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Card acquiring

Settlement explained: when does the money arrive?

25 September 2026 · 5 min read

Authorisation, capture, clearing and settlement — the journey from 'approved' to funds in your bank.

Approved isn't paid

An authorisation only reserves funds on the customer's card. The money moves once the transaction is captured and cleared through the scheme.

Settlement cycles

Your acquirer pays out on an agreed schedule, for example daily. Fees, refunds and any reserves are reflected in each payout.

Reconciliation

Clear settlement reports let your finance team match every payout to individual transactions without manual detective work.

Accept cards and wallets with Finoptiq

Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay through one integration.

Talk to sales

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