If a payment is declined, the card is almost always still safe to use, most declines are caused by something you can fix in a few seconds. This article walks through the most common reasons and what to check first.
Quick checklist
Open the Bitzaro app → Card tab → Transaction History to see the decline reason against the transaction.
Confirm your card is active (not Frozen) under Manage Card.
Check that your card USD balance covers the purchase plus any FX margin.
Try the transaction again — temporary network issues are a common cause.
Common reasons and how to fix them
Reason | What it means | How to fix it |
Insufficient balance | Your card USD balance is below the purchase amount, including FX margin. | Reload from your Bitzaro Wallet via Card tab → + Reload. |
Card not yet activated | A new physical card is shipped inactive. | Activate it in the Bitzaro app under Manage Card → Activate Card. |
Card is frozen | The card was frozen by you or by Bitzaro for safety. | Unfreeze in Manage Card → Freeze. If you didn't freeze it, contact [email protected]. |
Limit exceeded | The transaction is over your per-transaction, daily or monthly limit. | View and adjust limits under Manage Card → Transaction Limit. |
Merchant or category blocked | Some merchant categories are restricted on the card programme. | Use a different merchant or contact support if you believe this is a mistake. |
3D Secure check failed | An online merchant requested an extra authentication step that was not completed. | Approve the prompt in the Bitzaro app when it appears, then retry the transaction. |
Wrong card details | The card number, expiry, CVV or postal code did not match. | Re-check the values in the Bitzaro app under Card Details and try again. |
Country or region not supported | Some sanctioned jurisdictions are blocked at the network level. | See Restricted Activities & Prohibited Use. |
If the decline does not match any of these
Wait 1–2 minutes and retry — the issuing network may simply be busy.
If the same transaction keeps failing, contact [email protected] with the merchant name, date and time, and the decline reason shown in the app. We can pull the network response and tell you exactly what happened.
Do not retry many times in quick succession — repeated failed attempts can trigger an automatic block on the card.
Note: If you do not recognise the merchant on a declined or successful transaction, freeze the card immediately and contact support within 24 hours. See How to Dispute a Card Transaction. |
Need help?
Email [email protected]. Our team typically replies within 1 business day.