Sometimes, you might notice that a card transaction remains pending several days after making the payment.

A pending card transaction is a payment made with a debit or credit card that has been authorized but not yet fully processed or settled. In this stage, the funds are temporarily held or reserved in the cardholder's account but haven’t been transferred to the merchant.

For most merchants, transactions are processed within 3-5 business days, though some may take longer. Since the settlement process is entirely managed by the merchant, you can contact them directly to request a faster resolution.

If the payment is still not settled 30 days after the transaction date, contact Payhawk Support at suppport@payhawk.com.

Merchants like hotels or car rental companies often place a temporary hold, or pre-authorization, on your card to ensure funds are available for your stay and any extra charges, such as room service, mini-bar, or damages. This isn’t an actual charge but a temporary hold on a specific amount. The final charge will only be made once the total amount is confirmed.

When the merchant processes the authorization, the transaction status will update from Authorized to Paid, the amount will adjust to reflect the actual charge, and the payment status will change from Pending settlement to Settled.

If the merchant releases the full hold, the expense will be removed from your expense list. Temporary holds can last anywhere from 30 to 45 days.

When you pay with your card at a self-service gas station, the merchant typically places a hold for the maximum amount at the time of the transaction.

Once the transaction is settled, only the actual purchase amount will be deducted from your card balance, and the remaining funds will be released and made available for you to use.

Settlement usually takes about 3 days for the merchant to complete, though in rare cases, it may take slightly longer.