Single-use virtual cards for SaaS & ad spend: When Canadian businesses should generate and burn cards in 2025

Canadian businesses are facing an escalating threat from card-on-file fraud, with cybercriminals increasingly targeting stored payment credentials for unauthorized transactions. The solution lies in a simple yet powerful approach: single-use virtual cards that self-destruct after one transaction, eliminating the risk of stored card data being compromised. (Airwallex)

For SaaS subscriptions, Facebook Ads campaigns, and short-term vendor trials, single-use virtual cards offer Canadian businesses a way to maintain payment security without sacrificing operational efficiency. These digital cards can be generated instantly, used once, and automatically expire – creating an impenetrable barrier against recurring unauthorized charges. (Airwallex)

The timing couldn't be more critical. As Canadian businesses increasingly rely on digital payments for everything from software trials to advertising spend, the traditional approach of storing card details with vendors creates unnecessary exposure. Single-use virtual cards transform this vulnerability into a competitive advantage, allowing companies to engage with new vendors and platforms while maintaining complete control over their payment exposure.

Understanding single-use virtual cards in the Canadian market

Single-use virtual cards represent a fundamental shift in how Canadian businesses approach online payments. Unlike traditional virtual cards that can be used multiple times, single-use cards are designed for one transaction only, automatically expiring after the payment is processed. (Airwallex)

The Airwallex virtual card is a digital Visa debit card that can be created instantly and used immediately, with each card linked to an Airwallex account and featuring unique card details. (Airwallex) This instant generation capability makes single-use cards particularly valuable for time-sensitive purchases or when testing new vendors.

Canadian businesses can create unlimited virtual employee and company cards, spending in multiple currencies from held balances in their accounts. (Airwallex) This flexibility becomes crucial when dealing with international SaaS providers or advertising platforms that operate in different currencies.

The automatic expiry feature of single-use cards addresses a critical pain point: the risk of forgotten subscriptions or unauthorized recurring charges. When a card expires after one use, there's no possibility of surprise charges appearing months later on statements.

Prime scenarios for single-use virtual cards

SaaS trials and software evaluation

Software trials represent one of the most compelling use cases for single-use virtual cards. Canadian businesses often need to evaluate multiple SaaS solutions, but providing a regular corporate card creates the risk of forgotten trial conversions or difficult cancellation processes.

With single-use virtual cards, companies can sign up for software trials with complete confidence. The card expires after the initial transaction, preventing any automatic renewals or surprise charges. (Airwallex) This approach allows IT teams to thoroughly evaluate software without the administrative burden of tracking trial periods or managing cancellations.

The instant generation capability means procurement teams can respond quickly to urgent software needs. Rather than waiting for approval processes or physical card delivery, they can generate a single-use card and complete the trial signup immediately.

Facebook Ads and digital advertising campaigns

Digital advertising platforms like Facebook Ads present unique payment challenges for Canadian businesses. Campaign budgets can fluctuate rapidly, and the need to test different ad accounts or campaigns often requires multiple payment methods.

Single-use virtual cards excel in advertising scenarios where businesses want to maintain strict budget control. Each campaign or ad account can receive its own single-use card with a predetermined limit, ensuring spending stays within approved parameters. (Airwallex)

The automatic expiry feature prevents advertising platforms from continuing to charge cards after campaigns end or budgets are exhausted. This eliminates the common problem of runaway ad spend that occurs when campaigns aren't properly paused.

For agencies managing multiple client accounts, single-use cards provide clear separation between different advertising budgets and eliminate the risk of cross-contamination between client expenses.

Short-term vendor relationships

Canadian businesses frequently engage with short-term vendors for specific projects or services. These relationships might involve one-time purchases, limited-duration contracts, or trial periods with new suppliers.

Single-use virtual cards are ideal for these scenarios because they eliminate the need to share permanent payment credentials with vendors who may not require ongoing payment relationships. (Airwallex) This approach reduces the administrative overhead of managing vendor payment relationships while maintaining security.

The cards also provide clear audit trails for project-specific expenses, making it easier to track costs associated with particular vendors or initiatives.

International transactions and currency management

Canadian businesses dealing with international vendors face additional complexity around currency conversion and foreign transaction fees. Single-use virtual cards can be particularly valuable in these scenarios when combined with multi-currency capabilities.

Airwallex's virtual cards support spending in multiple currencies with automatic conversion at competitive exchange rates when the required currency balance isn't available. (Airwallex) This feature becomes especially powerful for single-use cards, as businesses can generate cards in specific currencies for particular transactions.

The combination of single-use functionality and multi-currency support allows Canadian businesses to engage with international vendors while maintaining precise control over both security and currency exposure.

