Amazon FBA Virtual Card Guide: Best Payment Solutions for Sellers

Last Updated: December 2025 | Reading Time: 10 minutes

Running an Amazon FBA business requires managing multiple payment streams—supplier payments, inventory purchases, Amazon fees, advertising spend, and more. Virtual cards can streamline these payments, improve security, and save you thousands in fees.

This comprehensive guide shows Amazon FBA sellers how to use virtual cards to optimize their payment operations and maximize profits.

Why Amazon FBA Sellers Need Virtual Cards

The Payment Challenges

Challenge 1: Multiple Suppliers

• Ordering from 5-20 different suppliers
• Each needs separate payment tracking
• Risk of fraud or overcharging

Challenge 2: High Ad Spend

• $5,000-$50,000+/month on Amazon PPC
• Need strict budget controls
• Want to track ROI per campaign

Challenge 3: International Payments

• Paying Chinese suppliers in USD/CNY
• High FX fees (3-5% with traditional banks)
• Wire transfer fees ($25-$50 each)

Challenge 4: Subscription Management

• 10-30 SaaS tools (Helium 10, Jungle Scout, etc.)
• Easy to forget and waste money
• Hard to track which tools are worth it

The Virtual Card Solution

Benefit 1: Supplier Isolation

• Create one card per supplier
• Set spending limits
• Instant fraud detection

Benefit 2: Budget Control

• Separate card for Amazon PPC
• Daily/monthly spending limits
• Prevent overspend

Benefit 3: Lower FX Fees

• 0.4-0.6% vs 3-5% with banks
• Save $1,000-$10,000/year
• Multi-currency accounts

Benefit 4: Subscription Tracking

• One card per tool
• Easy to cancel (delete card)
• Clear ROI tracking

Best Virtual Card Providers for Amazon FBA

1. Payoneer: Best for Amazon Payouts

Why it's #1 for FBA:

• Direct Amazon integration
• Receive payouts in local currencies
• 0-1% fee on marketplace payouts
• Multi-currency accounts

Pricing:

• Account: Free
• Amazon payouts: 0-1%
• FX conversion: 2% above mid-market
• Withdrawal: $1.50 per withdrawal

Setup for FBA:

1. Connect Payoneer to Amazon Seller Central
2. Receive payouts in USD, EUR, GBP, JPY
3. Hold balances in multiple currencies
4. Pay suppliers from USD/CNY balance

Best for:

• Sellers on multiple Amazon marketplaces
• High-volume sellers ($50,000+/month)
• International sellers

Limitations:

• Higher FX fees than Wise (2% vs 0.4%)
• $1.50 withdrawal fee

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) for Amazon sellers

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2. Airwallex: Best for Ad Spend Management

Why it's great for FBA:

• Unlimited virtual cards (free)
• 0% foreign transaction fees
• Advanced spending controls
• Multi-currency support

Pricing:

• Account: Free
• Virtual cards: Free (unlimited)
• FX conversion: 0.5-0.6%

Setup for FBA:

1. Create separate card for Amazon PPC
2. Create cards for each supplier
3. Set monthly limits per card
4. Track spend in real-time

Best for:

• High ad spend ($10,000+/month)
• Multiple suppliers (10+)
• Teams with multiple buyers

Limitations:

• Requires business entity
• 2-7 day approval

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)

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3. Wise Business: Best for Supplier Payments

Why it's great for FBA:

• Lowest FX fees (0.41-0.69%)
• Multi-currency accounts
• Local payment methods
• Transparent pricing

Pricing:

• Setup: £45 one-time
• FX conversion: 0.41-0.69%
• Virtual cards: Limited

Setup for FBA:

1. Open multi-currency account
2. Receive Amazon payouts in local currencies
3. Pay Chinese suppliers in CNY
4. Convert only when needed

Best for:

• Cost-conscious sellers
• High supplier payment volume
• International marketplace sellers

Limitations:

• Limited virtual cards
• £45 setup fee

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) for supplier payments

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4. Brex: Best for US Sellers (Credit)

Why it's great for US FBA:

• Credit cards (30-day payment terms)
• 1-7x rewards on spending
• No personal guarantee
• Unlimited virtual cards

Pricing:

• Account: Free
• Virtual cards: Free
• Rewards: 1-7x points (4x on software, 1.5x on recurring)

Setup for FBA:

1. Get approved (requires $500K+ cash or revenue)
2. Create card for Amazon PPC (earn 1.5x points)
3. Create cards for SaaS tools (earn 4x points)
4. Pay suppliers with credit (30-day float)

