What is Settlement?
“Settlement” is when Atoa pays out funds to your nominated business bank account.
The timing of settlement depends on the payment method (Pay by Bank or card payments) and the terms agreed in your order form.
Card Payment Settlement
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Funds collected via card payments (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are settled to the merchant's bank account on business days only (Monday–Friday, excluding Public Holidays).
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For example, If you are on "T+2" settlement (i.e. two business days), transactions taken on Monday will typically settle on Wednesday. Transactions taken on Thursday, will settle on the following Monday.
Why would a card settlement be delayed?
Card settlement to a merchant’s bank account can occasionally take longer than expected due to normal operational factors within the payment and banking ecosystem.
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Clearing file or processor delays – Issues in the settlement file or processing queue from the card acquirer can slow payout timing
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Bank cut-off times – Transactions processed after daily cut-offs, weekends, or public holidays may roll to the next business day
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Scheme/network timing – Card networks (Visa/Mastercard/AMEX) and interbank processes can introduce short delays in settlement cycles
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Compliance or risk checks – Routine monitoring (e.g. fraud or AML checks) may briefly hold funds for review
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Batching and reconciliation timing – Variations in when transactions are batched, reconciled, and released for payout
In the vast majority of cases, these are short-term timing delays which are typically resolved in 1-2 business days. Your funds remain secure while settlement is completed.
Important Note on Card Settlement Timings
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Please note that card settlements can arrive at any time during the agreed settlement day.
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Please wait until the next business day before escalating the matter to Customer Care.
Accessing support on settlement issues
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You can view card settlement details by visiting the Card payouts section within your Atoa dashboard.
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If you need additional support, please contact our Care Team via Live Chat or email (hello@paywithatoa.co.uk).
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To help us resolve your query as quickly as possible, please include the following details: Are you querying a Pay by Bank or Card settlement? What is the date of the transactions that have not been settled? Share your business name and contact details so we can reach out to you.