Which Banks Offer Virtual Credit Cards?

Virtual credit cards enhance security and privacy for online transactions. They mask your actual credit card details, protecting consumers from data breaches and unauthorized charges.

What Are Virtual Credit Cards?

A virtual credit card generates a temporary, unique number linked to your primary credit card account. This number includes its own expiration date and security code, mirroring a physical card. Only this virtual number is exposed to the merchant during online purchases.

These cards offer enhanced security. Many allow single-use options, preventing reuse if compromised. Users can set specific spending limits for each virtual card, limiting potential charges. Additionally, virtual cards can have shorter expiration dates than the physical card.

By not exposing your actual credit card number, they significantly reduce the risk of your information being compromised during a data breach. This protective layer also helps prevent unauthorized recurring charges, as a virtual card can be deactivated or set to expire after a specific payment.

Major Bank Offerings

Several prominent U.S. banks offer virtual credit card functionalities, though features vary by institution and card product.

Capital One provides virtual credit card services through its Eno browser extension and mobile app. Eno generates unique virtual card numbers for each online merchant, linked to your Capital One credit card. Users can create a dedicated virtual card for a specific store, enhancing security. Capital One cardholders manage these virtual cards online or through Eno, with options for single-use or auto-lock dates.

Citi offers a virtual card feature known as Virtual Account Numbers (VAN). Eligible personal Citi credit cardholders generate temporary, unique card numbers for online purchases. Users log into their Citi online account to create a VAN, often with time and dollar limits. Numbers created before August 24, 2025, became inactive, requiring new generation.

Other major banks like Chase and Bank of America do not offer traditional virtual credit card numbers for general consumer use. Chase uses tokenization for digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and supports “Click to Pay” for online checkouts. Bank of America supports digital wallet integrations and “Click to Pay.” While Bank of America offers “Virtual Travel Cards,” these are for corporate travel expense management.

How to Obtain and Use Virtual Credit Cards

Obtaining a virtual credit card number typically involves a straightforward process through your bank’s online banking portal or mobile application. For banks that offer this service, you generally log into your account, navigate to the credit card services section, and look for an option related to virtual cards. You then select the primary credit card to link the virtual number to and generate the unique digital card details. Some providers allow setting a specific spending limit or an expiration date during this generation process.

Once you have generated a virtual card number, using it for online purchases is similar to using a physical card. During the online checkout process, you will enter the virtual card’s 16-digit number, its unique expiration date, and the associated CVV security code. The transaction is securely routed through your primary credit card account without exposing your actual card details. For enhanced convenience, some virtual card services, like Capital One’s Eno, offer browser extensions that can automatically generate and autofill these details at checkout. Virtual cards can also be added to digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay, enabling their use for in-app purchases or contactless payments.

Managing Your Virtual Credit Cards

Effective management of virtual credit cards extends their utility beyond initial transactions. After generating and using a virtual card, it is important to monitor the transactions made with it. Most banking platforms or dedicated virtual card dashboards provide a clear view of all purchases linked to each virtual number, allowing for easy reconciliation and fraud detection.

Users can adjust spending limits on existing virtual cards, which is particularly useful for managing recurring subscriptions or setting budgets for specific online retailers. The ability to modify or set new expiration dates provides flexibility, allowing a card to remain active for a longer period if needed, or to expire promptly after a single use. If a virtual card number is no longer needed or suspected of compromise, it can be deleted or deactivated instantly through your online account, without affecting your primary physical card. This control helps prevent unwanted charges and enhances overall financial security.