The virtual Relay card is a Visa debit card that allows you to spend funds directly from one of your Relay checking accounts. The Relay Visa debit card is issued by Thread Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere credit cards are accepted.
Relay provides up to 50 free Visa debit cards per business, and this includes both physical and virtual cards.
Virtual Relay cards can be used for online transactions and are compatible with your digital wallet for in-person payments at participating merchants. Virtual cards are also activated immediately upon creation, so you can start making payments right away!
For information on using your physical Relay debit card, please see Use your physical Relay card.
Relay card fees
Relay does not charge any fees for using your debit cards; however, when using your Relay Visa card with international merchants, or with merchants that process in non-USD currencies, Visa charges an ISA fee. This is a 1-2% fee that is automatically added to the transaction.
Spending limits
To use your Relay debit card, you must first make a deposit into the corresponding checking account linked to the card. To view your maximum card limits for the account, please see Viewing your account limits. In addition to the limits on your account, you can set card-specific limits for all of your Relay cards. For more information on how to view and edit your card limits, please see Editing your Relay card.
The maximum amount you can spend on your card when making contactless payments is determined by the merchant and country where the purchase is being made. Most merchants set this limit at $100 per transaction, however, it is best to first confirm with the merchant their specific contactless payment limit.
Refunds and disputes
Card refunds are processed by merchants, and not by Relay. The processing time for card refunds is determined by the returning financial institution, vendor, or merchant. If you're expecting to receive a refund on your Relay debit card, we recommend confirming with the merchant their specific return processing time.
Please note: Relay is not able to see the refund status on our end, and we are unable to provide an update on the status of a pending refund. The merchant will be your best point of contact to confirm these details!
If you do not recognize a transaction on your card, or if the transaction is unauthorized, we recommend freezing and terminating the card and filing a dispute. For more information on this, please see What should I do if I see unauthorized card transactions on my Relay account?