What Is ATB Visa Debit?

Credit cards may traditionally have been required to make online purchases, but not with the ATB Visa Debit card. Rather than putting your purchase on credit, you can use your debit card to buy goods and services online and in person.

Let’s take a closer look at how ATB Visa Debit works to make purchases and payments, both in Canada and across the globe.

What Is A Visa Debit? 

Visa Debit works like a debit card in which the funds used to make the payments are taken directly from your bank account, except it’s designed for online shopping as well as in-person shopping. Visa Debit is accepted at millions of online retailers all across the globe. 

You can use Visa Debit to shop on websites and apps. You can also use it to pay for subscription services, for recurring bill payments, and to pay your taxes with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

ATB Visa Debit

In 2020, Visa Canada and ATB Financial (ATB) collaborated to create Visa Debit to give consumers another convenient way to shop online and in person. ATB Financial is a bank owned by the Province of Alberta and is one of a growing number of financial institutions that are joining Visa to provide consumers with alternative ways to pay. 

Customers in Alberta with ATB Financial can now take advantage of Visa Debit to streamline and simplify their shopping and banking experiences. 

Purchases made using the ATB Visa Debit are processed over Visa’s network, which comes with robust security layers to keep any potential fraudulent activity in check. Cardholders can shop with confidence knowing their data is secured thanks to Visa’s Zero Liability. 

Currently, Visa Debit is accepted at over 1.5 million online merchants in Canada and at more than 55 million retailers around the world. 

How Does An ATB Visa Debit Work?

The ATB Visa Debit works much like a traditional debit card, but payments are processed a little differently depending on how or where the card is used. When used online, simply select Visa Debit when checking out. Depending on the merchant, you may come across Visa Secure, a verification program that’s designed to protect consumers from fraudulent activity. 

Using the ATB Visa Debit card in person works much like any other debit card. At the terminal, you’ll choose “debit”, enter your PIN, and complete your purchase when approved. 

Perks Of ATB Visa Debit

There are few reasons why you might want to add the ATB Visa Debit card to your wallet:

• Accepted through a variety of channels. Not only is the ATB Visa debit card accepted at millions of retailers across the globe that accept Visa, but it can also be used to make both in-person and online purchases. 

• Pay directly from your bank account. You don’t have to be approved for an unsecured credit card in order to make online purchases. As long as you have a bank account, you can use the ATB Visa debit card to pay for purchases directly from your bank account. 

• Shop with security. The ATB Visa debit card offers consumers protection through the Visa Zero Liability and Interac Zero Liability policies. That way, you won’t have to worry about any unauthorized transactions that are made on your bank account.

Which Retailers Accept Visa Debit?

The ATB Visa debit card is accepted at all online Canadian merchants that accept Visa Debit, including shops, gas stations, restaurants, and others. It’s also accepted at non-Canadian retailers that operate in Canada and accept Visa.

Additional Reading

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ATB Visa Debit ATM Fees

When using your ATB Visa debit card at a non-ATB bank machine in Canada, you’ll be charged a standard fee of $1.50, along with fees charged by the ATM’s owner. Depending on the type of account you have, you could get a credit of as much as $4.50 to cover these fees.

If you’re using your ATB Visa debit card outside of Canada, you’ll be charged a standard $5 fee to withdraw funds, as well as a fee charged by the owner of the ATM. You may also be charged a foreign exchange fee of 2.9% if you’re withdrawing money from a bank machine that dispenses non-Canadian currency.

Keep in mind that you can only use your card withdrawal funds at bank machines that display the Visa logo. Depending on the type of account you have, you could receive up to $8 in credit back into your bank account to cover these fees.

How to Dispute an ATB Visa Debit Transaction

If you wish to dispute a transaction made on your ATB Visa debit card, there are a couple of steps to take:

1. Fill out the Visa Assignment Claim form. This form can be downloaded and electronically signed or printed off and signed manually. 

2. Submit the form to ATB. The completed form must be submitted to ATB and received no more than 90 days after the dispute transaction occurred. All pertinent transaction information for the disputed transaction should be included. You can either scan or take a photo of the form and send it via email to visadebitchargebacks@atb.com.

ATB Visa Debit FAQs

Final Thoughts

These days, you don’t necessarily need a credit card to make online purchases. Thanks to products like the ATB Visa Debit card, you can have funds withdrawn directly from your bank account when you shop anywhere where Visa Debit is accepted.