ATM and Debit Cards

ATM and debit-card terms for cash withdrawals, account access, card purchases, holds, fees, and transaction disputes.

ATM and debit cards both provide access to funds in a linked deposit account, but they are not interchangeable. An ATM Card may be limited to cash-machine and account-service transactions, while a Debit Card can also support merchant purchases through a payment network.

Use this section to follow what happens from card presentation through authorization, any temporary hold, clearing, settlement, and account posting. For the machine itself, see Automated Teller Machine. For the funding distinction, Debit Card vs. Credit Card compares deposit-funded purchases with revolving borrowing.

The practical questions are whether the card supports the intended transaction, when available funds are restricted, which fees and limits apply, and what evidence is needed for an error or unauthorized-transfer claim. Product agreements and local law control specific rights and liabilities.

In this section

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ATM Card

An ATM card is an account-linked access card used primarily for cash withdrawals and other supported ATM transactions.

Debit Card

A debit card initiates purchases or cash withdrawals against a linked bank or credit-union account.

Debit vs. Credit Card

Debit cards draw from a deposit account, while credit cards use a borrowing line that the cardholder must repay.

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