# Adds support for limiting the number of allowed payments for Issuing cards

## What’s new

Adds the ability to [automatically cancel virtual Issuing cards after a certain number of payments](https://docs.stripe.com/issuing/controls/lifecycle-controls.md) by specifying [lifecycle_controls.cancel_after.payment_count](https://docs.stripe.com/api/issuing/cards/object.md?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls-cancel_after-payment_count) when creating a card.

A card is automatically cancelled when it makes the specified number of non-zero payment authorizations and transactions. The count includes penny authorizations, but doesn’t include non-payment actions, such as authorization advice.

## Impact

You can now configure a virtual Issuing card to automatically be cancelled after making a specified number of payments. You no longer have to track usage and manually cancel virtual cards in order to limit their allowed number of payments.

## Changes

#### REST API

| Parameter            | Change | Resources or endpoints                                                                                         |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycle_controls` | Added  | [Issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### Ruby

| Parameter            | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                            |
| -------------------- | ------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycle_controls` | Added  | [Issuing::Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### Python

| Parameter            | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                           |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycle_controls` | Added  | [Issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### PHP

| Parameter            | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                           |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycle_controls` | Added  | [Issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### Java

| Parameter           | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                           |
| ------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycleControls` | Added  | [issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### Node.js

| Parameter            | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                           |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `lifecycle_controls` | Added  | [Issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### Go

| Parameter           | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                          |
| ------------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `LifecycleControls` | Added  | [IssuingCard](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

#### .NET

| Parameter           | Change | Resources or methods                                                                                           |
| ------------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `LifecycleControls` | Added  | [Issuing.Card](/api/issuing/cards/object?api-version=2026-03-25.dahlia#issuing_card_object-lifecycle_controls) |

## Upgrade

#### REST API

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. If you use an SDK, upgrade to the corresponding SDK version for this API version.
   - If you don’t use an SDK, update your [API requests](https://docs.stripe.com/api/versioning.md) to include `Stripe-Version: 2026-03-25.dahlia`
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### Ruby

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your Ruby SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### Python

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your Python SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### PHP

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your PHP SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### Java

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your Java SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### Node.js

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your Node SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### Go

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your Go SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

#### .NET

1. [View your current API version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#view-your-api-version-and-the-latest-available-upgrade-in-workbench) in Workbench.
1. Upgrade your .NET SDK to the latest version.
1. Upgrade the API version used for [webhook endpoints](https://docs.stripe.com/webhooks/versioning.md).
1. [Test your integration](https://docs.stripe.com/testing.md) against the new version.
1. If you use Connect, [test your Connect integration](https://docs.stripe.com/connect/testing.md).
1. In Workbench, [perform the upgrade](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#perform-the-upgrade). You can [roll back the version](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md#roll-back-your-api-version) for 72 hours.

Learn more about [Stripe API upgrades](https://docs.stripe.com/upgrades.md).

## Related changes

- [Updates the Issuing Token card reference ID for Visa to be optional](https://docs.stripe.com/changelog/dahlia/2026-03-25/visa-card-reference-id-optional.md)