Prepaid Card & Incentive Program Glossary

The step that makes a card ready to use. Physical Visa and Mastercard cards are activated by phone, and digital Visa cards are activated by completing registration.

A global payment network. Pre-Paid USA offers prepaid American Express cards for business gifting and incentives.

Laws and procedures that require financial institutions to detect and prevent the use of the financial system to disguise illegally obtained funds.

A merchant's request to confirm that funds are available before a transaction is completed.

A temporary reduction of a card's available balance while a transaction is pending, common at restaurants, hotels, and fuel pumps.

A United States electronic network for moving funds between bank accounts.

The funds currently usable on a card, after pending transactions and holds.

The first several digits of a card number, which identify the issuing bank and the payment network.

The printed insert or packaging for a physical card ships with the card and can be custom-branded.

The short security code on a card is used to verify card-not-present transactions such as online purchases.

The legal terms that govern the use of a card.

A reversal of a card transaction, typically initiated through a dispute process.

A card that can be used only at a single merchant or within a single category.

A card that carries both a payment network mark and a company's brand.

Adding a logo, colors, and a message to a card and its carrier, in line with the network's brand guidelines.

The dollar value loaded on a card.

A mobile application that stores payment credentials for payment, such as Apple Pay or Google Wallet. Availability varies by card and program.

A payment of funds to a recipient, such as a rebate, refund, or incentive payout.

The date after which a card and its remaining funds can no longer be used. See Valid thru.

The United States agency that insures deposits at member banks. Registered card funds are insured up to the applicable limit through Sunrise Banks, N.A., Member FDIC.

The production, packaging, and delivery of cards. Pre-Paid USA includes fulfillment at no charge.

Providing the money used to load cards for a program.

A prepaid card given as a gift, available open-loop or closed-loop.

A reward offered to motivate a specific behavior or outcome.

A structured program that uses rewards to drive employee, customer, or partner behavior.

The bank that issues a card and holds the underlying funds. Pre-Paid USA Visa and Mastercard cards are issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A.

The identity-verification process a bank applies to a cardholder is required for reloadable cards.

The act of adding funds to a card.

Card-not-present transactions placed by mail or phone, which some prepaid cards do not permit.

A global payment network. Pre-Paid USA offers prepaid Mastercard cards issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A.

A business that accepts card payments for goods or services.

A four-digit code that classifies a merchant by business type, used to allow or restrict spending by category.

The payment system that routes and settles transactions, such as Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.

A card that can be used anywhere its payment network is accepted.

A numeric code used to authorize certain card transactions.

A numeric code used to authorize certain card transactions.

The place or system where a purchase is completed, in store or online.

A card loaded with a set amount of funds in advance, not linked to a line of credit or a personal bank account.

A digital preview of a card design that you approve before production.

The person who receives a card.

The use of a card or reward to obtain goods or services.

Adding funds to a reloadable card after the initial load.

A card that can be loaded more than once and used over time.

A new card is issued when a card is lost, stolen, or damaged, sometimes for a fee.

A short-term reward for a specific sales action, paid to an employee or a channel partner. See channel incentives.

A standardized, easy-to-read summary of a card's fees and terms.

The final transfer of funds from the cardholder's balance to the merchant after a transaction clears.

Limiting where or how card funds can be spent, for example, by merchant category.

Paying part of a purchase with a card and the remainder with another form of payment, where the merchant allows it.

The company that funds and provides cards to recipients as part of a program.

The bank that issues Pre-Paid USA Visa and Mastercard cards is a member of the FDIC.

Compensation beyond regular wages. Reward cards given to employees are typically treated as taxable supplemental wages, so confirm with your tax team.

Replacing sensitive card data with a substitute value to protect the real card number during transactions.

The expiration date is shown on a card.

A fee charged when funds are loaded or reloaded onto certain cards, as set out in the cardholder agreement.

A digital card with a card number but no plastic, intended for online purchases.

A global payment network. Pre-Paid USA offers prepaid Visa cards issued by Sunrise Banks, N.A.

See Digital wallet.