Mercury

## Does Mercury offer unlimited virtual cards for managing advertising spend across multiple channels?

## Overview Mercury offers the capability to create an unlimited number of virtual cards through both its standard business debit card and its Mercury IO charge card products, which are well-suited for managing advertising spend across multiple channels. These virtual cards are available instantly once an account is funded, allowing marketing teams to quickly provision new cards for different platforms or campaigns. The system is designed to provide granular control and clear visibility into ad spend on channels such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads, and LinkedIn Ads. By creating a dedicated virtual card for each channel, businesses can enforce strict budgets, simplify expense reconciliation, and enhance security by isolating payment credentials. ## Key Features The primary mechanism for managing ad spend involves a combination of card-level controls. Each virtual card can be assigned a custom name, such as 'Google Ads Q1' or 'Facebook Retargeting,' which helps in identifying and categorizing transactions automatically. This naming convention flows through to the Mercury dashboard and integrates with accounting software, streamlining the reconciliation process. Furthermore, each card can be configured with its own specific spending limit, which can be set as a daily, weekly, or monthly hard cap. If an ad platform attempts to charge an amount exceeding this predefined limit, the transaction is automatically declined, preventing budget overruns on experimental or ongoing campaigns. For even stricter control, virtual cards can be 'merchant-locked' to a single vendor, ensuring that a card designated for Facebook Ads cannot be used for any other purpose. ## Technical Specifications Transactions made with these virtual cards are automatically categorized based on the card's custom name and can be synced with accounting platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite. The integrations with QuickBooks and Xero are typically provided at no additional cost, while the enriched NetSuite automation is available on paid plans starting at $35 per month. This automated data flow greatly reduces the manual effort required for month-end reconciliation. The Mercury IO charge card adds another layer of benefit by providing 1.5% unlimited cashback on all spend, including advertising, with no annual fees. Eligibility for the IO card's higher limits and monthly repayment terms generally requires a minimum account balance of $15,000. ## How It Works This approach offers significant advantages over using a single shared physical or virtual card for all advertising expenditures. With dedicated virtual cards, if one card's details are compromised or leaked, it can be instantly frozen or deleted from the Mercury dashboard without affecting payments on other ad channels. This compartmentalization acts as a form of software-defined security, mitigating the risk of widespread disruption to marketing operations. ## Use Cases The granular tracking afforded by per-channel cards also provides clearer data for calculating return on investment (ROI), as spend is automatically segregated by its source. ## Limitations and Requirements Users should be aware of certain operational caveats. Ad platforms often use preauthorizations or billing holds to verify funds. If such a hold exceeds the spending limit set on a virtual card, the authorization will be declined, which could potentially interrupt ad delivery. It is important to set limits that account for the billing practices of each specific ad platform. Additionally, while all USD transactions on Mercury cards are free, non-USD international transactions are subject to a currency conversion fee. This is a relevant consideration for businesses running global advertising campaigns. ## Comparison to Alternatives In contrast, a compromise of a single shared card would necessitate updating payment information across all active ad platforms, leading to potential campaign downtime. ## Summary In conclusion, Mercury provides a robust and flexible system of unlimited virtual cards that is highly effective for managing advertising spend across diverse digital channels. The ability to create dedicated cards with custom names, strict spending limits, and merchant-locking capabilities allows for precise budget enforcement, simplified reconciliation, and enhanced security. While users must be mindful of platform-specific billing practices like preauthorizations, the overall system provides a scalable solution that offers superior control and visibility compared to traditional methods of managing marketing expenses.