You paid by card, returned the item, and now you are wondering where the money will show up. Here is the path a refund takes, what to expect, and how it differs from a dispute.
Published September 30, 2026 · 2 min read
It goes back to the card. When a merchant approves a refund, the request travels through the card network to the card you paid with, the same route the purchase took in the opposite direction. The Nexus Pay Visa card works this way like any other card, so the refund lands on the card and not in a separate place. Your wallet balance and your card balance are two steps of the same flow, and the refund arrives at the card end.
Because the purchase was a card payment, not a blockchain transfer. The merchant never saw your wallet or a deposit address, so it has nothing to send a coin to. It returns the money through the card network, and no network, address or minimum deposit amount is involved. This also removes one common worry: there is no risk of a refund being sent through the wrong blockchain network.
There is no single answer. The time depends on the merchant, who has to process the refund, and on the card network that carries it. This is the same as with any card, and a crypto-funded card is no exception. If the refund is not there yet, the first step is to ask the merchant when they sent it and whether they can give you a reference for it.
No. A refund is something the merchant agrees to and sends back. A dispute is a formal process you start when a merchant does not cooperate, for example when it refuses to return money you believe you are owed. Start with the merchant, and consider a dispute only if that fails. This is general information, not legal advice, and your rights depend on your situation and jurisdiction.
| Situation | Who starts it | Where the money goes | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant refund | The merchant, after you return or cancel | Back to the card through the card network | Timing depends on the merchant and the network |
| Dispute | You, when a merchant does not cooperate | Depends on the outcome of the formal process | A separate procedure, not a quick refund |
| Moving the balance to the wallet | You, in the app | From the card to the wallet | Works as usual once the money is on the card |
Yes. Once the refund is on the card, the balance can be moved to the wallet as usual. In Nexus Pay you can then keep it as it is, swap it between supported coins, or leave it on the card for the next purchase. Moving money from the wallet to the card carries a 0.1% fee, so check the fee page for current terms before you plan a round trip.
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