You can use eligible Airwallex-issued cards with Google Pay™ to make fast, secure payments in-store, in apps and on the web.
This article covers:
- How to add your card to Google Pay
- What to do if you see “Your card can’t be added” or are asked to contact your card issuer
- Limits, supported devices and where you’ll see your transactions
- What to do if your phone is lost or stolen, or if you delete a card from Google Pay
- Removing your card from Google Pay
- Re-adding or resuming cards in Google Pay
- Having trouble adding your card?
Note: If you received your Airwallex-powered card from another company (for example, your employer or a platform you work with), some steps (like who to contact for support) may be branded or handled by that company. Always follow any instructions they provide on the card, in their app, or in their help centre.
1. How to add your card to Google Pay
You can add your eligible Airwallex card to Google Pay from:
- The Airwallex Android app, or
- The Google Wallet / Google Pay app on your Android phone.
Eligibility: Only eligible Airwallex-issued cards can be added to Google Pay (for example, Employee Cards where your company or provider has enabled Google Pay support).
1.1 Adding your card directly from the Airwallex Android app
- Open the Airwallex Android app.
- Tap Cards in the bottom navigation.
- Select the card you want to use.
- Tap Add to Google Pay to start the setup.
- Follow the Google Pay prompts to confirm and complete setup (you may be asked to verify via SMS, email or in-app security checks).
- Once set up, you’ll see your card in the Google Wallet / Google Pay app and can start using it wherever Google Pay is accepted.
If you are adding the card on a Wear OS smartwatch, follow the prompts in the Google Wallet / Google Pay app on your phone and watch.
1.2 From the Google Wallet / Google Pay app on your Android phone
If you prefer, you can add your card directly in the Google Wallet / Google Pay app:
- Open the Google Wallet / Google Pay app on your Android phone.
- Tap the + button or Add to Wallet / Add a card.
- Choose Payment card (or Debit or credit card).
- Choose how to add your card:
- Scan your card using your camera, or
- Enter card details manually (card number, expiry date, CVC), using the details shown in your Airwallex app.
- When asked for your billing address, use the business or billing address registered with your Airwallex account.
- Follow the on-screen prompts until your card is added and verified (this may include a one-time passcode or additional security questions).
- Once complete, your Airwallex card will appear in your Google Wallet / Google Pay app.
1.3 Setting your default card in Google Pay
If you have multiple cards in Google Pay, you can choose which one is used by default:
- Open the Google Wallet / Google Pay app.
- Select your Airwallex card.
- Tap Set as default (if available), or follow the on-screen instructions to make it your default payment card.
If you don’t set your Airwallex card as default, make sure you select it in Google Pay before holding your device near the terminal.
2. Google Pay verification and “Contact your card issuer” messages
In some cases, Google or your card issuer may require extra verification before your card can be added to Google Pay. This is part of Google Pay’s digital wallet security requirements and is expected behaviour.
You may see messages like:
- “Your card can’t be added. Contact your bank.”
- “Your card can’t be verified.”
- Instructions asking you to call the number on the back of your card or contact your bank / card issuer.
2.1 Why is extra verification required?
Extra verification can be triggered by factors such as:
- The number of devices your card is already added to
- Fraud and risk checks on your card or account
- Whether your card has been blocked, suspended or replaced
- Unusual activity or details that need to be confirmed
These checks help protect you and your business from unauthorized use.
2.2 What you should do if you’re asked to contact us
If Google Pay tells you to contact your card issuer or you see “Your card can’t be added. Contact your bank”:
If you are an Airwallex customer (you got your card directly from Airwallex):
- Call the support phone number shown:
- On the back of your physical card, or
- In the Airwallex app / web portal under Support / Help.
- Or, use any dedicated card / wallet support form linked from the Airwallex Help Centre.
If you received your card from another company (for example, your employer or a platform):
- First follow the instructions in their help centre, app or documentation.
- If they’ve provided a dedicated cardholder support phone number or form, use that channel to request Google Pay verification.
When you contact support, be ready to provide:
- Your full name
- Your business name (if applicable)
- The last 4 digits of the card you’re trying to add
- Your date of birth and ID details (if required for identity verification)
- A brief description of the issue (for example, “Google Pay shows ‘Your card can’t be added. Contact your bank’ when I try to add my card.”)
Our support team will:
- Perform any additional authentication required, and
- Allow your card to be added to Google Pay once everything is confirmed.
We aim to complete this verification within approximately 2 business hours after receiving all required information.
3. Limits and supported devices
3.1 How many devices can I add my card to?
You can typically add your card to Google Wallets on multiple Android devices (for example, several phones or compatible Wear OS smartwatches associated with your Google Account). If you reach the device limit for your card, you may need to remove your card from older devices before adding it to a new one.
3.2 How many cards can I add to a single device?
Google and device manufacturers may limit how many payment cards you can add to one device. If you see messages about reaching a limit when adding cards, remove cards you no longer use and try again.
