User capabilities

Learn what capabilities your users can have in your platform

A capability is an action that a user can perform in your platform, for example, receiving payments.

In most cases, Adyen configures default capabilities for your business during the design phase. These capabilities are automatically requested for your users when you create account holders for them. If a user needs a specific capability that is not part of their default configuration, you must request the additional capability.

It is possible that requesting additional capabilities prompts additional KYC checks on your users.

General capabilities

Depending on your settings, capabilities are requested automatically for new account holders, or you have to request them separately when needed.

Capability name	Display name in Customer Area	Description
receiveFromBalanceAccount	Receive funds from balance accounts	Allows users to receive funds from other balance accounts in your platform. This capability is only required if the balance accounts are not under the same account holder.
receiveFromTransferInstrument	Receive funds from transfer instruments	Allows users to receive funds from verified bank accounts.
sendToBalanceAccount	Send funds to balance accounts	Allows users to transfer funds to other balance accounts in your platform. This capability is only required if the balance accounts are not under the same account holder.
sendToTransferInstrument	Send funds to transfer instruments	Allows users to transfer funds to verified bank accounts.

Capabilities for card issuing

API name	Display name in Customer Area	Description
issueCard	Issue cards for payments	Allows users to have an Adyen-issued card.
useCard	Use cards for payments	Allows users to use an Adyen-issued card.
withdrawFromAtm	Withdraw cash from ATMs	Allows users to withdraw cash from ATMs. This capability has levels.
withdrawFromAtmInRestrictedCountries	Withdraw cash from ATMs in restricted countries	Allows users to withdraw cash from ATMs in restricted countries. This capability has levels.
receiveFromTransferInstrument	Receive funds from transfer instruments	Allows users to receive funds from verified bank accounts.
sendToTransferInstrument	Send funds to transfer instruments	Allows users to transfer funds to verified bank accounts from balance accounts. From LEM API v3, this capability is verified at the level of the transfer instrument. This means, for example, that transfers are possible to a verified card independently of the verification status of other transfer instruments that the legal entity has.
useCardInRestrictedCountries	Use cards for payments in restricted countries	Allows users to use an Adyen-issued card to pay for goods and services in restricted countries. This capability has levels.
useCardInRestrictedIndustries	Use cards for payments in restricted industries	Allows users to use an Adyen-issued card to pay for goods and services from restricted industries. This capability has levels.
sendToBalanceAccount	Send funds to balance accounts	Allows users to Transfer funds to other balance accounts in your platform. This capability is only required if the balance accounts are not under the same account holder.
receiveFromBalanceAccount	Receive funds from balance accounts	Allows users to receive funds from other balance accounts in your platform. This capability is only required if the balance accounts are not under the same account holder.

Capability levels

Capabilities for card issuing can also have different levels: low, medium, or high. Levels increase the capability, but may also require more checks and increased monitoring. Adyen runs checks based on the requested capability and the capability level.

The amounts below are the threshold amounts per card, per day.

API name	Display name in Customer Area	Medium level	High level
withdrawFromAtm	Withdraw cash from ATMs	Less than or equal to EUR 750	More than EUR 750 and less than EUR 1500
withdrawFromAtmInRestrictedCountries	Withdraw cash from ATMs in restricted countries	Less than or equal to EUR 500	More than EUR 500 and less than EUR 1000
useCardInRestrictedCountries	Use cards for payments in restricted countries	Less than or equal to EUR 1500	Greater than EUR 1500
useCardInRestrictedIndustries	Use cards for payments in restricted industries	Industry-specific limits apply	Industry-specific limits apply

Verification status of a capability

Verification status of a capability indicates whether a user has passed KYC checks and meets requirements to use a specific capability. To get updates about the verification status of a capability, you can:

Listen to balancePlatform.accountHolder.created and balancePlatform.accountHolder.updated webhooks
Make a GET /accountHolders/{id} request

Here are the possible values for the capability verification status.

Status	Description
`pending`	The `pending` status indicates that the verification is in progress. At this verification phase, a capability requested for the first time is set to `requested` : true and `allowed` : false. If the capability has already been allowed, but some user data has changed and needs to be verified, you may see that the capability verification status is `pending` and the capability is `allowed` : true. This means that the user is still allowed to use capability while Adyen performs the checks.
`valid`	The `valid` status indicates that the verification is successfully completed and that the user meets the requirements to use a capability. With this verification status, the user can use the capability. Adyen sets the capability to `allowed` : true.
`invalid`	The `invalid` status indicates that the verification failed, for example due to incorrect information or missing documents. In this case, the webhook or the API response contains the problems object, including the `verificationErrors`, `subErrors`, and `remediatingActions` arrays returned on the linked legal entity. If there are verification errors, you must resolve them. With this verification status, Adyen sets the capability to `allowed` : false. This means the user is not permitted to use the capability until all verification errors are resolved and the verification process is completed successfully. If any user data changes or is missing after the previous verification has been completed successfully, Adyen reverts the capability verification status to `invalid`. In such a scenario, the user must provide the necessary information within a specific deadline. During this period, the user can continue using the capability, and its setting remains as `allowed` : true.
`rejected`	The `rejected` status indicates that Adyen completed verification, but the user does not meet the requirements to use a capability based on the submitted information. This status is final and any errors cannot be resolved by updating data or uploading documents. With this verification status, Adyen prohibits the user from performing the action and sets the capability to `allowed` : false.

Capability settings

The settings of a capability determine if it is available to a user and they can use it. To get updates about the capability settings, you can:

Listen to balancePlatform.accountHolder.created and balancePlatform.accountHolder.updated webhooks
Make a GET /accountHolders/{id} request. The API response contains the capabilities object that shows whether the capability is requested, allowed, and enabled. Below are the explanations for each setting.

Setting Possible values Description

requested

true, false

true: the capability has been requested. Default capabilities are requested automatically when you create an account holder. You can also request additional capabilities by including this setting in your API request.

false: the capability has not been requested yet.

allowed

true, false

true: the verification is successful and the user is permitted to use the capability. The capability can only be used when it is both allowed and enabled.

In some scenarios, such as when a user changes their information, the capability is set to true while the verification status is pending or invalid . The user must provide updated information within the given deadline. During the deadline, the user can still use the capability while Adyen verifies the data.

false: the verification is pending , invalid , or rejected . The user is not permitted to use the capability.

enabled

true, false

This setting allows you to manage your users’ access to capabilities. Changing this setting does not trigger verification checks or prevent a capability from being requested.

Note that this capability can only be used if it is both enabled and allowed.

Set to true to offer the capability to the user. Set to false to prevent them from using the capability.