With Extend, you and your team can use virtual cards wherever credit cards are accepted. Anyone with a registered credit card or a budget in Extend can create virtual cards and send them to anyone who needs to charge an expense. Your team can even request cards when needed.

‍A virtual card is a digital version of your credit card with its own unique card number, card verification code (CVC), and expiration date. 

Using virtual cards to make company card payments prevents exposure of your real credit card information to fraud. Only the virtual card recipient can see the full virtual card number, while the primary credit cardholder and org admins can only see the last four digits of the card in the app and on reporting.

Types of virtual cards

Similar to budgets, Extend offers different types of virtual cards for different payment needs.

Standard cards are great for one-time payments or to use like a regular charge card. Once the card limit is reached, users won’t be able to transact on the card anymore. You can set the card controls and use the card to pay a bill or send it to an employee who needs to make a purchase, like a client meal or office supplies.

‍Recurring cards can be set to automatically replenish on a custom schedule. At the end of each cycle, the card will reset to the original limit, and any remaining credit will not roll over. This card type is ideal for subscriptions, monthly platform costs, and other recurring expenses.

‍Guest cards operate like standard virtual cards, but in this case, the recipient doesn’t need an Extend profile to access the virtual card. They will receive the card via email with a secure link to access. Guest cards are great for freelancers, contractors, vendors, or anyone outside your organization.

    🔄 You can also create a recurring guest card for any third parties who process payments on a recurring basis.

How does it work?

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For registered cardholders and budget users:

📍Create a virtual card from the Create New button. 

• Choose the card type, select a funding source—a credit card registered in Extend or a budget—and set the card limit, expiration date, and any other controls.
• Send the virtual card to the person who needs to make a payment (could even be you!), using just their email address. They’ll receive it in an instant.
• You’ll receive notifications for all transactions made on the virtual card.
• If needed at any time, deactivate the virtual card or update the limit and expiration date.

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For team members:

📍Request virtual cards from the Create New button.

• Employees in your org can request virtual cards and updates to virtual cards in the app.
• The owner of the funding source (either a registered card or a budget) can manage virtual card requests as they come in.

🔎 Did you know?
You can add virtual cards to your mobile wallet for contactless payments. Note: Mobile wallet is available with select bank issuers.

FAQs

Who can I send a virtual card to?
You can send a virtual card to anyone! For employees within your company, send a standard or recurring card. If they haven’t joined Extend yet, your virtual card will also include an invite to join the organization on Extend. Once they’ve signed up, they will gain access to the virtual card. For people outside of your company, send a guest card or a recurring guest card.

Can I send a virtual card to myself?
Yes, this is a great option when you need to pay invoices or make an online purchase. You can basically put your physical card away and use more secure virtual card numbers going forward.

Why is a virtual card recipient being asked to provide personal information?
For regulation and security purposes, banks are required to screen anyone who has access to a payment card. This is why a virtual card recipient may be asked to provide their birth date and address. Extend does not use or keep this information.

How do I send a virtual card to a vendor to pay an invoice?
We recommend you send a guest virtual card directly to your vendors from Extend. All you need is their email address to send them a secure virtual card to complete the payment. You can also attach an invoice and any notes to the virtual card. Vendors can then enter the virtual card number and details in their payment terminal, just as they would do with any plastic card. Plus, you’ll receive a notification when the vendor processes the card transaction.

Can I change the spend limit, funding source, or other controls on a virtual card?
Once you create a virtual card, you may only update the spend limit, expiration date, and frequency (if it’s a recurring card). You may not change the funding source or the card recipient.

What do I do if there’s fraud on a virtual card?
If you experience any fraudulent activity on a virtual card, immediately deactivate that virtual card and contact your bank.