Risk reduction through automatic expiry

The automatic expiry feature of single-use virtual cards creates multiple layers of security that traditional payment methods cannot match. When a card expires immediately after use, it eliminates several common fraud vectors that plague businesses using stored payment credentials.

Eliminating card-on-file fraud

Card-on-file fraud occurs when stored payment credentials are compromised and used for unauthorized transactions. This type of fraud has become increasingly sophisticated, with criminals often waiting months before using stolen credentials to avoid detection.

Single-use virtual cards make card-on-file fraud impossible by design. Since the card expires after one transaction, there are no stored credentials for criminals to compromise. (Airwallex) This represents a fundamental shift from reactive fraud detection to proactive fraud prevention.

The impact extends beyond direct financial losses. Card-on-file fraud often requires significant administrative effort to resolve, including disputing charges, updating payment methods with legitimate vendors, and investigating how credentials were compromised. Single-use cards eliminate this entire category of problems.

Preventing subscription creep

Subscription creep – the gradual accumulation of forgotten or unnecessary recurring charges – costs Canadian businesses thousands of dollars annually. Single-use virtual cards provide a natural defense against this problem by preventing any recurring charges from occurring.

When employees sign up for software trials or services using single-use cards, there's no possibility of automatic renewals. This forces deliberate decision-making about which services to continue and ensures that all ongoing subscriptions are intentional and approved.

The approach also improves budget predictability by eliminating surprise charges that can disrupt financial planning and cash flow management.

Reducing vendor payment disputes

Payment disputes with vendors often arise from misunderstandings about billing terms, unauthorized charges, or services that weren't properly cancelled. Single-use virtual cards significantly reduce these disputes by creating clear, limited payment authorizations.

When a vendor receives a single-use card, both parties understand that payment authorization is limited to the specific transaction. This clarity reduces the potential for billing disputes and creates cleaner vendor relationships. (Airwallex)

The automatic expiry also provides natural documentation of payment intent, making it easier to resolve any disputes that do arise.

Implementation strategies for Canadian businesses

Establishing card generation workflows

Successful implementation of single-use virtual cards requires clear workflows for when and how cards should be generated. Canadian businesses should establish approval processes that balance security with operational efficiency.

For routine purchases like software trials, businesses might implement self-service card generation for approved employees, with spending limits and automatic reporting. For larger purchases or new vendor relationships, a more structured approval process might be appropriate.

The instant generation capability of virtual cards means these workflows can be designed for speed without sacrificing control. (Airwallex) Employees can receive approval and generate cards within minutes, maintaining business velocity while ensuring proper oversight.

Integration with expense management systems

Single-use virtual cards should integrate seamlessly with existing expense management and accounting systems. This integration ensures that even though cards are used once and expire, the transaction data flows properly into financial reporting systems.

Airwallex provides expenses and reimbursement management capabilities that can track virtual card transactions alongside other business expenses. (Airwallex) This integration is crucial for maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring compliance with Canadian tax requirements.

The integration should also support automatic categorization of expenses based on the purpose for which single-use cards were generated, improving the accuracy of financial reporting and budget tracking.

Training and change management

Implementing single-use virtual cards requires training employees on when and how to use them effectively. This training should cover the security benefits, appropriate use cases, and the mechanics of card generation and management.

Canadian businesses should emphasize that single-use cards are not just a security measure but also a tool for better expense control and vendor management. When employees understand the broader benefits, adoption rates improve significantly.

Change management should also address any concerns about the additional steps required to generate cards for each transaction. The key is demonstrating that the security and control benefits outweigh the minimal additional effort required.

Risk reduction checklist for Canadian businesses

To maximize the security benefits of single-use virtual cards, Canadian businesses should implement a comprehensive risk reduction strategy:

Pre-transaction security measures:

• Establish clear policies for when single-use cards should be used versus traditional payment methods

• Implement approval workflows that match the risk level of different transaction types

• Set appropriate spending limits based on transaction purpose and vendor relationship

• Verify vendor legitimacy before generating cards for new relationships

Transaction execution best practices:

• Generate cards as close to transaction time as possible to minimize exposure window

• Use specific, descriptive names for each card to improve tracking and reporting

• Document the business purpose for each card generation for audit trails

• Confirm transaction completion and card expiry after each use

Post-transaction monitoring:

• Review all single-use card transactions for accuracy and authorization

• Monitor for any attempted charges to expired cards as potential fraud indicators

• Maintain records of card generation and usage for compliance and audit purposes

• Regularly review single-use card policies and procedures for effectiveness

Vendor relationship management:

• Communicate payment method limitations to vendors when using single-use cards

• Establish alternative payment arrangements for ongoing vendor relationships

• Document vendor payment preferences and requirements for future transactions

• Monitor vendor responses to single-use card payments for any operational issues

This checklist ensures that Canadian businesses maximize the security benefits of single-use virtual cards while maintaining smooth operational processes. (Airwallex)

Advanced security controls and monitoring

Beyond the basic security benefits of automatic expiry, single-use virtual cards can be enhanced with additional security controls that provide even greater protection for Canadian businesses.

