> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fyatu.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Single-Use Cards

> Issue virtual cards that automatically terminate after their first settled transaction.

# Single-Use Cards

A **single-use card** is a virtual card that automatically terminates the moment its first purchase settles. Once the card is used and the transaction clears, Fyatu marks it `TERMINATED` and fires a `CARD_TERMINATED` webhook — no manual action required.

Single-use cards are ideal for:

* **Vendor payments** — one card per invoice, card is dead after payment settles
* **Employee expense reimbursements** — pre-approved amount, automatic cleanup
* **Guest checkout** — issue a disposable card to a customer, expire it after purchase

<Note>
  Single-use cards must be backed by a product with `isOneTimeUse: true`. Contact your account manager to enable this flag on a product. Single-use products must also have JIT enabled (`hasJIT: true`) — the program ledger, not a pre-loaded balance, authorises each transaction.
</Note>

***

## How It Works

```
1. Issue card  →  Fyatu creates VIRTUAL card, isSingleUse = true
                  Card network receives a TRANSAMOUNT spend limit (e.g. $100)
                  Card is ACTIVE and ready to use

2. Cardholder pays  →  JIT authorization flow (see JIT Cards)
                        Fyatu checks program balance
                        Fyatu forwards to your CARD_AUTHORIZATION_VERIFY webhook
                        You APPROVE
                        Card network executes transaction

3. Transaction processed → TRANSACTION_PROCESSED fires (status: COMPLETED)
                           Fyatu terminates the card
                           Card status → TERMINATED
                           CARD_TERMINATED fires  (reason: SINGLE_USE_EXHAUSTED)
```

**If the transaction is reversed** (merchant cancels before clearing), the card remains `ACTIVE` so the cardholder can use it again. Termination only fires on a settled, non-reversed clearing.

***

## Issuing a Single-Use Card

The request is identical to any other card — the `productId` determines the card type. You may optionally set `spendingLimit` to override the default \$100.00 per-transaction cap:

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.fyatu.com/api/v3.20/cards \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FYATU_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "cardholderId": "chl_01HXYZ1234ABCDEF5678",
    "productId":    "prd_01HXYZOU123",
    "spendingLimit": 250.00
  }'
```

Response — `isOneTimeUse: true` confirms the card will self-terminate:

```json theme={null}
{
  "success": true,
  "status": 201,
  "message": "Card issued",
  "data": {
    "id":             "crd_01HXYZ9999ABCDEF0001",
    "cardholderId":   "chl_01HXYZ1234ABCDEF5678",
    "productId":      "prd_01HXYZOU123",
    "status":         "ACTIVE",
    "cardType":       "VIRTUAL",
    "cardBrand":      "VISA",
    "maskedPan":      "445123******7890",
    "last4":          "7890",
    "createdAt":      "2026-05-28T10:00:00Z",
    "updatedAt":      "2026-05-28T10:00:00Z",
    "nameOnCard":     "Jane Smith",
    "expirationDate": "05/2029",
    "balance":        0.00,
    "currency":       "USD",
    "features": {
      "hasJIT":          true,
      "has3DS":          true,
      "hasApplePay":     false,
      "hasGooglePay":    false,
      "hasSpendControl": false,
      "hasMccControl":   false,
      "isReloadable":    false,
      "isOneTimeUse":    true
    }
  }
}
```

### Spending Limit

| Field           | Default  | Description                                                                                                                     |
| --------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `spendingLimit` | `100.00` | Per-transaction cap sent to the card network. The card will be declined if a merchant attempts to charge more than this amount. |

The `spendingLimit` maps to a `TRANSAMOUNT` limit type — a single-transaction ceiling enforced by the card network before the authorization even reaches your JIT webhook.

***

## Auto-Termination Lifecycle

After a single-use card settles its first transaction:

1. Fyatu receives the clearing event from the card network
2. `TRANSACTION_CLEARED` fires to your webhook endpoint
3. Fyatu immediately hard-terminates the card
4. DB status → `TERMINATED`, `terminatedBy = SYSTEM`
5. `CARD_TERMINATED` fires with `reason: SINGLE_USE_EXHAUSTED`

The gap between `TRANSACTION_CLEARED` and `CARD_TERMINATED` is typically under one second.

***

## CARD\_TERMINATED Webhook

```json theme={null}
{
  "event":      "CARD_TERMINATED",
  "eventId":    "evt_01HXYZ1122ABCDEF3344",
  "businessId": "BUS1A2B3C4D5E6F",
  "timestamp":  "2026-05-28T10:00:02Z",
  "data": {
    "cardId":      "crd_01HXYZ9999ABCDEF0001",
    "status":      "TERMINATED",
    "cardType":    "VIRTUAL",
    "cardholderId": "chl_01HXYZ1234ABCDEF5678",
    "reason":      "SINGLE_USE_EXHAUSTED"
  }
}
```

`reason: SINGLE_USE_EXHAUSTED` distinguishes automatic single-use termination from manual terminations triggered via the API or portal (`reason` absent or `"MANUAL"`).

***

## JIT Authorization on Single-Use Cards

Single-use cards participate in the full JIT authorization flow. Your `CARD_AUTHORIZATION_VERIFY` handler receives an extra field:

| Field          | Type    | Description                                                                |
| -------------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `isOneTimeUse` | boolean | `true` for single-use cards — use this to apply any special approval logic |

The rest of the flow is identical to standard JIT cards. See [JIT Cards](/v3.20/documentation/concepts/jit-cards) for the full webhook reference.

***

## Single-Use vs JIT vs Pre-Funded

|                      | Pre-funded           | JIT             | Single-use                      |
| -------------------- | -------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **Balance location** | On the card          | Program ledger  | Program ledger                  |
| **Auth decision**    | Auto-approved        | Your server     | Your server                     |
| **Max transactions** | Unlimited            | Unlimited       | **1** (then terminates)         |
| **`isOneTimeUse`**   | `false`              | `false`         | `true`                          |
| **Spend limit type** | Product-defined      | Product-defined | `TRANSAMOUNT`                   |
| **Best for**         | Per-employee budgets | Corporate spend | Vendor payments, guest checkout |

***

## Sandbox Testing

In `SANDBOX` mode, JIT authorizations approve automatically and single-use termination fires normally after the clearing event. You can use the simulation endpoint to test the full lifecycle:

```bash theme={null}
# 1. Issue a single-use card (save the cardId from the response)
# 2. Simulate a clearing event via the sandbox simulation endpoint
#    (contact your account manager for the sandbox simulation reference)
# 3. Check card status — should be TERMINATED within 1 second
```

***

## Webhook Events Summary

| Event                                                                           | When it fires                                              |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`CARD_ISSUED`](/v3.20/webhooks/events/card-issued)                             | Card created — `isOneTimeUse: true` in payload             |
| [`CARD_AUTHORIZATION_VERIFY`](/v3.20/webhooks/events/card-authorization-verify) | Synchronous JIT auth — includes `isOneTimeUse` flag        |
| [`CARD_AUTHORIZATION`](/v3.20/webhooks/events/card-authorization)               | Post-decision authorization record                         |
| [`TRANSACTION_CLEARED`](/v3.20/webhooks/events/transaction-cleared)             | First transaction settled                                  |
| [`CARD_TERMINATED`](/v3.20/webhooks/events/card-terminated)                     | Auto-termination complete — `reason: SINGLE_USE_EXHAUSTED` |