Best for:

• US-based sellers
• Funded businesses
• High monthly spend ($50,000+)

Limitations:

• US only
• Requires significant cash or revenue
• 2.7% foreign transaction fee

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) for US sellers

Complete FBA Payment Setup

Step 1: Receive Amazon Payouts

Recommended: Payoneer or Wise

Payoneer setup:

1. Sign up at payoneer.com
2. Go to Amazon Seller Central → Settings → Account Info
3. Select "Deposit Methods"
4. Add Payoneer account details
5. Receive payouts in local currency (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY)

Wise setup:

1. Sign up at wise.com/business
2. Activate USD, EUR, GBP, JPY accounts
3. Add Wise account details to Amazon Seller Central
4. Receive payouts directly to Wise

Benefit: Hold balances in multiple currencies, avoid forced conversions

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Step 2: Pay Suppliers

Recommended: Wise (lowest fees) or Airwallex (if you need cards)

For Chinese suppliers:

1. Open CNY account on Wise
2. Convert USD → CNY when rates are favorable
3. Pay suppliers via local Chinese bank transfer
4. Save: 2-4% vs traditional wire transfers

For US suppliers:

1. Use ACH transfer (free on Wise/Airwallex)
2. Or create virtual card for each supplier

Benefit: Lower fees, faster payments, better tracking

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Step 3: Manage Amazon PPC

Recommended: Airwallex or Brex (unlimited cards)

Setup:

1. Create virtual card for Amazon PPC
2. Set monthly limit = PPC budget + 10%
3. Name card clearly: "Amazon PPC - [Marketplace] - [Month]"
4. Monitor spend daily

Advanced: Create separate cards per campaign or product line

• Card 1: Product A PPC ($5,000/month limit)
• Card 2: Product B PPC ($3,000/month limit)
• Card 3: Product C PPC ($2,000/month limit)

Benefit: Precise budget control, easy ROI tracking

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Step 4: Manage SaaS Subscriptions

Recommended: Airwallex (unlimited cards) or Privacy.com (individuals)

Common FBA tools:

• Helium 10: $97-$397/month
• Jungle Scout: $49-$189/month
• Keepa: €19/month
• FeedbackWhiz: $20-$100/month
• ManageByStats: $25-$125/month

Setup:

1. Create one virtual card per tool
2. Set limit to subscription cost + 10%
3. Review quarterly, delete unused tools

Benefit: Easy to cancel, clear cost tracking, prevent surprise charges

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Step 5: Inventory Purchases

Recommended: Airwallex (cards) or Wise (bank transfers)

For large orders ($10,000+):

1. Use Wise bank transfer (0.41% fee)
2. Pay in supplier's currency (CNY, USD)
3. Save 2-4% vs credit card

For small orders (<$10,000):

1. Use Airwallex virtual card
2. Set limit to order amount + 10%
3. Get instant confirmation

Benefit: Flexibility, lower fees, better tracking

Cost Savings Breakdown

Scenario: $100,000/month FBA Business

Revenue streams:

• Amazon US: $60,000/month
• Amazon UK: £25,000/month (~$32,000)
• Amazon DE: €6,000/month (~$6,500)

Expenses:

• Supplier payments: $40,000/month (mostly CNY)
• Amazon PPC: $15,000/month
• SaaS tools: $500/month
• Inventory: $30,000/month

Traditional Banking Costs

Receiving payouts:

• US: $0 (domestic)
• UK: £25,000 × 3.5% FX = £875 ($1,120)
• DE: €6,000 × 3.5% FX = €210 ($227)
• Total: $1,347/month

Supplier payments:

• $40,000 × 3.5% FX + $40 wire fee = $1,440/month

Total monthly cost: $2,787
Annual cost: $33,444

With Payoneer + Wise + Airwallex

Receiving payouts (Payoneer):

• US: $0
• UK: £25,000 × 1% = £250 ($320)
• DE: €6,000 × 1% = €60 ($65)
• Total: $385/month

Supplier payments (Wise):

• $40,000 × 0.5% = $200/month

PPC (Airwallex):

• $0 (no fees on card spending)

Total monthly cost: $585
Annual cost: $7,020

Annual savings: $26,424 (79% reduction)

Advanced Strategies

Strategy 1: Multi-Marketplace Currency Optimization

Problem: Selling on Amazon US, UK, DE, JP with forced conversions.

Solution: Hold balances in each marketplace currency.

