When you make a purchase with your Mercury Debit card, the transaction might not settle right away. This article explains why you might see a charge marked as “pending” and how long it typically takes to settle.
Why a transaction is pending
Pending transactions happen because card payments go through card networks, which allow merchants to pre-authorize payments. A pending charge means the merchant has started a transaction but hasn’t fully processed it yet.
Common reasons for pending charges:
- The merchant hasn’t finished authorizing or declining the payment
- The transaction is pre-authorized but not yet finalized
- The merchant is still reconciling their books
How long it takes for transactions to settle
Most transactions settle or cancel within 1–3 business days, though some may settle immediately. Merchants have up to 30 business days to process or cancel a payment. If they don’t take action within that time, we’ll manually cancel the pending charge.
Why a pending charge might be higher than your purchase
Some merchants place a pre-authorization hold on your card for more than your actual purchase amount. This is common with gas stations, hotels, car rental companies, When you make a purchase with your Mercury Debit or IO Credit card, the transaction doesn’t settle right away. This article explains why you might see a charge marked as “pending” and how long it typically takes to settle.
The Mercury Debit Cards are issued by Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to licenses from Mastercard®.