Are there merchant category restrictions for Halocard?
Halocard generally works wherever Visa, Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted, and you can check our list of common merchants used for Halocard here:
However, some physical and online stores (merchants) represent a higher risk to Visa and our issuing bank. These types of transactions typically have a higher probability of fraud and chargebacks and are regulated or illegal in some jurisdictions.
If a merchant falls into one of the following categories, your payment may be declined even if the merchant appears legitimate or claims they accept credit cards:
⛔️ Prohibited Purchases
Category | Description |
|---|---|
Crypto | Buying/selling/trading cryptocurrency or digital currencies (e.g. Banxa, Coinbase, Kraken) |
Dark web / Cybercrime | Dark web marketplaces; hacking, malware, ransomware, exploit services |
Data brokerage | Unauthorized personal data or privacy-violating data brokerage |
Drugs | Illegal drugs; marijuana/cannabis/CBD where not fully legal and properly licensed |
Endangered wildlife | Endangered species/wildlife products; CITES-violating items |
Hazardous materials | Regulated chemicals/materials without required approvals/documentation |
High-risk activity | Anything that creates legal, regulatory, or reputational risk |
Illegal marketplaces | Unlicensed auction sites/marketplaces facilitating illegal activity |
Money transfer & quasi-cash | Money orders, account funding or peer-to-peer transfers (e.g. Western Union, Revolut, Wise, PayPal, Xoom) |
Gift cards | Prepaid gift cards and loading funds onto stored value cards |
Predatory lending | Payday loans and other unregulated/predatory financial services |
Tobacco & nicotine | Tobacco products and nicotine products including vapes (Cigars are supported) |
Unregulated Pharma | Unlicensed online pharmacies; pharmaceuticals from unregulated sources |
Weapons | Firearms, ammunition, explosives, weapons |
Purchases in Egypt Only | Starlink (due to the service being prohibited in this country) |
⚠️ Supported Purchases with Limitations
Category | Description | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
Adult & escort services | Adult content, pornography, and companion platforms, including Onlyfans | Limit of 10 transactions and/or $200 in any 24 hour period on your account |
Adult content is classified as a high-risk purchase and merchants apply strict fraud and risk-based rules when using cards at checkout. While purchases of adult content are supported by Halocard, we cannot guarantee acceptance at all merchants and we do not provide refunds in the event your Halocard is declined.
The 24 hour period is measured from your initial transaction at a qualifying merchant, regardless of whether it was successful or failed. Attempting more than 10 transactions or making purchases totalling more than $200 per day on a single Halocard will automatically be declined.
Updated on: 02/11/2026