General
What is INSTADEBIT?
INSTADEBIT is a secure solution that lets you make deposits to participating merchants directly from your bank account. INSTADEBIT is fast, safe, and easy to use.
INSTADEBIT is not an e-Wallet. Funds cannot be directly deposited into your INSTADEBIT account from your bank account.
How does INSTADEBIT work?
INSTADEBIT enables you to make deposits to merchants using funds from your bank account. You simply select the INSTADEBIT option on a merchant’s cashier page, log in to your INSTADEBIT account, and approve the transaction. If you don’t have an INSTADEBIT profile, you will be able to sign up and link your bank account easily during your first transaction.
Who can use INSTADEBIT?
INSTADEBIT is available to Canadian residents 18 years of age or older with a bank account at a Canadian financial institution.
What is needed to use INSTADEBIT?
To use the service, you will need to provide your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your Social Insurance Number (SIN) to confirm your identity and protect your payments.
Do I need to sign up to use INSTADEBIT?
You will need to sign up for INSTADEBIT to deposit to a merchant site. If you have not used INSTADEBIT before, you can sign up for INSTADEBIT during your first transaction and use it immediately.
Sign Up & Settings
How do I sign up for INSTADEBIT?
You can sign up for INSTADEBIT as part of your first transaction with a participating merchant. If you’d prefer to pre-register, select the Sign Up button at the top of this page.
What information do I need to provide to sign up for INSTADEBIT?
To sign up for INSTADEBIT, you will need to provide your basic personal information (name, address, email address) as well as your date of birth, the last 4 digits of your SIN, and your bank account information.
Why do I have to provide my date of birth?
Your date of birth is used to verify your identity, as well as prevent the use of INSTADEBIT by persons under the age of 18.
Why do I have to provide part of my SIN?
We ask for the last 4 digits of your SIN to verify your identity and protect you and your payments. INSTADEBIT will NEVER request your full SIN.
What bank account information do I need to provide to sign up for INSTADEBIT?
You need to provide your bank transit number (5 digits), the financial institution number (3 digits), and account number (up to 12 digits), which can all be found at the bottom of your cheques. Alternatively, you can contact your bank to request your bank account information.
There is a deposit from INSTADEBIT on my bank statement. What is this?
When you sign up with INSTADEBIT, we make a small deposit into your bank account. The deposit will be less than $2.00 and will appear in your bank account within 1-5 business days. You need to know the deposit amount to verify your bank account to increase your spending limit. (see Bank Verification FAQs)
How do I increase my spending limit?
You are automatically given a small transaction limit immediately after you sign up for INSTADEBIT. Once you verify your bank account, you will receive a higher spending limit.
Why was my registration declined?
If you had trouble signing up for INSTADEBIT, it means that we were unable to fully verify your identity. You need to contact our Customer Service team to resolve the issue. Please keep in mind that our anti-fraud system is designed to protect you and your payments.
How do I review the transactions I’ve made with INSTADEBIT?
You can view your INSTADEBIT transaction history by logging in at the top of this page.
How do I change my information with INSTADEBIT? (email address, password, home address, etc.)
You can change your email address or password by logging in to INSTADEBIT at the top of this page.
To change your name, home address, or bank account information, please contact [email protected]. You will be required to provide one or more of the following pieces of documentation:
- Driver’s License, Passport, or other government-issued photo ID
- A utility bill or other proof of address
- A void cheque (not a temporary or counter cheque)
How do I close my INSTADEBIT account?
Please contact [email protected] to close your account.
Deposits with INSTADEBIT
What are the fees for using INSTADEBIT?
It’s free to sign up for INSTADEBIT. Plus, it’s free to move money from a merchant to your INSTADEBIT account (credit or withdrawal) or move money from your INSTADEBIT account back to a participating merchant.
Other fees for using INSTADEBIT are as follows:
- $1.95 CAD to deposit a merchant from your bank account.
- $2.00 CAD to withdraw funds from your INSTADEBIT account to your bank account.
Please note that you may be charged a fee by your bank for insufficient funds (NSF) transactions.
Can I link two different bank accounts with INSTADEBIT?
No. You can only link one bank account with INSTADEBIT. Deposits cannot be split between different bank accounts.
