7 reasons why you can't charge to PayPay and how to deal with it 2026

Have you ever had the experience of "I tried to charge PayPay, but for some reason I can't charge it..."? You get an error when you try to charge money from your bank account, you deposit money at an ATM but it doesn't show up, or you don't know if you've hit the limit - problems with PayPay charges are something that surprisingly many people get into.

In this article, based on the latest information as of February 2026, we will categorize the causes of not being able to charge to PayPay into seven categories and provide easy-to-understand explanations of what to do for each charging method. If you're like, "I looked at PayPay official help but still didn't understand], you should be able to solve the problem after reading this article.

What are the charging methods for PayPay?

First, let's organize how to put money into (= charge) PayPay. As of February 2026, there are five main charging methods:

Bank account: Charge directly from your registered bank account. No fees
PayPay card (credit card): Charge from PayPay card. Other companies' cards are not accepted
Seven Bank ATM / Lawson Bank ATM: Charge with cash. No fees
Softbank/Ymobile payment in bulk: Settled together with mobile phone charges
Yahoo! Auctions/Yahoo! Flea Market Sales Proceeds: Proceeds directly to PayPay balance

There is one important point here. The only credit card that can be charged to PayPay is the PayPay card. You cannot charge with credit cards from other companies such as Visa or Mastercard. If you are worried that you cannot charge your card even though you have registered it, please check this first.

Cause 1: Identity verification (eKYC) has not been completed

The most common charge problem with PayPay is the case where identity verification is not completed.

In line with the law revisions in March 2025, functions will be significantly restricted for users who have not completed identity verification (eKYC). According to PayPay's official notice, the following upper limit will be applied if identity verification is not completed.

PayPay credit usage limit: 100,000 yen
24-hour limit for bank account charging: 500,000 yen (1 million yen if confirmed)
Remittance function also limited

In other words, if you don't verify your identity, you tend to end up in situations where you want to top up but you're stuck at the upper limit, or you can't use some functions in the first place.

How to deal with it: Go to "Account" → "Identity Verification" in the PayPay app and complete your identity verification using your face photo + identity verification document (My Number Card or driver's license). The review usually takes a few minutes to a few hours to complete.

Cause 2: Recharge limit has been reached

PayPay has a maximum amount set for each charging method. There are surprisingly many people who don't know about it, so let's check the list (as of February 2026).

How to charge	24 hour limit	30 day limit
Bank account (identity verified)	1 million yen	2 million yen
Bank account (no identity verification)	500,000 yen	2 million yen
PayPay card	20,000 yen	50,000 yen
Seven Bank / Lawson Bank ATM	500,000 yen (per transaction)	2 million yen
SoftBank lump sum payment	Depends on carrier contract	Depends on carrier contract

What you should especially note is that the upper limit for charging from a PayPay card is quite low. The charge is 20,000 yen for 24 hours and 50,000 yen for 30 days, so if you try to charge it all at once before making a big purchase, you will be stuck.

What to do: If you have reached the limit, wait until the next day (after 24 hours) or switch to another charging method. If you need to charge a large amount of money, we recommend using a bank account or ATM.

Cause 3: Bank account registration is not successful

To charge from a bank account, you must first register your account with PayPay. There are some patterns that stumble here.

Pattern 1: Account name and PayPay registered name do not match

According to PayPay Official Help, registration will not be possible if the name registered in PayPay and the name on the bank account are different. Errors may occur if your surname changes due to marriage, or if there is a difference between the old and new fonts.

Pattern ②: The same account is registered in another PayPay account

One bank account can only be registered to one PayPay account. If your account is still linked to your previous account, you will not be able to register with a new account.

Pattern 3: “This account cannot be used” is displayed

If you try to register a bank/account type (corporate account, etc.) that does not support PayPay, this error will occur. Check the List of compatible banks.

What to do: Please check these three points: update the name to the latest version, cancel the old account, and check if the bank is compatible.

Cause 4: "Usage is currently restricted" is displayed

Suddenly, a message saying "Usage is currently restricted" appears, and you are unable to charge or pay. This can be quite frustrating, isn't it?

