Take full control of your company's spend by customizing how and when each card can be used with advanced card controls. These controls can be set per card to ensure each card can only be used for its intended purpose.
You can access these controls by viewing Cards > Create Card, and then clicking on the “advanced controls” section.
1. Start and End Dates
What does this do?
This setting controls the date range during which transactions will be approved. You can define a start date or an end date for each card..
Why use it?
- Prevent unauthorized use outside of a specific timeframe
- Useful for business trips, projects, subscriptions, or campaigns
What happens if someone tries to use the card outside the date range?
The transaction will be declined at the authorization stage.
2. Transaction Types
What does this control?
You can restrict or allow specific types of transactions, including:
- Online payments (e.g. e-commerce, subscriptions)
- Contactless payments (tap-to-pay at physical terminals)
- International payments (merchants outside of company or cardholder’s local country)
Why use it?
- Ensures spend on the card aligns with approved usage
- Disable unnecessary features for employees who don’t need them
3. Single-Use Cards
What is a single-use card?
Single-use cards are a type of virtual company card that automatically expire after one successful transaction.
Why use it?
- Perfect for one-off vendor payments
- Adds an extra layer of security (card can't be reused or stored)
- Simplifies reconciliation process for one-time purchases
What happens after the transaction?
The card will be cancelled and cannot be used again—even if the merchant tries to charge it again.
4. Enable / Disable Expenses
What does this setting do?
You can choose whether transactions on the card should create card expenses in Airwallex’s Expenses platform.
When should I disable expense creation?
- Cards or subscriptions that are reconciled externally (e.g. directly in your ERP)
- For test cards or internal usage
What happens when this is disabled?
Transactions will still be authorized and visible in Cards, but card expenses in Expenses will automatically be archived.