A pending transaction (also called "pre-authorisation") is a payment which has been authorised but is still awaiting the merchant's confirmation or reversal. A merchant is anywhere you use your card, like a shop or a restaurant.
Pre-authorisations appear as pending transactions and the amount is deducted from your account balance. As we’re still awaiting the merchant's confirmation or reversal:
- When we receive the settlement, the transaction will be confirmed
- If the settlement received has a different amount (this could be due to tips or fees the merchant may apply) the amount will be adjusted
- If the merchant cancels or releases the transaction, the amount will be released back to your WeSwap account
Contrary to popular belief, this process is not instantaneous, it takes around 48 hours but can take longer.
In case of cancellation of the payment, the amount won’t be available on your balance until the merchant either cancels it or the hold expires.
Some restaurants, for example, pre-authorise your card with the total amount for your bill. If you add a tip, a second charge including the tip may appear on your account. This will appear in your transaction history as a double charge until the merchant cancels the pre-authorisation.
As a prepaid card, there are a few occasions where the WeSwap card behaves slightly differently, and we’d recommend avoiding these where possible, check our dedicated FAQ for more information.
