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When you arrive in Canada, you'll quickly hear about "Interac." Interac is Canada's national payment network — the infrastructure that powers debit card purchases, money transfers between banks, and online payments. Understanding Interac helps you use money in Canada smoothly and securely.
KOHO supports Interac e-Transfer and tap payments. Open with your passport, no credit history needed, get $100 with code BREMO2026.
Get $100 with KOHOInterac Corp is a Canadian organization owned by the major financial institutions (banks and credit unions) that operates Canada's domestic payment infrastructure. Founded in 1984, Interac is the network that processes debit transactions, enables money transfers, and allows online bill payments across all Canadian banks. It's the Canadian equivalent of what Visa and Mastercard are for credit, but specifically built for the Canadian banking system.
When you use your bank debit card at a store, you're using Interac Debit. The money comes directly from your chequing account. Most Canadian debit cards have an Interac logo. You'll also see the option to pay by "chip and PIN" (insert card, enter 4-digit PIN) or "tap" (hold card near terminal for purchases under $250).
Key facts:
Interac e-Transfer lets you send money between Canadian bank accounts using just an email or phone number. It's Canada's most popular person-to-person payment method — used for rent, splitting bills, paying friends, and small business transactions.
Key facts:
Interac Online allows you to pay for purchases directly from your bank account on participating websites — without using a credit card. When you check out on a website with Interac Online, you're redirected to your bank to authorize the payment directly. This is commonly used for government services, insurance, and some retailers.
Key facts:
Interac Flash is the contactless "tap" payment feature on Canadian debit cards. To use it:
You can also use your phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) for contactless debit payments in Canada — these are linked to your Interac debit card.
Many Canadian bank cards display both Interac (debit) and Visa/Mastercard (credit) — these are separate features. Some banks also offer "Visa Debit" which works like debit but through the Visa network, useful for international purchases.
KOHO provides a prepaid Visa card, not an Interac debit card. This means:
For newcomers without a traditional bank account yet, KOHO's Visa card works at virtually all Canadian merchants.
KOHO gives you a Visa card that works everywhere in Canada — tap payments, online shopping, e-Transfers. Open with your passport, no fees, get $100 with code BREMO2026.
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