Audience:
Virtual cards
Swan's default card format: created and enabled instantly for immediate online use, and the foundation that every physical and digital card is built on.
Swan's default, dematerialized cards. A virtual card must exist before creating a physical card or adding a card to a digital wallet. Virtual cards are also available in a single-use format.
Whenever you issue a new card, Swan creates and enables the virtual card number immediately, and the cardholder can start using it online right away. The virtual card must exist before a physical card can be printed or a virtual card added to a digital wallet.
A virtual card represents the card contract for all associated cards. After adding a virtual card, you can update it, view its sensitive information, and cancel or deactivate it. If you deactivate a virtual card, all physical and digital cards attached to it are also deactivated.
Adding virtual cards with the API
You can use one of several mutations to add virtual cards with the API.
| Mutation | Use case | Guide |
|---|---|---|
addCard | Add one virtual card for one account member. | Add a virtual card |
addCards | Add up to 200 total cards with the same API call. You can:
| Add multiple virtual cards Print physical cards when adding virtual cards |
addSingleUseVirtualCard | Add one single-use virtual card for one account member. | Add a single-use virtual card |
addSingleUseVirtualCards | Add single-use virtual cards for multiple account members. ∗ | Add single-use virtual cards |
∗ You can only add cards for multiple account members in a single API call if they belong to the same account.
Card number and PIN
Each virtual card has a unique card number, different from a physical card added at the same time. Virtual cards don't have a PIN (Personal Identification Number).
Swan makes the virtual card's number, CVC, and expiry date available in Web Banking. The card number and CVC are considered sensitive data and must be masked by default. The cardholder must complete a consent request before the numbers can be unmasked.
Why do virtual and physical cards have different card numbers and CVCs? The two card types function as independent entities. Each has its own transaction history, can be added to the same digital wallet, and more.
This also means that if a cardholder loses their physical card, they can suspend or cancel the physical card without losing access to their virtual card.
Renewal and expiry
Virtual cards have a standard expiration period of 3 years from creation.
Standard virtual cards are renewed automatically unless a custom cardContractExpiryDate is set.
When renewed, the card number and CVC remain the same, the expiry date extends by 3 years, and all associated physical and digital cards continue to function.
No action is required from the cardholder.
To prevent automatic renewal, set a custom cardContractExpiryDate when creating or updating the card.
If the card expires without renewal, the status changes to Canceled and can no longer be used.
Single-use virtual cards follow different expiry rules. Refer to single-use virtual cards.
Canceling virtual cards
Canceling a virtual card is an irreversible action that immediately and permanently invalidates the card. Cancelation impacts the entire card contract, including the virtual card and any associated physical and digital cards. Consent isn't required to cancel cards. When cancelation is complete, you're no longer billed for the card.
If you don't want to cancel the entire card contract, you can cancel just a physical or digital card instead.
You can cancel virtual cards with the API. If you use Swan's Web Banking interface, cardholders can cancel (permanently block) their cards independently.