Some payments, cash withdrawals or deposits appear as pending on your account until a transaction is fully processed. This can cause some confusion – you may think a payment hasn’t been successful, or you’ve been charged for something twice.
Here's some information to help you understand pending transactions, and the steps you can take to raise a dispute if something doesn't look right.
What is a pending transaction?
When a transaction is authorised, it's confirming to the merchant your card is valid and there’s money in your account to pay for what you’re buying.The transaction amount is then deducted from your available funds, and the transaction shows as pending on your account until the payment process is complete.This might include deposits paid for services such as hotel accommodation or car rental.
Where is a pending transaction deducted from?
Pending transaction amounts are deducted from your available funds, not your account balance. If you want to know how much money youreallyhave in your account, look at your available funds.
How long does a pending transaction take to process?
Pending transactions generally take 3 to 5 business days to process. Although some can take up to 10 business days.
If you let a merchant use your card for pre-authorised payments (like a security deposit for a hotel booking or car hire), you can expect to wait up to 7 days for your payments to be credited back to you.
Pending and complete transactions
In some cases, we may authorise your card transaction, but the merchant may not process the same transaction immediately.
For example, you order 4 items costing $25 each and the merchant asks us to authorise a $100 payment. This appears as a pending transaction. One of the items is ready for delivery before the other three, so the merchant completes that $25 transaction. You’ll see $25 deducted from your account balance, while $75 stays as pending.
Sometimes, the amount processed to your card may be different to the amount of the authorisation. This is called an outstanding authorisation and will appear as a pending transaction.
Can I stop or cancel a transaction while it's pending?
Once a transaction appears as pending on your account, you’re unable to stop or cancel the transaction. If you don’t recognise a transaction or did not authorise it, you can raise a dispute. We’ll investigate your dispute when the pending transaction has been fully processed.
Expired or cancelled transaction
Sometimes the pending transaction may disappear from your transaction history and the amount returned to your available balance. This means the transaction has expired or cancelled and wasn’t processed by the merchant. It’s still a good idea to keep an eye on your account and if you see unauthorised transactions in future, contact us.
Read more about pending transactions.
What to do if you don’t recognise a transaction
If you don’t recognise a transaction, check if it's:
- A purchase made by an additional cardholder
- From a business who trades under a different name from the one shown in your transaction history. A quick Google search can often help identify the merchant.
- A pending transaction (a payment already deducted from your available balance, but still being processed)
- A conversion rate applied to an international purchase
- A regular membership or subscription fee
If it’s none of the above,we can help you dispute a transaction.
We’ll need to wait until the transaction is complete and no longer pending before we can start investigating your dispute.
FAQs
A pending transaction means it's authorised and being processed. While the amount charged is taken from your available funds, it won't be reflected in your account balance until processed. Check your available funds to see your current balance in real time.
Does a pending transaction mean they already took the money? ›
Although a pending transaction signifies your vendor has yet to receive payment or the deposit funds aren't released yet, the amount involved is typically reflected from your bank account. This gives you an accurate, up-to-date picture of the money you have available.
Is a pending transaction good or bad? ›
A pending transaction is an approved debit or credit to your bank account or credit card that hasn't been processed yet. Essentially, the money is still in transition from one bank to another. Pending transactions may include: Bank account deposits made by check, cash or direct deposit.
Can I spend money that is pending? ›
Until it processes, a pending transaction could put a hold on an account balance or credit limit. That doesn't necessarily mean you can't use your credit card or bank account. But it can affect your available balance—or the funds you're able to access.
What is an example of a pending transaction? ›
Pending transactions are transactions that haven't been fully processed yet. For example, if you make a purchase with a debit card or credit card, it will almost always show as pending immediately when you view your account online or in a mobile banking app.
How do you resolve a pending transaction? ›
The fastest way to resolve this issue is to contact the merchant directly. If they're able to remove the pending transaction, it should be reflected in your account in about 24 hours. If they're not able to help you, pending transactions will fall off automatically after 7 days.
Will a pending transaction definitely go through? ›
When a payment is marked as “pending” it means that the payment process still needs to be completed. In most cases, this simply means that you need to wait for this to happen.
Does "pending" mean "approved"? ›
A pending credit card application just means the credit card issuer couldn't automatically approve you without taking a closer look at the details in your application.
How long does money sit in pending? ›
Pending transactions are payments that would normally go into or out of your account within 7 days. When you use a debit card to pay for something, it reduces the available balance in your current account. Similarly, when you use a credit card to pay for something, it increases your available balance.
How long will a transaction stay pending? ›
Pending transactions generally take between one and five business days to clear. That time can vary based on the type of transaction, the payment network, and the bank or credit card issuer.
It means your bank has approved the payment, but the retailer needs to finish collecting it. Once that happens, the pending transaction becomes a completed transaction. It should then appear in your normal account balance.
How do you know if a transaction is still pending? ›
You may see pending transactions at the top of your statement. This is where the money hasn't been taken from your account, but has been put aside for the merchant to take. The merchant may take the money after a couple of days, but it can sometimes take longer.
Does pending mean the money is in your account? ›
TLDR: A pending transaction is any transaction that has been authorized but has yet to be posted to your account. Pending transactions can impact your available balance (the amount of money you have available). A posted transaction is a completed transaction that has been fully processed.
How do I get money out of pending? ›
Ask the merchant or retailer to reverse the charge, cancel the sale or release the hold for the confirmed amount. The sooner you can reach out to the merchant, the more likely the pending transaction can be canceled. If you suspect fraud, skip the merchant and call your bank or card issuer first.
Can a pending transaction be declined? ›
Can a pending transaction be declined? Your bank or credit card issuer can decline a pending transaction if it exceeds your available funds.
How long does a transaction stay pending? ›
Pending transactions generally take between one and five business days to clear. That time can vary based on the type of transaction, the payment network, and the bank or credit card issuer.
