How To Use a Virtual Credit Card: A Smarter, Safer Way To Pay

• 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®).

  Read more
• Edited by Emily Gadd
  

  Emily Gadd

  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.

  Read more
• 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.

  Read more
• Last Updated Nov 24, 2025

A virtual credit card is a digital version of your credit card that’s encrypted to add an extra layer of security when shopping online and even in-person at some retailers. 

Virtual cards are designed to keep your actual card information hidden, which means that the virtual version has its own card number, expiration date and security code. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get and use a virtual card number.

Where Can You Use a Virtual Card?

Think of a virtual card as a flexible, disposable stunt double for your actual card. When you shop online or pay with your card from a digital wallet, using your virtual card number doesn’t change your routine at all; it just stands in to make your card information safer. 

Here’s where you can use your virtual credit card:

• Online: Enter the virtual card number, security code and expiration date — just like you would with a regular card 
• In-app: Save your virtual card details as a payment method in your favorite apps
• Over the phone: Simply share the card information with the merchant when it’s time to pay for your purchase
• Digital wallet: Many card issuers allow you to add virtual card numbers to your digital wallet, like Apple Pay and Google Pay, the same as you would for your regular card information.

You can create a virtual number to use with one merchant for recurring payments or create a new one each time you make a purchase.

How To Use a Virtual Credit Card In-Store

Virtual cards can be added to your mobile wallet and then used in physical stores that allow you to pay by tapping your phone at the payment terminal. This can be helpful if you’re waiting for a new physical card to arrive in the mail, traveling without your full wallet or replacing a lost card.

Some banks and credit card issuers will allow you to load a digital version of your credit card within minutes after getting an online application approved. From there, it takes just a moment to create a virtual card and then use it for payment at a tap-to-pay terminal.

Why Use a Virtual Credit Card Over a Physical Card?

A virtual card can add convenience, but the real appeal is the additional security it provides. With a virtual card, you can protect your information, reduce the likelihood of fraud and manage spending limits in a more controlled way than simply using your actual credit card number for purchases.

Here are the biggest advantages of using a virtual card over a physical one:

• Your real card number stays hidden: Even if your virtual number is compromised, you can just shut it down without having to replace your actual card.
• Less potential damage from data leaks: If a merchant where you used your virtual card has a security breach, thieves only get your temporary virtual number.
• Stronger mobile wallet security: Virtual cards use tools like tokenization and encryption to mask your card number and keep your account information safe.
• Instant access after card approval: Many credit cards allow you to upload a card to your digital wallet as soon as you are approved, which means you can start using it even before the physical card arrives days later.

Drawbacks and Limitations of Using a Virtual Card

Although virtual cards have plenty of merits, they aren’t a perfect replacement for your traditional credit card. Here are some pitfalls to be aware of.

• Not all merchants accept virtual cards: Places like hotels, car rental counters and merchants without tap to pay often require a physical card.
• Requires using a mobile wallet in most cases: If you’re not comfortable using a mobile wallet, a virtual card might be too cumbersome for your spending.
• Returns can be complicated: Typically, when you return an item, the price you paid will be credited back to your card. But if your virtual number was for one-time use, it can be a hassle to get your money back.
• Not every issuer offers virtual card numbers: Even if you decide a virtual card number is right for you, your bank may not offer this feature.

Where To Get a Virtual Credit Card

Not every issuer offers a virtual credit card. Here are the major issuers that do offer this feature:

• American Express: Most American Express credit cards are eligible to create virtual card numbers.
• Barclays: Most Barclays credit cards are eligible to create virtual card numbers when you load them to a digital wallet.
• Capital One: The issuer allows you to access virtual card numbers via the mobile app, website, Google Pay on a Chrome browser or Eno, the bank’s digital assistant.
• Citi:  You can log into your Citi account and request a virtual card via the app or computer.
• Wells Fargo: When you add your card to Google Pay and Apple Pay, a virtual card will automatically be created for you.