How will transactions I make using INSTADEBIT appear on my bank statement?
All transactions made using INSTADEBIT will appear on your bank statement as INSTADEBIT.com or include 88DEBIT.
When will the funds come out of my bank account?
Funds are typically debited from your bank account within 3 business days after approving your transaction.
How do I use funds in my INSTADEBIT account to make a new deposit?
The funds in your INSTADEBIT account will automatically be used to make payments to merchants provided there is enough to cover the entire amount of the transaction and that the balance is in the same currency.
What do I do if I don’t see my deposit on the merchant’s site?
Please contact the merchant directly to resolve the issue.
Withdrawals with INSTADEBIT
What happens when I receive funds from a merchant?
Funds credited to you by a merchant will automatically be deposited into your INSTADEBIT account. You can either withdraw those funds to your bank account or deposit them to participating merchants.
How do I withdraw funds from my INSTADEBIT account to my bank account?
To withdraw funds, log in to INSTADEBIT at the top of this page. Your current balance will be shown on the profile page, and you can enter the amount you wish to withdraw. (see Bank Verification FAQs)
How long will it take for the funds I withdraw from my INSTADEBIT account to be available in my bank account?
It takes approximately 1-5 business days for the funds to clear through the banking network and appear in your bank account.
Can I use my INSTADEBIT account like an e-Wallet?
No. INSTADEBIT is not a wallet and cannot hold funds for an extended period. Your INSTADEBIT account is intended to provide you with a safe and secure way to make deposits to participating merchants. Funds in an INSTADEBIT account that are not paid to a merchant or withdrawn to a bank account within a reasonable amount of time will be automatically credited to your bank account, minus any applicable fees.
Currencies & Foreign Exchange
What currencies does INSTADEBIT support?
INSTADEBIT currently supports U.S. and Canadian dollars.
Can Canadian customers make payments in U.S. dollars?
INSTADEBIT allows you to make payments in U.S. and Canadian dollars.
If I do a U.S. dollar transaction, how will I know the amount in Canadian dollars?
The converted amount is shown on the transaction receipt page when you complete your transaction. You can also see the currency conversion for every transaction you make by logging in to your INSTADEBIT account and viewing your transaction history.
What exchange rate is used for a deposit?
Currency conversions for deposits are made at the day's exchange rates and include a small fee to cover the currency risk involved in the provision of the service.
What exchange rate is used when making a withdrawal from my INSTADEBIT account to my Canadian bank account?
Currency conversions for withdrawals are made at the day's exchange rates and include a small fee to cover the currency risk involved in the provision of the service.
What if I receive a refund from a merchant in U.S. dollars?
The refund will be credited to your INSTADEBIT account in USD, and this balance can be used to make deposits to merchants in USD. If you withdraw the funds to your Canadian bank account, the USD will be converted to CAD when the deposit is made to your bank account.
If I am a U.S. customer, can I make payments in Canadian dollars?
No. INSTADEBIT is only available to Canadian customers.
Bank Verification
Why should I verify my bank account?
You are given a temporary limit until you verify your bank account. You can make deposits to merchants up to that limit immediately after signing up for INSTADEBIT, and once you verify your bank account, you will receive a higher spending limit.
How do I verify my bank account?
When you sign up for INSTADEBIT, either from the website or during a transaction, a small deposit is made in your bank account. This amount will appear on your bank statement 1-5 business days after you sign up.
Once you know the amount that was deposited, log in to your INSTADEBIT profile at the top of this page and click on the "Verify Bank Account" link.
How do I find the amount that INSTADEBIT deposited into my bank account?
You can find the amount deposited into your account by checking your bank statement, your online banking statement, or by calling your bank.
I can’t find a deposit from INSTADEBIT on my bank statement. How do I verify my account?
If you do not see the deposited amount after 7 business days, please log in to INSTADEBIT and confirm that your bank information is correct. If it is correct, please contact [email protected] to resolve this issue.
I entered the deposit amount incorrectly and now my INSTADEBIT access is blocked. What should I do?
As a security measure, INSTADEBIT suspends your account if the deposit amounts are entered incorrectly. Please contact [email protected] to resolve this issue.