According to PayPay Official Help, this is a state where the security system to prevent unauthorized use is activated. This restriction may apply in the following cases.

Repeated charging or payment in a short period of time
Access from an unusual location/device was detected
There was an operation that violated PayPay's terms of use

Workaround: Please wait a while and try again. If it still does not cancel, please contact customer support from "Help" → "Contact Us" in the PayPay app. Telephone support is0120-990-634(available 24 hours).

Cause 5: Problem with the app or smartphone

Even if there is no problem with your PayPay settings or account, you may not be able to charge due to the app itself or your smartphone's communication environment.

Old app version: PayPay is updated frequently, so older versions are prone to errors
Unstable communication environment: Wi-Fi is weak, mobile data communication is turned off
The time on your smartphone is incorrect: This may cause authentication errors
Cache accumulation: Cause of unstable app operation

Workaround: Please try the following steps in order.

Update the PayPay app to the latest version (App Store / Google Play)
Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data communication
Turn on “Automatic settings” in “Settings” → “Date and time” on your smartphone
Close and restart the PayPay app

Cause 6: Softbank bulk payment charge failure

The "collective payment" charge method that SoftBank and Y!mobile users can use is also a method that is surprisingly prone to trouble.

According to PayPay Official Help, charging will fail in the following cases.

The available amount for lump sum payment has been reached (the upper limit depends on the contract details)
Payment of mobile phone bill is in arrears
I just signed a line contract and cannot yet use bulk payments
Using a line with a corporate contract

What to do: Check the usage status and maximum amount of "Consolidated Payment" on My SoftBank or My Y!mobile. If you want to increase the limit, you can change it from each carrier's My Page.

Cause 7: PayPay system failure/maintenance

If the problem is not resolved even after checking all of the above causes, System failure or maintenance on the PayPay side may be the cause.

PayPay is a large-scale cashless payment service, so system failures may occur on rare occasions. Especially at the end of the month, at the beginning of the month, and during major campaigns, there is a high concentration of access, and there are cases where charging and payments are temporarily unavailable.

What to do: Check the PayPay notification page for trouble information. In the case of a system failure, you have no choice but to wait for recovery, which is usually resolved within a few hours.

"Quickest checklist" when charging is not possible

For those who are having trouble right now, we have compiled the order to check. Please try them in order from above.

Have you updated the PayPay app to the latest version?
Has Identity Verification (eKYC) been completed?
Have you reached the maximum amount for each charging method?
Does the name of the bank account match the PayPay registration information?
Is the communication environment stable? (Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data)
If you receive a "Usage Restriction" message, contact Customer Support
If all the above are OK, Possibility of system failure → Check official website

FAQ

Is PayPay card the only credit card that can be charged to PayPay?

Yes. As of February 2026, the only credit card that can be charged to your PayPay balance is PayPay Card. You cannot charge with other companies' Visa, Mastercard, JCB cards, etc. However, if you use the PayPay credit (deferred payment) function, you can pay with PayPay other than PayPay card.

Can I use PayPay without verifying my identity?

This does not mean that it cannot be used, but after the law was revised in March 2025, there will be significant upper limits on charges and remittances without identity verification. If you want to use PayPay comfortably, we recommend that you verify your identity. If you have your My Number card, it can be completed in a few minutes.

Is there a fee for charging at Seven Bank ATMs?

No, there are no fees. There are no fees charged to charge PayPay at either Seven Bank ATMs or Lawson Bank ATMs. You can charge in increments of 1,000 yen, and you can deposit up to 500,000 yen at a time. ATM charging is recommended for those who do not want to register a bank account.

What should I do if the message "Usage is currently restricted" appears?

Please wait a few hours first and try again. If the cancellation still does not occur, please call PayPay's customer support (0120-990-634, available 24 hours a day) or contact us from the "Contact Us" within the app. If we suspect unauthorized use, we will also perform a safety check on your account.

How can I increase the charge limit for PayPay?

The first priority is to complete identity verification (eKYC). This alone will raise the 24-hour limit for charging your bank account from 500,000 yen to 1,000,000 yen. You can also check and change the limit you have set by going to "Account" → "Security and Privacy" → "Available Amount Settings" in the PayPay app.