Barter card recently announced the suspension of its virtual card service to holders. The virtual card by pan-African payment solution, Flutterwave, in an email sent to its users attributed the unavailability of its service to “an update from our card partner, which will cause the card service to be unavailable for an extended period of time.”
The news of the suspension of the virtual card service could have ripple transactional effects on Nigerians who rely on the virtual card service to complete transactions, especially as Nigerian debit cards have a daily limit of $20.
What is a virtual card?
A virtual card, like a local bank debit/credit card, is an online card that holders use to access bank accounts, make payments, transfer funds, etc. Although users cannot physically hold a virtual card, these cards perform the same features as a regular debit or credit card.
Alternatives to Barter by Flutterwave
Here are some alternatives to consider in place of the suspended Barter card:
ALAT Virtual
ALAT is a digitally operated brand of the Nigerian local bank, Wema bank. The ALAT virtual card service provided by the bank permits users to load the virtual card with up to $20,000 directly from your naira balance once the user sets up the account. The naira equivalent of the dollar funded can be reversed back at any time. However, ALAT virtual cards wouldn’t work on money transfer websites and 3D Secure.
Chipper cash
Chipper cash virtual card is a Visa card that can be used for online transactions in any part of the world. It is acceptable anywhere visa cards are accepted. Chipper cash offers users a 5% cash back on all payments. The usage of the virtual card is of two types; Tier 1 with many limitations, and Tier 2 with more freedom.
Minty Bank
Minty bank virtual card is another alternative for entrepreneurs, freelancers and others in search of a virtual card payment platform. It can be used to complete international payments on music platforms, ecommerce websites and many more. To get started, the user simply logs on to the minty platform and activates the virtual card. Another alternative is to request for a foreign domiciliary account from a Nigerian bank.