Why is there a hold on my purchase for more than my payment amount?

By: Team Stash

Published: Aug 17, 2023
• Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Certain purchases (hotels, car rentals, gas stations, etc.) require pre-authorization and may temporarily hold money from your card balance that could be greater than the actual purchase amount.

This is a temporary hold, and after your purchase is processed and settled, the extra funds on hold will be released and your balance will be adjusted.

For example: You swipe your Stock-Back® Card1 at the pump and spend $50 on gas. The gas station places a temporary hold of $100 on your card. Once the payment is processed, and the hold is released, the transaction settles for $50. The remaining $50 that was held will be released back into your account.

If the hold has been released and you were still charged an incorrect amount, please open a dispute with us so we can get to the bottom of it. Learn how to open a dispute here.

Written by

Team Stash

We want to turn money into a source of hope and opportunity. We teach people how to build good habits, save more and make it easy and affordable to get started investing. So far, we’ve helped over 6 million people create a more secure financial future with our expert advice and award winning investing app.