Card Lifecycle

Every ALIAS virtual card goes through different states during its lifetime. Understanding these states helps you know what to expect, what you can do with your card, and when you might need a new one.

Card States Overview

ALIAS cards can be in one of four states at any time.

Active: Card is fully functional and ready to use

Suspended: Temporarily disabled, usually for security reasons

Expired: Card has passed its expiration date

Closed: Permanently deactivated and cannot be reactivated

Most cards spend their entire life in "Active" state until they expire or are manually closed.

Active State

This is the normal, healthy state for your virtual card.

What "Active" means:

• Card is fully operational
• Can be used for online purchases
• Merchant authorization requests are processed normally
• Balance is available for spending
• All card details (number, CVV, expiration) are valid

What you can do:

• Make online purchases at any merchant accepting Mastercard or Visa
• Add card to subscription services
• Use for digital content, app purchases, and e-commerce
• View full card details in your dashboard
• Check remaining balance
• Use until expiration date

How long cards stay active: Cards remain active from creation until expiration (typically 1-3 years) unless suspended or closed.

Suspended State

Suspension is a temporary hold on your card, usually triggered by security concerns.

What "Suspended" means:

• Card temporarily cannot be used
• Merchant transactions will be declined
• Card details are still visible in dashboard
• Balance is safe and not lost
• Situation can potentially be resolved

Why cards get suspended:

Fraud Detection: Unusual spending patterns that suggest unauthorized use

Merchant Disputes: Chargebacks or disputes initiated by merchants

Compliance Holds: Card provider compliance checks or verification requirements

System Errors: Rare technical issues requiring manual review

What you can do: If your card is suspended, you have limited options since the card provider controls the suspension.

Check your dashboard for any messages explaining the suspension reason.

Contact ALIAS support if no explanation is provided—they can check with the card provider.

Wait for the issue to resolve if it's a temporary compliance check.

Create a new card if you need immediate access to funds and the suspension is prolonged.

Can suspended cards be reactivated? Sometimes. It depends on the reason for suspension. Security suspensions may be lifted after verification. Compliance suspensions might require additional information. Fraud suspensions are usually permanent.

Expired State

All virtual cards have an expiration date printed on them, just like physical cards.

What "Expired" means:

• Card is no longer valid for new transactions
• Expiration date has passed (month and year on the card)
• Card details can still be viewed but not used
• Any remaining balance is forfeited
• Card cannot be renewed or extended

When cards expire:

• Typically 1-3 years from creation date
• Exact expiration depends on card provider and batch
• x402 instant cards: Often 2-3 years
• Reloadly pre-created cards: Often 1-2 years

What happens to remaining balance: Any funds left on an expired card are lost. Card providers do not refund unused balances after expiration.

What you should do before expiration:

Check expiration dates when creating cards for subscriptions or long-term use.

Spend remaining balance before the expiration month. If your card expires in 12/2026, use it before December 2026.

Cancel subscriptions linked to cards approaching expiration to avoid service interruptions.

Create a new card if you need continued service beyond the expiration date.

Avoiding expiration issues: For subscriptions longer than your card's validity, create new cards with later expiration dates and update your payment method with the merchant.

For one-time purchases, expiration is rarely a concern since you'll use the card immediately.

Closed State

Closed cards are permanently deactivated and cannot be used or reactivated.

What "Closed" means:

• Card is permanently disabled
• Cannot be used for any transactions
• No way to reactivate (closure is final)
• Card details remain visible for record-keeping
• Remaining balance is forfeited

Why cards get closed:

User request: You manually closed the card (not currently available in ALIAS interface, but may be added)

Fraud: Card provider detected fraudulent activity and permanently closed it

Violation: Use of card violated terms of service

Inactivity: Some providers close cards after extended periods of no use (rare)

What happens when closed: The card immediately stops working. Any pending transactions may be declined. Subscriptions will fail on next billing attempt.

Can you get the balance back? No. Closed cards forfeit remaining balances. Always spend or use your card balance before closure.

What you should do: If a card closes unexpectedly, check your email and dashboard for notifications explaining why.

Contact support if closure seems incorrect or unexplained.

Create a new card if you need immediate replacement.

Review terms of service to avoid future closures.

State Transitions

Understanding how cards move between states helps you predict what might happen.

Normal lifecycle: Created → Active → Expired (most common path)

With issues: Created → Active → Suspended → Active (resolved suspension) Created → Active → Suspended → Closed (unresolved issues)

User actions: Created → Active → Closed (manual closure, if implemented)

Impossible transitions:

• Expired or Closed cannot become Active
• Suspended cards can only go to Active or Closed
• Active cards can go to any other state

Checking Card Status

Always verify card status before attempting to use it.

In your dashboard:

• Status badge appears next to each card
• Color coding: Green (Active), Yellow (Suspended), Gray (Expired/Closed)
• Last used date helps identify inactive cards
• Balance shows remaining funds

Before making a purchase:

1. Open your dashboard
2. Find the card you plan to use
3. Check status badge is "Active"
4. Verify expiration date hasn't passed
5. Confirm balance is sufficient

When troubleshooting: If a transaction fails, status is the first thing to check. Declined transactions are often due to insufficient balance or non-active status.

Best Practices by State

For Active cards:

• Use them regularly to avoid potential inactivity issues
• Monitor balance to know when cards are depleted
• Keep track of expiration dates
• Save card details securely in password managers

For Suspended cards:

• Don't attempt to use them (will be declined)
• Contact support for clarification
• Wait for resolution before retrying transactions
• Create a new card if you need immediate access

For Expiring cards:

• Spend balance before expiration month
• Update merchants if card is used for subscriptions
• Create replacement cards with fresh expiration dates
• Don't add expiring cards to new long-term services

For Closed cards:

• Accept that closure is permanent
• Document the closure reason for your records
• Create new cards as needed
• Avoid repeating behaviors that led to closure

Next Steps

Learn more about managing your ALIAS cards:

• Creating Cards - Get your first virtual card
• Managing Cards - View and organize your cards
• Instant Cards - On-demand card creation