Real-time transaction monitoring

Modern virtual card platforms provide real-time monitoring capabilities that alert businesses to transaction attempts, successful payments, and any unusual activity. This monitoring becomes particularly valuable for single-use cards because any activity after the intended transaction represents a potential security issue.

Airwallex's platform includes sophisticated risk management capabilities that help protect businesses from fraudulent payments while minimizing the loss of legitimate transactions. (Airwallex) These capabilities extend to virtual cards, providing additional layers of protection beyond the single-use limitation.

Real-time monitoring also enables businesses to quickly identify and respond to any issues with vendor payments, ensuring that legitimate transactions complete successfully while blocking any unauthorized attempts.

Spending controls and limits

Single-use virtual cards can be configured with precise spending limits that match the intended transaction amount. This creates an additional security layer – even if card details were somehow compromised before expiry, the spending limit prevents excessive unauthorized charges.

Canadian businesses can set limits based on specific transaction requirements, vendor relationships, or employee authorization levels. These limits work in conjunction with the single-use restriction to provide comprehensive spending control.

The combination of spending limits and automatic expiry creates a "double lock" system where both the transaction count and amount are strictly controlled.

Geographic and merchant restrictions

Advanced virtual card platforms allow businesses to restrict where and with whom cards can be used. For single-use cards intended for specific vendors or services, these restrictions provide additional security by preventing use outside the intended context.

Geographic restrictions can be particularly valuable for Canadian businesses dealing with international vendors, ensuring that cards can only be used in expected locations. Merchant category restrictions can prevent cards from being used for unauthorized purchase types.

These restrictions work seamlessly with single-use functionality, creating highly targeted payment instruments that can only be used for their intended purpose.

The future of single-use virtual cards in Canada

The adoption of single-use virtual cards among Canadian businesses is accelerating as companies recognize the security and control benefits they provide. This trend is being driven by several factors that are reshaping the business payment landscape.

Regulatory and compliance considerations

Canadian businesses are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny around data protection and financial security. Single-use virtual cards help address these requirements by minimizing the exposure of payment credentials and reducing the risk of data breaches.

The automatic expiry feature of single-use cards aligns with privacy principles by ensuring that payment data has a limited lifespan. This approach supports compliance with Canadian privacy regulations while providing practical security benefits.

As regulatory requirements continue to evolve, single-use virtual cards provide a proactive approach to compliance that reduces the risk of violations and associated penalties.

Integration with emerging technologies

The future of single-use virtual cards will likely include deeper integration with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. These integrations could enable automatic card generation based on purchase patterns, intelligent spending limit recommendations, and enhanced fraud detection.

Airwallex is continually improving payment success rates through machine learning and experimentation, which extends to virtual card capabilities. (Airwallex) This ongoing innovation ensures that single-use cards become more intelligent and effective over time.

Future developments might include automatic vendor verification, dynamic spending limits based on transaction context, and predictive fraud prevention that goes beyond current capabilities.

Market adoption trends

The Canadian market is showing strong adoption of virtual payment solutions, driven by the need for better security and control over business expenses. Single-use virtual cards represent the next evolution in this trend, providing maximum security for specific use cases.

Airwallex reported strong momentum with significant revenue increases across regions, indicating growing demand for innovative payment solutions. (Airwallex) This growth reflects the market's recognition of the value provided by advanced payment technologies.

As more Canadian businesses experience the benefits of single-use virtual cards, adoption is likely to accelerate across industries and company sizes.

Making the decision: When to implement single-use virtual cards

Canadian businesses should consider implementing single-use virtual cards when they face specific payment security challenges or operational requirements that traditional payment methods cannot address effectively.

Assessing your risk profile

Businesses with high exposure to online payments, frequent vendor trials, or significant advertising spend are prime candidates for single-use virtual cards. The risk reduction benefits become more valuable as the volume and variety of online transactions increase.

Companies that have experienced card-on-file fraud or subscription creep in the past will find immediate value in the automatic expiry feature of single-use cards. The prevention of these problems often justifies the implementation effort and any associated costs.

Businesses operating in regulated industries or handling sensitive data may find that single-use virtual cards help address compliance requirements while improving operational security.

