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What is a pending transaction? Why some payments take days to clear

By SendPay Business · · 2 min read

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A pending transaction is a payment that has been approved but not yet finally settled. The money is set aside from your available balance, but the payment has not fully gone through.

Why card payments show as pending

  • At the till, the shop asks the card issuer to approve the payment.
  • The issuer approves it and holds that amount on the account.
  • Later, the shop sends the final amount to be settled.
  • The pending item is replaced by the final, posted transaction.
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Authorisation holds

Hotels, car hire firms and some petrol stations often hold a larger amount than you finally pay, to cover extras or an unknown final bill. The difference is released once the final amount is settled or the hold expires.

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How long pending lasts

Most card payments settle within a few days. If a hold is never settled, it usually drops off after a set number of days that depends on the card issuer and the type of merchant. A refund of a pending payment may simply appear as the hold disappearing.

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Where SendPay fits

SendPay platforms can issue branded Visa cards to your customers, powered by licensed partners, with transactions shown in your own app. SendPay tells you in writing which licences apply to your platform before you launch.

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How it works

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  1. Name it and pick your colours
  2. Choose what it does
  3. Launch when you are ready

Why sign up

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It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.

  • A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
  • Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
  • A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
  • Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
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SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.

Questions people ask

How much will a hotel hold on my card?

Work it out with the free calculator.

Card hold calculator →
What is payment settlement?

When the money actually moves.

Settlement →
Refund vs chargeback

Two ways to get money back.

Refund vs chargeback →
Branded Visa cards

Issue cards under your brand.

Branded cards →

Read next

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.