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Why was my transfer cancelled?

We know it can be worrying when a transfer is cancelled. We’ll always notify you by email with the reason why.

The most common reasons are listed below, along with what you should do to get your money moving again.

First step: check your email. For almost every cancelled transfer, we send an email explaining what happened and what to do next. Please check your email inbox (and your spam or junk folder).


You sent us money without setting up a transfer

What happened

If you send money to one of our bank accounts without setting up a transfer first, we won't know what to do with it.

What to do next

We'll automatically try to handle the money for you.

  • Most of the time, we'll add the money to your Wise balance in that currency. It’ll show on your activity list as ‘AutoCredit’

  • If you don't have a balance in that currency, we'll refund it directly to the bank account it came from. It’ll show on your transaction list as ‘AutoRefund’


You didn't pay for your transfer

What happened

If you set up a transfer but don't pay for it on time, we have to cancel it automatically. This usually happens after 2 weeks.

What to do next

You'll need to set up a new transfer. You won't get the same rate as the original one, as the guaranteed rate will have expired.


We needed more information from you

What happened

To keep your money safe and comply with regulations, sometimes we need more information from you. This could be a copy of your ID or a document about your transfer. We'll always ask for this in an email.

If we don’t hear back from you within 2 working days, we have to cancel and refund your transfer.

What to do next

  1. Check your email (including your spam/junk folder) for a message from us

  2. Follow the instructions in the email to provide the information we need. If your transfer hasn't been refunded yet, we can often resume it once we have that information


Your transfer went against our policies

What happened

We can't process transfers that go against our Customer Agreement. In these cases, we have to cancel the transfer and may sometimes also need to close your account.

What to do next

We'll always explain the situation in an email. Please check your inbox for a message from us with more details.


The recipient’s details were wrong

What happened

If there's a mistake in the recipient's bank details, their bank will usually reject the payment. The money will then return to us.

What to do next

We’ll email you as soon as the money returns.

You can check the details you originally entered by downloading your transfer receipt. Once you know what needs fixing, you can choose to:

  • Fix the recipient’s details so we can try sending the money again

  • Cancel the transfer for a full refund

If we don’t hear from you in 2 working days, we’ll cancel the transfer and refund it to you. You can then set up another transfer, and you won’t be charged.


The recipient's bank cancelled it

What happened

Sometimes, even if all the details are correct, a recipient's bank might reject a payment.

What to do next

The money will be sent back to us, and we'll let you know once we receive it. Because the issue is with their bank, your recipient will need to contact them directly to find out what went wrong.

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