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If you’re unsure about whether you can use your balance for payments on Venmo, follow these steps in the app:
- Go to the Metab
- Check the Wallet section
If you see Venmo Balance at the top of the screen, this means that you can use money in your Venmo account for payments.
If you don't see Venmo Balance, you'll need to verify your identity in order to use your balance for payments. Learn more about verifying your identity on Venmo.
You can select Identity Verification from your Settings menu or tap here to complete this process.
Why do I have money in my Venmo account?
Money in your Venmo account is made up of any payments that you’ve received that you have neither spent, sent, nor transferred to your bank account. On the web, you can see how much money is in your account by going to your profile page.
You can see how much money is in your account in the Venmo app as well:
- Go to the Metab by tapping your picture or initials
- The money in your Venmo account will be shown at the top of your personal transaction feed
What can I do with the money in my Venmo account?
If you have access to a balance, you can use your balance for payments, and a few other things:
- Use your Venmo balance at checkout on authorized merchants’ apps or mobile websites
- Purchase with your Venmo balance using Venmo QR codes at participating merchants' in-store checkout
- Pay with your Venmo balance using the Venmo Debit Card, which can be used anywhere in the U.S. where Mastercard is accepted (Venmo should not otherwise be used to complete purchases, unless explicitly authorized by Venmo)
If you don’t have access to a balance, you can still receive payments on Venmo and transfer the money to a bank account, but you cannot use the money in your account to make payments on Venmo until youverify your identity.
I want to use the money in my Venmo account for payments. How does it work?
We never split payments between money in your account and preferred payment methods. So, when you make a payment, if you have access to a balance and it covers the entire payment, it will be pulled from your balance. Otherwise, it will be funded by your preferred payment method.
Here’s an example:
You have $10 in your Venmo balance and pay a friend $12. In this case, the entire $12 would be charged to your preferred payment method.
If you don’t have access to a Venmo balance, but have $10 in your Venmo account, payments you make of any amount will be taken from your preferred payment method until you verify your identity.
I got an email telling me that my access to a Venmo balance might go away. What do I do?
Venmo is required by federal law to collect certain information from all of its users. If you have received this email, Venmo is asking you to complete this process. Learn more about verifying your identity on Venmo.
I'm missing money in my Venmo account. Where did it go?
There could be a few different explanations for this:
- If you have access to a Venmo balance, you may have used some of the money for a payment
- If your Venmo account had a negative balance, some of the money may have been used to cover it
- You may have transferred money out to a bank account or debit card
- If you have a Venmo Mastercard®️ Debit Card, some of the money may have been used to cover your transactions
