Control Card Spend
Define how, where, and how much a card can be used — with flexible limits at both program and card level.
Spend limits allow you to control how cards are used by defining restrictions on transaction amount, frequency, and usage channels. These controls help you minimize risk, enforce financial policies, and manage user-level spending behavior in real time.
How Spend Control Works
Spend limits follow an inheritance and override model, allowing you to enforce global controls while customizing limits for individual cards or users.
| Level | Scope | What It Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Card Program Limits | Global (Card Program) | Defines the maximum allowed spend for all cards under the program. |
| Card Limits | Individual | Defines custom spend limits for individual cards within program boundaries. |
Card Program limits act as upper caps (e.g., max $10,000/day). Card limits allow granular control within those caps
Types of Spend Limits
| Limit Type | What It Controls | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity Limits | Total spend over time | Daily, Monthly limits |
| Transaction Limits | Per transaction amount | Min / Max per purchase |
| Channel Limits | Spend by transaction type | ATM, POS, Online |
Manage Card Spend Limits
Set or update limits at the individual card level for both Debit and Prepaid cards.
Retrieve Card Limits
Use the GET /v1/customer/id/{id}/issuance/card/id/{id}/limit to view current limits for a specific card.
Update Card Limits
Use the POST /v1/customer/id/{id}/issuance/card/id/{id}/limit to configure limits dynamically.
Configurable Parameters:
| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
limit.transactionType | ✓ | Transaction category (RETAIL, ATM, ONLINE) |
limit.location | ✓ | Geographical restriction (e.g., DOMESTIC) |
limit.count | Optional | Maximum number of transactions allowed per day |
limit.amount | Optional | Maximum total spend allowed per day |
limit.frequency | Optional | Time interval for the limit (currently supports DAILY) |
Manage Customer Spend Limits
Apply spend limits at the customer level for centralized control across cards.
Available only for Prepaid cards.
Retrieve Customer Limits
Use the GET /v1/customer/id/{id}/issuance/cardProgram/id/{id}/limit to view the customer’s allocated limits.
Update Customer Limits
Use the POST /v1/customer/id/{id}/issuance/cardProgram/id/{id}/limit to update limits for a specific card program.
Configurable Parameters:
| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
limit.transactionType | ✓ | Transaction category (RETAIL, ATM, ONLINE) |
limit.location | ✓ | Geographical restriction (e.g., DOMESTIC) |
limit.count | Optional | Maximum number of transactions allowed per day |
limit.amount | Optional | Maximum total spend allowed per day |
limit.frequency | Optional | Time interval for the limit (currently supports DAILY) |
How to Think About Spend Limits
- Card limits → control individual usage
- Customer limits (Prepaid) → enforce budget across multiple cards
All limits:
- Are validated against program constraints
- Can be updated dynamically via APIs
- Apply in real-time during transaction authorization
Updated 3 days ago