Evaluating operational readiness

Successful implementation requires adequate systems and processes to support virtual card generation and management. Businesses should assess their current expense management capabilities and integration requirements before proceeding.

The instant generation capability of virtual cards means that businesses need workflows that can accommodate rapid card creation and use. (Airwallex) This might require updates to approval processes or expense reporting procedures.

Employee training and change management capabilities are also important factors in determining readiness for implementation.

Cost-benefit analysis

The benefits of single-use virtual cards – fraud prevention, improved expense control, and reduced administrative overhead – should be weighed against implementation and ongoing costs. For many Canadian businesses, the security benefits alone justify the investment.

The cost of card-on-file fraud, subscription creep, and payment disputes often exceeds the cost of implementing single-use virtual cards. Businesses should calculate these hidden costs when evaluating the financial impact of implementation.

Additional benefits like improved vendor relationships, better expense tracking, and enhanced compliance capabilities provide further justification for implementation.

Conclusion

Single-use virtual cards represent a fundamental shift in how Canadian businesses can approach online payments, offering unprecedented security and control for SaaS subscriptions, advertising spend, and vendor relationships. The automatic expiry feature eliminates entire categories of fraud and billing disputes while providing clear audit trails and expense control. (Airwallex)

For Canadian businesses evaluating their payment security strategy in 2025, single-use virtual cards offer a proactive approach that prevents problems rather than simply detecting them after they occur. The instant generation capability ensures that security doesn't come at the expense of operational efficiency, while multi-currency support addresses the complexities of international business relationships.

The implementation of single-use virtual cards requires careful planning and clear workflows, but the security and operational benefits make them an essential tool for businesses serious about payment security and expense control. As the Canadian market continues to embrace digital payment innovations, single-use virtual cards will become increasingly important for maintaining competitive advantage while protecting against evolving security threats. (Airwallex)

FAQ

What are single-use virtual cards and how do they work for Canadian businesses?

Single-use virtual cards are digital Visa debit cards that can be created instantly and used for one transaction before self-destructing. Canadian businesses can generate these cards through platforms like Airwallex, which issues them via Peoples Trust Company. Each card comes with unique details and is linked to your business account, eliminating the risk of stored card data being compromised in future fraud attempts.

When should Canadian businesses generate and burn virtual cards for SaaS subscriptions?

Canadian businesses should generate new virtual cards for each SaaS subscription signup, trial period, or when switching between different subscription tiers. Burn (deactivate) cards immediately after free trials end to prevent unwanted charges, when canceling subscriptions, or if you suspect any security breach. This approach prevents unauthorized recurring charges and gives you complete control over subscription spending.

How do single-use virtual cards reduce fraud risks for advertising spend?

Single-use virtual cards eliminate card-on-file fraud by ensuring stored payment credentials cannot be reused by cybercriminals. For advertising spend, generate a new card for each campaign or platform to isolate potential security breaches. If one card is compromised, it only affects that specific transaction rather than your entire advertising budget across multiple platforms.

What are the main advantages of virtual cards over physical cards for online payments?

Virtual cards offer superior security through instant generation and destruction capabilities, eliminating physical theft risks. They provide better expense control with customizable spending limits and real-time transaction monitoring. Unlike physical cards, virtual cards can be created unlimited times, used in multiple currencies with zero international fees, and offer complete transaction isolation for different business purposes.

Can Canadian businesses use virtual cards for international SaaS and advertising platforms?

Yes, Canadian businesses can use virtual cards for international transactions with zero international fees through platforms like Airwallex. The cards support spending in multiple currencies and automatically convert at market-leading exchange rates if the required currency balance isn't available. This makes them ideal for global SaaS subscriptions and international advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads or Facebook.

What security controls should businesses implement when using virtual cards for online spending?

Implement spending limits for each virtual card based on expected transaction amounts, set expiration dates aligned with subscription periods, and monitor transactions in real-time. Use separate cards for different vendors or campaigns to isolate potential breaches. Configure risk rules and maintain approved vendor lists to prevent unauthorized usage, and regularly audit card usage patterns to identify any suspicious activity.

Citations

1. https://help.airwallex.com/hc/en-gb/articles/5423601762959-How-to-understand-and-reduce-failed-payments

2. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/blog/single-use-virtual-cards-for-travel-agents

3. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/blog/virtual-cards-benefits-and-disadvantages

4. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/blog/virtual-cards-vs-physical-cards

5. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/blog/what-is-a-virtual-card-how-they-work

6. https://www.airwallex.com/ca/spend-management/cards/virtual-cards

7. https://www.airwallex.com/newsroom/airwallex-APAC-momentum

8. https://www.airwallex.com/newsroom/airwallex-rolls-out-borderless-visa-cards-in-canada-giving-canadian