Transaction failure reasons
To help you handle declined card transactions systematically, this page provides detailed descriptions for all possible failure reasons returned in the failure_reason field when you call Retrieve a transaction API or receive a issuing.transaction.failed webhook event.
| failure_reason | Decline category | Description | Next steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS | Account status | The reason depends on whether the transaction currency is a direct billing currency or not. If it is one of the direct billing currencies offered, the transaction has been declined because there is insufficient balance in the transaction currency wallet and in the home currency wallet. If it is not one of the direct billing currencies offered, the transaction has been declined because there is insufficient balance in the home currency wallet. |
Top up the wallet balance to ensure sufficient funds are available for the next card transaction. |
| ACCOUNT_INVALID | Account status | The transaction has been declined because the Airwallex account is not in the ACTIVE status. | Speak to your Airwallex Account Manager to reactivate your account. |
| CARD_CLOSED | Card status | The transaction has been declined because the card is in the CLOSED status. | - |
| CARD_LOST_STOLEN | Card status | The transaction has been declined because the card is in the LOST or STOLEN status. | - |
| CARD_INACTIVE | Card status | The transaction has been declined because the card is in the PENDING or INACTIVE status. | Check the card status. If the card status is PENDING, wait until the card is ACTIVE. If the card status is INACTIVE, update the card status to ACTIVE using Update a card endpoint. |
| CARD_NOT_ACTIVATED | Card status | The transaction has been declined because the card is not activated yet. Tip: To prevent such declines, remind the cardholders to activate their cards before usage. |
Call Activate a card endpoint. |
| LIMIT_EXCEEDED | Card status | The transaction is declined because the transaction amount exceeds the spending limit available on the card. | Update the spending limit using Update a card endpoint. |
| REMOTE_AUTH_DECLINED | Others | The transaction is declined by the account enabled with the Remote Authorization feature. | Check your internal authorization control if the decline is not intended. |
| CARD_REISSUED_TO_NEW_NUMBER | Others | The transaction has been declined because it was transacted on a card that has been reissued to a new card number. | Retrieve the new card number from Get sensitive card details endpoint and try transacting again. |
| MERCHANT_CATEGORY_NOT_ALLOWED | Restrictions | The transaction is declined because the merchant category code is blocked by Airwallex or it's not in the list of allowed merchant category codes set on a card level. | If the merchant category code is not in the list of allowed merchant category codes and it should be allowed, add it to the list using Update a card endpoint. |
| RESTRICTED_COUNTRY | Restrictions | The transaction is declined because the merchant country is blocked by Airwallex. | - |
| CURRENCY_NOT_ALLOWED | Restrictions | The transaction is declined because the transaction currency is blocked by Airwallex or it's not in the list of allowed transaction currency set on a card level. | If the transaction currency is not in the list of allowed transaction currencies and it should be allowed, add it to the list using Update a card endpoint. |
| NOT_SUPPORTED | Restrictions | The transaction type in the transaction request is not supported by Airwallex. | - |
| CARDHOLDER_VERIFICATION_FAILED | Risk | The transaction is declined because the cardholder verification result provided in the transaction request is not successful. Cardholder verification result usually refers to the authentication result from the 3D Secure authentication step. |
Retry the transaction and check that the correct one-time password has been provided if it has been requested in the 3D secure authentication step. |
| CARD_INVALID | Risk | The transaction has been declined because one or more card details provided in the transaction request are not valid. | - |
| CVV_INVALID | Risk | The transaction is declined because the card verification value, i.e., security code provided in the transaction request is incorrect. Tip: To prevent such declines, ensure that the correct security code is provided in an online transaction. |
Retry the transaction and check that the correct security code is provided in the payment gateway. |
| INVALID_EXPIRY_DATE | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the card expiry date provided in the transaction request is incorrect. Tip: To prevent such declines, ensure that the correct expiry date is provided in an online transaction. |
Retry the transaction and check that the correct expiry date is provided in the payment gateway. |
| PIN_INVALID | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the PIN submitted in the transaction request is incorrect. Tip: To prevent such declines, ensure that the correct PIN is entered into the physical payment terminal. |
Retry the transaction and check that the correct PIN is entered into the physical payment terminal. |
| PIN_RETRIES_EXCEEDED | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the number of PIN tries on a physical card exceeds the limit allowed on the card. | Contact Airwallex support for assistance to reset the PIN try limit. |
| TRANSACTION_BLOCKED | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the transaction triggered one or more risk rules. | - |
| TRANSACTION_BLOCKED_AT_TERMINAL | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the transaction was blocked by the merchant’s payment terminal. | - |
| EXPIRY_MISSING | Risk | The transaction has been declined because there is no card expiry date provided in the transaction request when it is expected. | Contact the merchant to understand the missing expiry date in the transaction request. |
| SUSPECTED_FRAUD | Risk | The transaction has been declined because the transaction is flagged as potentially fraudulent. | - |
| INTERNAL_ERROR | Error | The transaction has been declined because a system error occurred during transaction processing. | Contact Airwallex support if more information is required. |
| UNKNOWN | Error | The transaction has been declined because of an unknown reason. | Contact Airwallex support if more information is required. |