---
title: "Issuing virtual cards"
slug: "issuing-virtual-cards"
description: "Issue virtual business expense cards to employees: set limits, assign policies and activate secure virtual cards via the Payhawk spend management platform."
updated: 2026-10-27T14:17:32Z
published: 2026-10-27T14:17:32Z
canonical: "payhawk.com/issuing-virtual-cards"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://payhawk.com/help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Issuing virtual cards

The virtual Payhawk cards are intended for online payments. However, they can also be added to a digital wallet and used for payments on POS terminals.

Virtual Payhawk cards are automatically activated and employees can start using them immediately after issuance.

> [!WARNING]
> To be able to issue a Payhawk card for an employee, you must have already [deposited funds into your Payhawk account](/help/loading-funds-to-your-payhawk-account).

For more information about issuing third-party virtual cards through Payhawk, see the article about [issuing virtual American Express Cards](/help/issuing-virtual-american-express-cards).

## Issuing standard virtual cards one by one

To issue a standard virtual Payhawk card for an employee:

1. In the [Payhawk Web Portal](https://portal.payhawk.com), go to **Cards** > **All cards**.
2. Click on the **+ New** button.
3. In the dialog that opens, under **Virtual**, select the **Standard** option.

![Payhawk Cards page with the Select card type panel open, listing Physical Standard and Premium Metal and Virtual Standard and Single-use cards.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/virtual-qa/2026-10-07-37678708820-1/issuing-virtual-cards-01.png)
4. On the next screen, select the employee to whom you'll assign the card. Note that Payhawk cards must not be issued to users with generic names such as Marketing or Administrator.
5. (Optional) Name the card.
  - [You can name the card later if needed](/help/naming-cards-for-employees).
  - [Your employees can also name their cards](/help/naming-and-renaming-your-payhawk-card).
6. Under **Limits**, [select between a stand-alone monthly limit or a monthly limit based on an existing company spend policy](/help/overview-of-cards-card-limits-and-advanced-card-controls-for-administrators).

For cards with stand-alone limits:

![The Issue card panel for a virtual Standard card with stand-alone limits and the Custom active period toggle switched on.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/issuing-virtual-cards-02_20261009_ai.png)
  1. Under **Funding source**, select the debit or credit account from which the card will be fed.
  2. Under **Amount**, define the amount for the card limit.
  3. Under **Recurrence**, define the frequency of the recurring limit.
  4. Under **Limit settings**, define the way the employee will be allowed to [spend the card amount](/help/overview-of-cards-card-limits-and-advanced-card-controls-for-administrators):

You can further enable or disable additional [card controls](/help/overview-of-cards-card-limits-and-advanced-card-controls-for-administrators) by opening the card from **Cards** > **All cards**, then clicking **Edit** next to **Advanced controls** on its **Settings** tab.
    - Select **Increase to** to allow fund request carryover over top-up periods.
    - Select **Increase with** to allow the available card funds to accumulate over the top-up periods.
    - Select **Set to** to define a permanent limit for each top-up period.
  5. To apply a custom period during which the card will be active, switch on the **Custom active period** toggle and fill in the dates.
7. For cards under existing company spend policies:
  1. Under **Funding source**, select the debit or credit account from which the card will be fed.
  2. Under **Select a policy**, choose any of the available spend policies for your company. The conditions of the selected spend policy will be displayed.

You can further enable or disable additional [card controls](/help/overview-of-cards-card-limits-and-advanced-card-controls-for-administrators) [for a spend policy](https://help.payhawk.com/en/articles/4126935-creating-editing-and-deleting-spend-policies-and-advanced-card-controls#h_05678093ae) by selecting the spend policy on the **Cards** > **Policies** screen, then, going to the **Advanced controls** section, and clicking on the **Edit** button.
  3. To apply a custom period during which the card will be active, switch on the **Custom active period** toggle and fill in the dates.

![The Issue card panel for a virtual Standard card with Company policy selected and the policy conditions shown.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/issuing-virtual-cards-03_20261009_ai.png)
8. Click on **Issue card**.

## Issuing standard virtual cards in bulk

As a Payhawk administrator, you can issue virtual cards to multiple employees at the same time:

1. In the [Payhawk Web Portal](https://portal.payhawk.com), go to **Cards** > **All cards**.
2. Click on the **Bulk issue** button.
3. In the dialog that opens, under **Virtual**, select the **Standard** option.
4. Follow the steps for [issuing standard virtual cards one by one](/help/issuing-virtual-cards#h_5bd12a29fe).

## Issuing single-use virtual cards one by one

Single-use cards are issued the same way as standard virtual cards; you need to set the spend limit, block or allow specific merchants and merchant categories, and the card is ready to use.

1. In the [Payhawk Web Portal](https://portal.payhawk.com), go to **Cards** > **All cards**.
2. Click on the **+ New** button.
3. In the dialog that opens, under **Virtual**, select the **Single-use** option.

![Payhawk Cards page with the Select card type panel open, showing Physical Standard and Premium Metal and Virtual Standard and Single-use options.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/virtual-qa/2026-10-07-37678708820-1/issuing-virtual-cards-04.png)
4. On the next screen, select the employee to whom you'll assign the card. Note that Payhawk cards must not be issued to users with generic names such as Marketing or Administrator.
5. (Optional) Name the card.
  - [You can name the card later if needed](/help/naming-cards-for-employees).
  - [Your employees can also name their cards](/help/naming-and-renaming-your-payhawk-card).
6. Under **Limits**, select the funding source of the card and the amount for which it will be used.
7. By default, single-use cards support online payments. In the **Advanced controls** section, you can either select the specific supplier for which the card will be used or keep all of them as an option.

You can further enable or disable additional [card controls](/help/overview-of-cards-card-limits-and-advanced-card-controls-for-administrators) by opening the card from **Cards** > **All cards**, then clicking **Edit** next to **Advanced controls** on its **Settings** tab.

![The Issue card panel for a Single-use card with a spending limit and the Amazon merchant selected.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/navigation-redesign-didi_20261009_ai/issuing-virtual-cards-05_20261009_ai.png)
8. Click on **Issue card**.

## Issuing single-use cards in bulk

Payhawk's single-use virtual cards cannot be issued in bulk.

## Issuing virtual American Express Cards

For more information, see the article about [issuing and managing virtual American Express Cards through Payhawk](/help/issuing-virtual-american-express-cards).

## Useful resources

- [Freezing, unfreezing, and closing cards for employees](/help/blocking-unblocking-and-closing-employees-cards)
- [Naming cards for employees](/help/naming-cards-for-employees)