Citi Virtual Credit Cards: What They Are and How To Get One

• Written by Robin Saks Frankel
  

  Robin Saks Frankel

  Credit, credit cards, travel rewards, credit building, family travel, premium travel

  Robin has worked as a personal finance writer, editor and spokesperson for over a decade. Her work has appeared in national publications including Forbes Advisor, USA TODAY, NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economic Journalism from Boston University, a Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing and is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®).

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• Edited by Emily Gadd, CCC
  

  Emily Gadd, CCC

  Credit Cards, Personal Finance, Health and Wellness

  Emily Gadd is a certified credit counselor, editor and personal finance expert responsible for writing about personal finance and credit cards. She got her start writing and editing at Healthline. She is passionate about creating educational content that makes complex topics accessible. Emily holds a credit counselor certification, accredited by the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors (NACCC). She lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.

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• Reviewed by Jasmin Baron
  

  Jasmin Baron

  Credit Cards, Travel Rewards, Loyalty Programs, Family Travel, Credit Building, Credit Scores

  Jasmin Baron is CardCritics’ senior editor, responsible for editing and writing credit cards, travel rewards, loyalty program, and other credit-related content. She is passionate about personal finance education and enjoys sharing tips and tricks for making the most credit card points and miles with her readers. Her expertise in maximizing credit card travel rewards originated from over two decades of aviation industry experience, including 18 years working as a pilot and college professor/flight instructor in her native Canada. Her work has appeared on sites such as CNN Underscored Money, Business Insider, The Points Guy, and point.me. When she’s not planning her next trip with credit card rewards, you’ll probably find her tinkering around in the kitchen, hanging out with her three kids, or playing with her dog, Benji.

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• Last Updated Dec 8, 2025

Americans spent more than $304 billion in online sales in the second quarter of 2025, and you’re likely one of them. Shopping online comes with tremendous convenience, but it also puts your credit card number at risk. 

That’s where virtual credit cards come in. Citi allows you to create a digital stunt double for your real account number, which provides an extra layer of protection against theft and misuse. Here’s what to know about Citi virtual credit cards.

What Is a Citi Virtual Card? 

A Citi virtual credit card is a series of randomly generated numbers that you can use for online shopping as a stand-in for your real account number. Your virtual credit card number has the same series of 16 digits as your actual physical card, plus an expiration date and a card verification code (aka CVV).

How to Create a Citi Virtual Card Number

You can create a virtual number for your Citi credit card:

• By logging into your Citi account and requesting to generate one
• By logging into your mobile app and requesting to generate one

When you set one up, you’ll be asked if you want to set a daily spend limit on the virtual card account for added protection. Unlike many other issuers who offer virtual cards, Citi requires you to generate a new CVV code for each transaction. 

Keep this in mind if you plan to use a Citi virtual card for a recurring subscription, as you’ll have to manually update the CVV code on file each month by going into your Citi account dashboard and unmasking the number. This will generate a new CVV for your next purchase.

Where Can You Use a Citi Virtual Card?

You can use a Citi virtual card number to pay for any online or in-app purchases. You can’t use one in person, but your virtual number should be accepted at most digital checkout pages. Places you might want to use a Citi virtual card include:

• Online retailers
• Subscription services and trial subscriptions
• Most mobile purchases
• Food delivery services like takeout or grocery deliveries
• Travel reservations
• Purchases from unfamiliar merchants

Benefits of Citi Virtual Credit Cards 

Using a virtual credit card offers protections beyond traditional Citi credit card protections, which include zero fraud liability, instant card lock and fraud detection. With a virtual card, you can:

• Shield your actual card number from exposure to thieves
• Generate temporary and merchant-specific numbers
• Replace the virtual card number without affecting your physical card
• Set custom limits and expiration dates
• Eliminate the risk of recurring charges for subscriptions you no longer want

Drawbacks of Citi Virtual Credit Cards 

Citi’s virtual card feature can be useful in several scenarios, but there are some limitations:

• You need to generate a new CVV for every virtual card transaction
• You may need the original virtual number for returns or refunds
• Some merchants may not accept virtual numbers, and you generally can’t use them for in-person purchases
• Juggling multiple virtual cards can be unwieldy
• Your Citi card might not be eligible

How Do Citi Virtual Credit Cards Compare to Others?

Feature	Citi	Bank of America	Capital One	American Express
Standalone virtual card generator	Yes, via Google Pay, Citi account or Citi app	Yes, via mobile wallets only	Yes, via online account, mobile app or Eno account assistant	No
Works for in-person transactions	No	No	No	No
Ease of setup	Easy	Easy	Easy	Moderate
Browser compatibility	Any	None, only via mobile wallets	Any	Chrome
Mobile wallet compatibility	Google Pay, Android, iPhone *but need to generate a new CVV with each purchase	Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay	Google Pay, Android	Google Pay, Android