Q: What is a 'bank hold' and why would my bank hold an international transfer?
Banks are required by law to carry out anti-money-laundering (AML) and fraud prevention checks, particularly on international transfers or unusual payment patterns. Even if your transfer is entirely legitimate, your bank's automated systems may flag it for a manual review. During this review, the funds have technically left your available balance (which is why your account looks debited) but have not yet been dispatched into the payment network.
Common reasons a bank might place a temporary hold include:
It is your first transfer to PandaMoney or to this type of fintech platform.
The transfer amount is larger than your usual transaction history.
Your bank has recently updated its compliance controls or risk thresholds.
The transfer is to an international account in a different currency corridor.
Q: How long can a bank hold last?
Most internal bank holds are resolved within a few hours. However, in some cases particularly for first-time international transfers or larger amounts holds can last up to 2-3 business days. In rare circumstances involving enhanced due diligence, a bank may contact you to verify the purpose of the payment before releasing the funds.
⚠️ If your transfer has not arrived at PandaMoney and your bank shows the payment as 'processing' or 'pending release' for more than 24 hours, we strongly recommend contacting your bank directly to ask about the status of the payment and whether the funds have been released into the payment network.
Q: What should I ask my bank when I call them?
When you contact your bank, ask them the following specific questions to get a clear answer quickly:
"Has my payment of [amount] been released / dispatched into the payment network?"
"Is there a hold or compliance review on this transaction?"
"Can you give me the payment reference or UETR so I can share it with the recipient?"
"What is the expected release time if the payment is still on hold?"
"Was this sent via SEPA Instant, SEPA Credit Transfer, or Faster Payments?"
📌 Having your bank's payment confirmation reference or UETR is extremely helpful when contacting PandaMoney support, as it allows our team to trace the payment through the network.
Q: My bank says the funds have been released. How long until PandaMoney confirms the transfer?
Once your bank has confirmed the payment is released into the network, the following timeframes apply:
Usually reflected on PandaMoney within minutes.SEPA Instant:
Reflected on PandaMoney within the same business day or the next, depending on cut-off times.SEPA Credit Transfer:
Usually reflected on PandaMoney within 30 minutes to 2 hours.Faster Payments:
If your bank confirms the funds were released but PandaMoney still has not updated your transfer after these windows, please contact PandaMoney support immediately with your bank's payment reference.