds or restrictions | Not enough funds on the card or company wallet, or admin-set restrictions (merchant category, payment type, day of week). |
Regulatory transaction limits | Virtual cards have a maximum amount per transaction and per month, based on your account currency. |
3D Secure (3DS) authentication issues | The merchant requires 3DS, and you didn't receive or couldn't complete the authentication step. |
Merchant-specific or technical issues | The merchant doesn't support 3DS or virtual cards, has a terminal issue, or requires a pre-authorization hold above the payment amount. |
💡 Tip: Disable ad blockers and VPN extensions before paying online. They can interfere with 3D Secure authentication prompts.
Solutions
1. Double-check your card details
Open the card in Cards in Spendesk.
Compare the card number, expiration date, and CVC with what you entered at checkout.
Verify the billing address shown on the card details page matches the address entered at checkout.
If your name includes an apostrophe, remove it when entering the cardholder name.
If the card is blocked due to incorrect details, request a new virtual card with the correct information.
2. Check your spending limits
Go to Cards and open the card used for the payment.
Check the available budget on the card.
For a single-use virtual card, cancel the current card and create a new one with an amount that covers the expense.
For a recurring (subscription) card, go to Cards > Subscriptions, select the subscription, click Edit Subscription, and increase the amount per period.
For a multi-use card, go to Cards > Multi-use, select the card, click Top up, and ask for a budget increase.
Confirm with your Account Owner or Admin that the company wallet has sufficient funds.
Confirm the payment amount doesn't exceed your card's regulatory limit (see below).
🔒 Access: Default virtual card limits are €50,000 / £50,000 / $50,000 per transaction. EUR and GBP Account Owners can request an increase up to €200,000 / £200,000.
3. Complete 3D Secure (3DS) authentication
Go to Profil > My profile > Security > Phone number and add your phone number.
Download the Spendesk mobile app if you haven't already.
Retry the payment.
If your account is in EUR (EEA): validate the payment directly via the in-app notification. SMS codes aren't supported.
If your account is in GBP (UK): enter the one-time SMS code you receive, plus your payment password.
To find your payment password, open the mobile app and go to My profile > Security options > Password, then click Reveal password. You can also find it on any physical or virtual card details page.
If authentication keeps failing, uninstall and reinstall the Spendesk mobile app, then retry the payment.
4. Rule out merchant-specific or technical issues
Try the payment with a different merchant to confirm the card itself works.
Contact the merchant to check for terminal or payment processor issues on their side.
If the merchant is a hotel, car rental company, or similar, confirm they may place a pre-authorization hold for up to twice the expected amount, and ensure your card budget covers it.
If the merchant is a gift card or gift voucher site, this type of payment is often blocked by banking partners. Try adding your Spendesk card to your PayPal wallet and paying via PayPal instead, or use a recurring card rather than a single-use one.
Solutions for high-value transactions
If your payment exceeds your card's transaction limit:
Ask your Account Owner to increase your company's card limits in Settings > Company Rules > Payment Methods > Card Limits (EUR and GBP accounts only, up to €200,000 / £200,000 per transaction).
If the amount still exceeds the increased limit, or your account is in USD, pay the supplier by bank transfer instead: go to Invoices > Schedule, select the invoice, and choose Pay from Spendesk or the XML/CSV manual transfer option.
When to contact support ?
If the steps above don't resolve the issue, contact Spendesk support with:
The exact error message received, if any.
Whether the card is single-use, recurring, or physical.
Whether the payment was made online, in-store, or by phone.
The merchant name and the date and time of the failed attempt.