Frequently Asked
Questions
How can we help?
General
What is Winden?
Winden is a financial technology company that offers bank accounts and banking services for businesses in the United States. You get access to checking accounts, virtual cards, invoicing, tax automation, and much more.
We’re building banking for the internet economy. The world as we know it is no longer the same, and changes now occur in days and months, not years. The digital revolution is here, and Winden is at the center, supporting entrepreneurs and businesses propelling the growth of the global internet economy.
We’re fortunate to have the support of some amazing institutional investors like Accel and experienced operators.
We are a diverse and determined team of innovators, movers, and shakers. We are passionate about enabling our customers to do their best work.
We value critical thinking, craftsmanship, obsessive curiosity, intellectual honesty, and being customer-centric. We’re located in Los Angeles but work globally.
Can I open an account if I’m not physically in the US or a US resident?
Yes, we're proud to support U.S. companies founded by people all across the globe. You can open your account right from your browser without needing to visit the U.S.
There are a few exceptions. We can't currently open accounts for individuals living in the following countries: Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nicaragua, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.
Do I need to have an LLC or C-Corp to use Winden?
Nope! If you are a U.S. citizen or have a valid SSN, you can apply for an account as a sole proprietor using your SSN.
What do I need to apply for an account?
If you're applying as a sole proprietor, you'll need to provide proof of identity with your SSN. If you're applying as a U.S. C-Corp or LLC, you'll need to provide a federal EIN number, company formation documents, and proof of identity (SSN for U.S. citizens. Passport for non-U.S. citizens).
Is my account FDIC insured?
Yes. Each Winden account is insured up to the FDIC limit of $250,000. Winden works with FDIC-insured banks, including Blue Ridge Bank & Trust, Member FDIC, to store your deposits.
What does Winden cost?
Winden doesn't charge fees for anything -- no account minimums, monthly fees, overdraft fees, account fees, wire fees, etc. Please note however that we work with Allpoint to provide free ATM services and non-Allpoint ATMs may charge you a fee for using their services.
Security & Privacy
What is my SSN used for?
We use your SSN solely to verify your identity. We do not perform any credit checks.
Where are my funds kept?
Winden works with FDIC-insured banks, including Blue Ridge Bank & Trust, Member FDIC, to store your deposits.
Are my funds insured?
Yes, your checking accounts are insured up to the FDIC limit of $250,000.
Moving Money
Where can I find my wire details?
You can find wire details for each of your accounts by clicking on the Account Details option for each account on your dashboard. The account number and routing number are the same for ACH and wire transfers.
Can I send money via ACH?
Yes, you can send money via ACH for free through your Winden dashboard by going through the Move Money flow.
Can I send wire transfers?
Yes, you can send domestic wires for free through your Winden dashboard by going through the Move Money flow.
Can I send international wire transfers?
We do not currently support international wire transfers but plan to do so very soon. Once available, you will be able to send international wires for free.
Can I send checks?
At the moment, you are not able to send checks through Winden but this is another service that we will offer in the near future.
Debit Card
Who is eligible for a Winden business debit card?
Any customer approved for a Winden account is eligible to use our cards.
How do I activate my Winden debit card?
Click the Cards tab from the main Dashboard, then select the card you would like to activate. Next, click the More tab and select activate from the drop-down menu.
Where can I use my Winden business debit card?
You can use your Winden business debit card anywhere Visa is accepted (basically everywhere!).
How long does it take to get my Winden debit card?
A new physical card typically takes 7 to 10 business days to arrive. A virtual card can be generated instantly from your dashboard.
Can I withdraw cash from ATMs?
Yes, you can withdraw cash at any ATM with no fees on top of operator fees. You can also withdraw cash without any fees at any Allpoint ATMs.
Pricing
What does Winden cost?
Winden is free to use, we don’t charge any fees. You may however be charged out-of-network ATM fees by non-Allpoint ATMs.
How does Winden make money?
When you use your debit card, Visa charges a fee to the merchant. Winden receives a percentage of this fee, known as interchange. Our partner bank also earns a small amount of interest on deposits, and Winden receives a percentage of this amount.
Account Funding
How much commission do I need to pay for funding my account by card?
There will be a card network cost of 2.9% for each card funding transaction. If you would prefer not to pay this fee, our ACH and Wire funding options will continue to be free.
Can I use any type of card for funding my account?
Any debit, credit or charge card can be used to fund your account, including internationally issued cards. However, you cannot use a pre-paid card to fund your account.
If you are using an Amex card, you can only pay in USD. Since Discover cards do not support 3D secure, we do not allow the use of these cards.
Why do I need to use 3D secure? What happens if my card issuer doesn’t have 3D secure?
3D secure is an important protection for you and us to make sure that the owner of the card authorized this transaction.
So, you will not be able to fund your account without 3D secure and will need to use a card that supports it.
Here is a good guide on how 3D Secure works: https://www.keyivr.com/what-is-3d-secure/
Why is there a $5,000 limit on the funding amount?
