Why was my card payment declined?

Card declines usually happen for one of these reasons:

The platform is billing in local currency, not USD

Onboard cards are USD-denominated. Some platforms detect your region and try to charge in your local currency, which causes a decline. Known examples:

• Apple App Store — Strict regional matching. If your Apple ID is registered in a country like Nigeria, USD payments will fail. No workaround available.
• Google platforms (Google Ads, YouTube Premium) — Google sometimes defaults to local currency billing based on your region. May work with VPN, but not guaranteed.

The merchant category is restricted

Certain types of merchants are blocked for compliance and fraud prevention, including gambling/betting, money transfer services, dating services, cryptocurrency platforms, and securities brokers.

Insufficient balance or spending limit reached.

Make sure your card balance covers the full amount including any fees, and check you haven't hit your daily ($5,000) or monthly ($20,000) limit.

Incorrect information

If you enter the wrong information for your virtual card, such as the card number, expiration date, CVV code, or billing address, the transaction may not go through. Always double-check that you are entering the correct details.

Card deactivated

If your virtual card has been terminated, you will no longer be able to use it for transactions.

Card frozen

If a card has been frozen, it cannot be used for transactions. You can freeze or unfreeze the card anytime in the app.

Network issues

If the bank network is unavailable at the time of the transaction or there is an issue with the merchant’s website, the transaction may not be processed. This can happen due to technical issues or maintenance work being carried out.

If none of these apply, contact support with your BoardPass and transaction details.

Updated on: 19/02/2026