These limits are set by Google and device manufacturers and may change over time. For the most up-to-date details, check Google’s support site.
3.3 Does removing a card from my phone affect the card on my watch?
No. A card added to a Wear OS smartwatch is generally treated independently from the card on your Android phone or other devices. Removing a card from your phone does not automatically remove it from your watch, and vice versa.
3.4 Does unpairing a smartwatch remove Google Pay cards?
Yes. If you unpair a Wear OS smartwatch from your phone, any cards stored on the watch for Google Pay / Google Wallet will typically be removed.
4. Viewing your Google Pay transactions
You can see your Google Pay transactions in two places:
- In your Google Wallet / Google Pay app
- In your Airwallex account (or the account provided by your card provider)
4.1 In Google Wallet / Google Pay
On your Android phone:
- Open the Google Wallet / Google Pay app.
- Tap your Airwallex card.
- View your recent transactions made with that device and card.
4.2 In your Airwallex account (or your Partner’s app)
- Log in to your Airwallex account (or the app/web portal provided by the company that issued your card).
- Go to Cards or Transactions.
- Filter by the card you’ve added to Google Pay to see its recent activity.
5. Lost or stolen Android phone or device
If your Android phone or another device with your card in Google Pay is lost or stolen, act as soon as possible to help prevent unauthorized transactions.
5.1 Option 1 – Remove your cards using your Google Account / Find My Device
This is usually the quickest and most secure option (specific steps can vary by Google service and region, but the general flow is):
- On another device, go to Google’s Find My Device or your Google Account page.
- Sign in with the Google Account used on the lost device.
- Select the lost device.
- Use the available options to remove payment methods / cards from Google Wallet / Google Pay on that device.
Your cards can usually be removed from Google Pay on that device even if it is currently offline.
5.2 Option 2 – Contact support to suspend or remove cards
You can also contact:
- Airwallex customer support (for direct Airwallex cardholders), or
- The support team provided by the company that issued your card (for example, your employer or platform).
They can:
- Remove the Google Pay token (the digital version of your card) for that device; and
- Freeze or cancel your physical/virtual card if needed.
You will usually be asked for:
- Your name and business name
- The last 4 digits of the affected card
- Confirmation that the device is lost or stolen
Important: If you only freeze your card in your Airwallex account, it may still be possible in some scenarios to unfreeze it from the wallet on the device (depending on how the device and wallet are managed). For a lost or stolen phone, it is safer to:
- Remove cards from Google Pay (Option 1), and/or
- Ask support to suspend or delete the Google Pay token on that device.
5.3 Option 3 – Freeze your card in your Airwallex account
If you cannot use Option 1 or reach support immediately, you can temporarily freeze your card:
- Log in to your Airwallex account.
- Go to Cards in the left menu.
- Find the card(s) you’ve added to Google Pay.
- Click the ⋯ (three dots) next to the card and select Freeze card.
- Repeat for each affected card.
Freezing your card:
- Stops it being used in-store, online and in Google Pay until it is unfrozen.
You can unfreeze your card later once you have taken the secure steps above or recovered your device.
6. Removing, re-adding or resuming cards in Google Pay
6.1 Removing your card from Google Pay
You can remove your card from Google Pay in just a few steps:
- Open your Google Wallet / Google Pay app.
- Tap the card you want to remove.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
- Tap Remove payment method (or similar wording).
- Follow the prompts to finalise removal of your card.
For more detail on removing cards, you can also refer to Google Pay’s support article.
6.2 Can I add a card again if I deleted it once?
Yes. If you have removed a card from Google Pay, you can add it again at any time by following the steps in Section 1 of this article.
If you previously had trouble adding the card due to too many devices, make sure you’ve removed the card from old devices first.
6.3 Can I resume cards if I find my lost device?
This depends on what actions were taken:
- If you removed your card(s) from Google Pay / Google Wallet (via your Google Account or Find My Device):
- You’ll need to add them again to Google Pay on your device.
- If support suspended (but did not permanently delete) your Google Pay tokens:
- Contact the same support team again and ask for the cards/tokens to be reactivated.
- They will perform identity checks before reactivating.
- If your card itself was permanently cancelled:
- You’ll need to wait for a replacement card, then add the new card to Google Pay.
7. Having trouble adding your card?
If you still can’t add your card to Google Pay after following this article:
- Double-check that:
- Your device is eligible for Google Pay and running a supported Android version.
- Your card is active, not expired and not blocked.
- You’re using the correct billing address.
- You’ve removed the card from older devices if you may have reached a device limit.
If you still see “Your card can’t be added. Contact your bank” or similar messages:
- Contact the support team shown on your card or in your app.
- Provide:
- The exact error message you’re seeing; and
- The last 4 digits of your card.
- We’ll complete any required checks or Google Pay verification so you can finish adding your card.
Google Pay is a trademark of Google LLC.