This limit helps protect you and us from potential risks involved with payment transactions.
Is everyone eligible for this type of funding?
This feature is currently in beta and customers are eligible at the discretion of our compliance and support teams.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide the reason behind why you are not eligible at this point in time. Eligibility is determined at the time of each funding request, not at the account level. The fact that you were eligible for card funding transactions in the past does not mean that you will always have the right to do so.
Can I use a card that is not in my name to fund my account? What happens if that person is my business partner or family member?
You can only use another person’s card to fund your account if the cardholder is a beneficial owner of your business and is listed on your Winden account.
Does my card billing address have to match my business address on file with Winden?
No, it doesn’t have to match.
Can I trust the payment link you sent me from Checkout.com (CKO)
Yes! Checkout.com is Winden’s partner for this feature and they are one of the largest payment processors in the world.
Here is a good answer from Wise on this: https://wise.com/sg/blog/checkout-com-review
When will my payment link expire? What should I do if it does?
Payments links expire within 24 hours of them being created.
If you see a message that your link has expired, please contact customer support and they will provide you with a new link!
Do you save my card information?
No. Every time you want to fund your account via card, you get a one-time payment link to Checkout.com’s payment platform.
Can I fund with internationally issued cards? What will the exchange rate be?
Yes, you can use internationally issued cards. The exchange rate will be determined by Visa at the time of the transaction based on their daily rates.
You can use the calculator from Visa below to get a good sense of what you may be charged:
https://www.visa.co.uk/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html
Note that this calculator may not reflect the exact rate you would be charged but helps to give you an idea:
I was told that I did not qualify for this type of funding. Can you explain why?
This feature is currently in BETA and customers are eligible at the discretion of our compliance and support teams.
Will I be able to fund my account regularly with a recurring payment?
At the moment, we do not offer recurring funding. If you need to fund your account again, you will need to go through the funding flow again and get a new link from customer support.
I paid for the transaction but I did not get my funds in my account yet. What should I do?
If a transaction shows up as pending but the funds have not been posted in your account, please contact our support team.If you still are not sure where your funds are, contact our support team.
Rewards
What type of rewards does Winden offer?
Winden offers best-in-class point multipliers based on the merchant category of the transaction. 1.5x = 1.5 points earned for every dollar spent. Winden points are uncapped and never expire.
How do I earn points?
You earn 5 points (5x) for every dollar you spend, up to $10,000 within 30 days of your first card transaction. Your first card transaction would also earn you 5x points.
After the initial promotional period, you earn 1.5 points(1.5x) for every dollar that you spend.
You do not earn points for ATM charges, cash advances, traveler's checks, money orders, pre-paid gift cards, balance transfers, wire transfers, fees or interest posted to your Winden account, bets or wagers transmitted over the internet, and casino gaming.
Can I use the points I earn immediately?
Once you make a purchase, you immediately earn points. However, these points do not immediately become available due to possible refunds or disputes for your transaction.
So, the points you earn from a transaction only become available for use 30 days after the transaction has occurred.
Since we only offer cash redemption right now, you would need to earn at least 12,500 points before you can redeem your points.
How can I redeem the points I earned?
Points earned can be used to book hotels or buy gift cards and can be transferred to our affiliated partners or converted into cash at a discount.
Currently, we only offer cash redemption.
What are my redemption options?
You can redeem your points for either cash, travel, merchandise or gift cards. Please note however that only cash redemption is available at the moment.
Cash
You can get an immediate cash redemption to your Winden bank account when you reach 12,500 points.The conversion value of 12,500 rewards points is $50. However, you can only redeem cash for every 250 points earned.(Example: You can redeem 12,500 points if you have 12,503 points or redeem 12,750 points if you have 12,980 points.)
Travel
You can redeem your rewards points at more than 120 global airlines, thousands of global hotels, vacation rentals, top car rental agencies and numerous activities including major cruise lines through Winden Travel Portal.Unfortunately, you cannot transfer your points directly to your preferred airlines or hotel chains.
Merchandise
You can use your rewards points to purchase over one million items directly with your Winden points and get more out of your points. You will be able to use our Winden Rewards portal to make these purchases.
Gift Cards
You can turn your Winden rewards points into gift cards from over 400 brands and retailers. You can get your gift cards instantly for online use or order a physical one right to your doorstep.
Do I earn points for the transactions I made so far?
You only earn points for transactions made after the program start, which is 00.01 AM, November 9, 2022.
Is there a limit to how many points I can earn?
No, there is no limit to how many points you can earn. What you earn is solely a function of what you spend with your Winden card.
Can I get points for expenditures like rent, service purchases, advertisement, travel, etc.?
Yes. As long as you pay for your purchase with your physical Winden Business Debit card or one of your virtual cards, whether online or in store, you will earn points.
This includes using your saved Winden card through Apple Pay or Google Pay!
More
If you have other questions, please visit our Help Center to learn more about Winden or Get Help
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