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Before you start issuing cards, familiarize yourself with the key concepts that determine how a card behaves: its form (virtual or physical), its mode (Single or Share), and the settings you can configure at creation time.

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Card forms

Every card is either virtual or physical. You choose the form when you create or assign the card — it cannot be changed afterward.

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Virtual cards

A virtual card has no physical representation. It includes a PAN, expiration date, and CVV for digital transactions and is available immediately after creation.
  • Created through the Create Card endpoint.
  • No activation required — the card is ready to use as soon as the card.create.succeeded webhook fires.
  • Does not support ATM withdrawal.

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Physical cards

A physical card is a pre-manufactured card that must be assigned to a cardholder and activated before use.
  • Assigned through the Assign Card endpoint.
  • Requires activation before first use.
  • Supports ATM withdrawal (for eligible BINs).

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Comparison

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Card modes

Every card operates in one of two funding modes: Single or Share. The mode determines how funds flow between your issuing balance and the card.

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Single mode

Single mode works like a prepaid card. Funds are transferred from your issuing balance into the card at creation time.
  • The issuing balance must be greater than or equal to the card_limit at creation time, or the request fails.
  • Supports recharge (add funds) and withdraw (remove funds).
  • Does not support changing the card limit after creation.
  • When the card is cancelled, the remaining balance is returned to the issuing balance automatically.

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Share mode

Share mode works like a debit card. The card draws directly from your issuing balance, with spending deducted in real time.
  • No prior deposit is required — the card can be created even if the issuing balance is less than the card_limit.
  • The card_limit acts as a spending cap, not a pre-funded amount.
  • Supports changing the card limit after creation.
  • Supports recharge (increases card_available_balance without transferring funds) and withdraw.
  • No refund is needed on cancellation since no funds were transferred into the card.

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Comparison

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Card settings

You configure these settings when creating or assigning a card:

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Next steps