The fastest way to see why your card payment was declined is to check the transaction in your activity feed.
On the app or website:
Go to your Home page to see your transaction activity
Find and select the declined payment — you'll be able to see the reason it failed
Common reasons you might see in your account
Your card isn't activated
You need to activate your card before you can use it. Learn how to activate your Wise card.
There wasn't enough money in your account
Check your balance to make sure you have enough money to cover the payment.
Your card is frozen
If your card is frozen, you'll need to unfreeze it before you can use it. You can do this in your Wise account.
You've reached my spending limits
There are limits to how much you can spend and withdraw. You can check or change your limits at any time in your account.
Chip and PIN payments aren't enabled
For some online or in-person payments, you need to enable Chip and PIN payments in your account. Learn how to enable Chip and PIN payments.
The ATM isn't compatible with your card
Some ATMs, particularly in the US, may only support magstripe payments. Learn how to enable magstripe withdrawals.
Your contactless payment isn't working
If a contactless payment is declined, try using Chip and PIN for that transaction. This can reactivate contactless payments if they were blocked for security reasons.
You entered the wrong card details
The decline reason might say something like 'Incorrect CVV' or 'Invalid expiry date'. If it does, double-check your card details and try the payment again.
The payment was blocked for security
We sometimes block a payment to protect your account. If this happens and you recognise the transaction, please try again. If you don't recognise it, freeze your card immediately and report the issue to us.
Other possible issues
Your online payment failed the security check (3DS)
For some online payments, you'll be asked to approve the payment from your Wise app or with a code sent by SMS or a call. This is called a 3D Secure (3DS) payment. If you don't approve it, the payment will fail.
Some websites only accept locally issued cards, so if your online payment is declined, this might be the reason.
You've recently moved to a new country
If you've updated your address to a new country, your old card may not work for certain payments. You might need to order a new card. Check if cards are available in your country
You're spending in an unsupported country
There are a few countries where your Wise card won't work. If you're in one of these locations, you'll need to use a different card. See the list of unsupported countries.
The declined transaction isn't showing in your activity
If a declined payment doesn't appear in your transaction feed, it means the request never reached us. This is usually due to a connection issue at the payment terminal. Please try the payment again or contact the merchant.
The merchant doesn't accept your card
Occasionally, a merchant's payment processor may decline a payment even if you have enough money. If this happens, you'll need to use a different card.