Split payments into two steps — authorize funds upfront and capture them only when the transaction is confirmed, reducing fraud risk and refund costs.
Standard payments are typically “Immediate Sale,” meaning funds are debited simultaneously as the user pays. Auth & Capture splits the payment process into two distinct steps:
Ideal for scenarios with high costs and variable fees, such as AI image generation, LLM inference, and cloud compute rental.
Step
Timing
What happens
Auth
Before task starts
User submits a complex generation task. The system estimates a maximum fee of $10 and freezes that amount, ensuring the user’s card has sufficient funds to cover the compute cost.
Capture
After task ends
The task actually consumed 5,000 tokens valued at 4.50.Thesysteminitiatesacapturefor4.50 and automatically releases the remaining $5.50 credit limit.
Advantage: Avoids the poor experience of “Task interrupted due to insufficient balance” while preventing merchants from giving away expensive GPU resources for free.
The mainstream model for US/EU e-commerce (for example, Amazon).
Step
Timing
What happens
Auth
At order placement
User places an order for 100;systemfreezes100 credit limit.
Capture
At shipment
Merchant confirms stock and ships the package; system initiates a $100 capture, and funds are formally debited.
Advantage: Avoids financial reconciliation issues and fee losses caused by “User applies for refund immediately after payment” or refunds due to overselling.
Applicable to hotels, car rentals, power bank sharing, and similar services.
Step
Timing
What happens
Auth
At check-in/rental
Freeze an estimated fee (for example, $200 deposit).
Capture
At check-out/return
Initiate a capture for the actual amount based on actual consumption (for example, room rate plus minibar).
Advantage: Ensures the user’s card has sufficient funds to pay potential fees, preventing bad debt.
Supports capturing an amount less than the original frozen amount for a pre-authorized order.
Scenario: AI task estimated at 10,actualconsumption4.50.Operation: Initiate a Capture request for 4.50.Thesystemdebits4.50 and automatically releases the remaining $5.50 limit.
You can cancel the transaction at any time before initiating capture.
Scenario: AI task failed due to system overload; no actual cost incurred.Operation: Call the Void API.Feature: Zero cost (no processing fees), instant release (user limit restored within minutes) — far superior to refunds, which typically take 3–7 days.
Typically, Visa/Mastercard pre-authorizations are valid for 7 days. This is usually sufficient for AI services or e-commerce shipping. If you are in a special industry (e.g., long-term rentals), we can assist in applying to extend the pre-authorization window to 30 days.
Why don't I see the pre-authorized money in my account?
Pre-authorization only “freezes” the user’s credit limit; the funds are still in the user’s bank account and have not been transferred to the merchant. Funds will only begin settlement and enter your account balance after you successfully call the Capture interface.
Do I need to refund if the AI task fails?
No “Refund” is needed because the money hasn’t actually been taken. You simply need to call the Void interface or do nothing (wait for auto-expiration), and the user’s limit will be restored. This is simpler than the refund process and avoids user confusion over “Charged then Refunded.”
Can I perform multiple captures on a single authorization?
Currently, we primarily support Single Capture. Once you initiate a Capture (even for a partial amount), the remaining pre-authorized limit is automatically released. If you run a continuous AI service (e.g., chat stream billed by the minute), we recommend using the Tokenization feature to bind the card and initiate charges periodically (e.g., every hour or upon reaching a $10 threshold).
