Ghost card

A ghost card is a digital-only card that businesses use to manage different types of expenses without issuing a physical card to individual employees. These cards are similar to virtual credit cards (VCCs) but with a key difference: virtual cards are usually created for single transactions or short-term use, while ghost cards are issued to departments and can be used repeatedly for multiple purchases.

Ghost cards offer more control and visibility than corporate cards because they can be restricted to specific merchants or categories, reducing the risk of unauthorized spending.

A common use case for ghost cards is managing travel expenditures. For example, a corporate travel department may assign a ghost card to its sales team to book flights and hotels via a preferred online travel agency (OTA). In such cases, spending limits are set according to the travel policy defined in the company’s corporate travel program.