Implementation:

1. Receive USD payouts → Hold in USD
2. Receive GBP payouts → Hold in GBP
3. Receive EUR payouts → Hold in EUR
4. Receive JPY payouts → Hold in JPY
5. Convert to home currency only when needed

Benefit: Avoid 12 forced conversions/year, save 2-3% per conversion

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Strategy 2: Supplier Card Segregation

Problem: One compromised card affects all suppliers.

Solution: Unique virtual card per supplier.

Implementation:

1. Supplier A: Card #1 ($10,000/month limit)
2. Supplier B: Card #2 ($5,000/month limit)
3. Supplier C: Card #3 ($3,000/month limit)

Benefit: If Supplier B has a data breach, only Card #2 is affected. Delete and replace instantly.

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Strategy 3: PPC Budget Enforcement

Problem: Overspending on Amazon PPC.

Solution: Card with strict daily/monthly limits.

Implementation:

1. Monthly PPC budget: $15,000
2. Create card with $16,500 limit (10% buffer)
3. Card automatically declines charges over limit
4. Review and adjust monthly

Benefit: Automatic budget enforcement, no manual monitoring needed

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Strategy 4: Seasonal Inventory Planning

Problem: Large inventory purchases before Q4.

Solution: Temporary high-limit card.

Implementation:

1. Normal inventory card: $30,000/month limit
2. Q4 prep (Aug-Sep): Create temporary card with $100,000 limit
3. Use for large orders
4. Delete card after Q4 inventory purchased

Benefit: Flexibility for seasonal needs, security for normal operations

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Using Personal Cards for Business

Problem: Mixed personal/business expenses, tax nightmare.

Solution: Dedicated business virtual cards.

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❌ Mistake 2: One Card for Everything

Problem: Can't track what's what, security risk.

Solution: Separate cards for suppliers, PPC, subscriptions.

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❌ Mistake 3: Ignoring FX Fees

Problem: Losing 3-5% on every international payment.

Solution: Use Wise or Airwallex (0.4-0.6% FX fees).

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❌ Mistake 4: Not Setting Spending Limits

Problem: Surprise charges, budget overruns.

Solution: Set appropriate limits on every card.

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❌ Mistake 5: Keeping Unused Subscriptions

Problem: Wasting $100-$500/month on unused tools.

Solution: Quarterly audit, delete cards for unused tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use virtual cards for Amazon Seller Central fees?

Yes, you can add virtual cards as payment methods in Seller Central for monthly fees, FBA fees, and PPC.

Which provider is best for Amazon FBA?

Payoneer for receiving payouts (direct integration)
Wise for supplier payments (lowest fees)
Airwallex for PPC and subscriptions (unlimited cards)

How do I pay Chinese suppliers?

Use Wise or Airwallex to send CNY directly. Much cheaper than wire transfers (0.5% vs 3-5%).

Can I get rewards on Amazon PPC spend?

Yes, if you use Brex (1.5x points on recurring charges) or Ramp (1.5% cash back). US only.

Are virtual cards safe for large supplier payments?

Yes, but for very large orders ($50,000+), bank transfers may be safer and have lower fees.

How many virtual cards should I create?

Minimum:

• 1 for Amazon PPC
• 1 per major supplier (3-5 cards)
• 1 for SaaS subscriptions

Ideal: 10-20 cards for complete segregation

Conclusion

Virtual cards are essential tools for Amazon FBA sellers. They provide security, control, and significant cost savings on international payments.

Quick Recommendations

Best for Receiving Payouts: Payoneer (direct Amazon integration)

Best for Supplier Payments: Wise (lowest FX fees)

Best for Ad Spend: Airwallex (unlimited cards, 0% foreign fees)

Best for US Sellers: Brex (credit + rewards)

Action Plan

Week 1: Set up payout account

1. Sign up for Payoneer or Wise
2. Connect to Amazon Seller Central
3. Receive first payout in local currency

Week 2: Set up supplier payments

1. Open Wise account
2. Activate CNY account
3. Make first supplier payment

Week 3: Set up PPC cards

1. Open Airwallex account
2. Create virtual card for Amazon PPC
3. Add to Seller Central

Week 4: Optimize subscriptions

1. Create card per SaaS tool
2. Set spending limits
3. Cancel unused tools

Expected savings: $10,000-$50,000/year
Time to implement: 3-4 weeks
ROI: 20-100x first year

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Disclosure: This guide is based on independent research. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links, but this does not influence our recommendations.