You completed the payment.
The charge showed as pending.
Then hours — or days — passed.
Suddenly, the transaction disappeared.
No charge. No subscription. No receipt.
Your pending payment was automatically canceled.
Why Pending Payments Get Auto-Canceled
- The merchant failed to capture the authorized charge in time
- Your bank’s authorization window expired
- Fraud or risk screening blocked final settlement
- 3D Secure / verification steps were incomplete
Authorization ≠ completed payment.
If capture doesn’t happen, the hold is released.
How Long Before Auto-Cancellation Happens
- Most cards: 24–72 hours
- Some banks: up to 7 business days
- International payments: slightly longer
If the merchant doesn’t finalize billing in this window, the payment voids.
How to Retry the Payment Safely
- Wait until the pending hold fully disappears
- Use the same card only if authorization failure wasn’t the cause
- Switch to a different card or PayPal if retry fails
- Ensure verification (OTP / 3DS) completes fully
Retrying too early can trigger another cancellation.
How to Prevent Future Auto-Cancellations
- Enable international and online payments
- Disable strict fraud blocks temporarily
- Complete all verification prompts immediately
- Use cards known to support subscription billing
Fixing authorization issues reduces repeat pending failures.
When to Contact Support
- The pending charge lasted over 7 business days
- Funds never released back to your balance
- The merchant claims capture was completed
In rare cases, manual release is required.
Most pending payments cancel automatically — it’s a timing failure, not a charge.