What are the Brex credit card requirements?

Brex specializes in serving high-growth companies and established mid-market businesses. But being a venture-backed startup doesn’t guarantee you’ll qualify for the Brex corporate card—your business still needs to meet certain requirements. On top of that, following Capital One's acquisition of Brex in January 2026, it's unclear whether these requirements will stay the same.

Here’s a closer look at Brex’s current qualification requirements, plus the chances of being approved, whether Brex conducts a credit check, and the options you have to pay your monthly balance.

What is Brex?

Brex is a fintech company that provides financial services like corporate credit cards, cash management accounts, and expense management tools, all designed to help businesses streamline their finances and accelerate growth.

Is Brex being acquired?

Yes. Capital One announced its acquisition of Brex on January 22, 2026, in a deal valued at $5.15 billion in cash and stock. The transaction is set to close by mid-2026.

The acquisition raises questions for businesses currently using or evaluating Brex. With Capital One's traditional focus on enterprise banking, the deal introduces uncertainty about whether Brex will maintain its product roadmap, pricing structure, and customer priorities—or shift toward serving the larger corporate clients Capital One typically targets.

For example, Brex is known for its innovation and fast feature releases. Maintaining product velocity inside a large org is often difficult, and major product improvements sometimes slow down during integration. This could make independent fintech companies look more appealing to high-growth companies.

Is it hard to get a Brex credit card?

Obtaining a Brex credit card can be challenging, but it’s still more accessible than traditional corporate cards.

With Capital One's acquisition of Brex, it's unclear whether the approval criteria will remain unchanged. For now, Brex caters to venture-backed startups and high-growth companies with substantial cash on hand. This makes it less accessible for smaller businesses or those without substantial venture funding. For smaller businesses, options like the Ramp Business Credit Card may be a better fit due to their lower eligibility requirements.

What are the requirements for a Brex business credit card?

Business registration and legal status

To apply for a Brex business credit card, your company must be legally registered in the United States. This means you need a valid Employer Identification Number (EIN), and your business must be incorporated as an independent legal entity (LLC, S corp, C corp, or limited partnership).

Brex welcomes international founders to apply for their business credit card as long as they have a U.S. presence for billing and operations. The specific requirements for international founders include:

• A U.S. EIN issued by the IRS
• A business entity registered in the U.S.
• A U.S. business address (or a virtual address if your business has a verifiable presence in the U.S., EU, or UK)

Financial history and creditworthiness—no credit score needed

Brex takes a non-traditional approach to underwriting. It doesn't require a personal credit check or personal founder guarantee. Instead, it reviews your company's cash balance, revenue trends, and business model. Businesses with strong revenue and cash flow are more likely to be approved.

Following Capital One's acquisition of Brex, however, it's unclear whether these underwriting criteria will remain unchanged. Banks typically have different risk models and approval processes than independent fintechs. If you're evaluating Brex, it's worth confirming current underwriting requirements directly with the company, as policies may evolve as the acquisition closes in mid-2026.

Minimum bank balance

One of the requirements for a Brex business credit card is maintaining a minimum balance in your business bank account. While the exact amount can vary, businesses with a higher cash balance have better approval odds.

According to Brex, startups must have “$50,000 as a minimum cash balance (if you’ve raised), or potentially even lower if you’re referred by certain partners of ours.”

More established companies have higher bank balance thresholds: “A mid-market company or enterprise that qualifies for the Brex card with monthly payments will need more than $400,000/month in revenue ($4.8MM/year). … If you’re a commercial business that qualifies for the Brex card with monthly payments, we require you to have more than $1M in annual revenue.”

Part of the arrangement is that Brex continually monitors your account balances. Brex dynamically adjusts your credit limit based on your available cash, which means your monthly credit limit can fluctuate based on the funds available in your connected bank accounts.

Industry type

The Brex entrepreneur program generally favors businesses in certain industries, like technology, e-commerce, and other growth-oriented sectors. Traditional brick-and-mortar businesses or those in high-risk industries might face more scrutiny. Some nonprofits may be approved for the Brex business credit card, but only on a case-by-case basis.

Use of a business bank account

Brex requires applicants to connect their business bank account to their platform for financial analysis. This connection allows Brex to continuously monitor your business’s financial health, which can impact your credit limit and overall account status.

No personal guarantee required

Similar to the Ramp Business Credit Card, Brex doesn’t require a personal guarantee, so there’s no founder liability if the business goes belly-up. This makes it attractive to business owners because, unlike many other business credit cards, their personal assets aren’t at risk in the event of default.

What are the odds of being approved for a Brex business credit card?

The odds of being approved for a Brex business credit card largely depend on the financial health and stability of your business. Companies with strong revenue, significant cash reserves, and a healthy financial history have higher chances of approval.

Brex’s focus on business performance rather than personal credit scores means startups and rapidly growing companies can also have good approval odds, provided they meet Brex’s financial criteria.

According to Brex, customers who meet any of the following criteria are typically fast-tracked to approval:

• Received an equity investment of any amount (accelerator, angel, or VC) or plan to in the near future
• More than $1 million a year in revenue
• More than 50 employees
• Tech startups that are on a path to meeting the criteria above, and are referred by an existing customer or partner

But now that Brex has been acquired by Capital One, these criteria may change. Traditional banks often apply more conservative approval processes than fintech platforms. If you're considering Brex, verify the current qualification requirements directly with the company, as underwriting policies could shift as the deal moves toward closing.

Who is the Brex card best for?

The Brex card is well-suited for entrepreneurs leading high-growth, venture-backed companies, particularly those with limited or no personal credit history.

Ideal candidates for Brex include businesses that:

• Can consistently pay their card balance in full within 30 days using automatic debits
• Are willing to share company bank accounts and funding information with Brex for financial analysis
• Need access to a high credit limit to support their business growth

The Brex card won’t shine in these scenarios:

• Business owners seeking extensive travel perks: If you want airport lounge access or elite travel status, a business credit card focused on travel rewards may be a better alternative
• Small businesses with limited cash flow: SMBs and nonprofits are unlikely to get approval. If you’re a small business looking for a card similar to Brex, consider the Ramp Business Credit Card instead. Ramp only requires $25,000 in the bank—just half of what Brex requires. And because Ramp is independent and purpose-built for high-growth companies, you won't face the risk of underwriting standards changing.

Discover Ramp's corporate card for modern finance

Learn more

Other common questions about the Brex card

Is Brex a charge card?

Yes, Brex is considered a charge card. Brex will automatically debit your account to pay your entire balance each month, eliminating interest charges and preventing you from carrying a balance.

Does Brex perform a hard pull for a business credit card?

Brex does not perform a hard pull on your personal credit when you apply. Instead, they evaluate the financial health of your business by analyzing your business bank account and financial records. This approach ensures that your personal credit score is not affected by the application process.

Can you pay your Brex balance with a credit card?

Currently, Brex doesn’t allow you to make balance payments with another credit card. Payments must be made directly from your business bank account. This policy helps maintain the financial integrity and cash flow management that Brex emphasizes for its customers.

Does Brex offer points and rewards?

Brex offers a rewards program for eligible cardholders, with the potential for high earning rates—but there’s a catch. Cardholders must make the Brex card their primary business card to enjoy bonuses like 4x points on travel booked through the Brex portal and 3x points at restaurants.

For businesses that use the Brex card in conjunction with other business credit cards, spending only earns 1x point per dollar on purchases.

However, Brex’s acquisition by Capital One may leave some customers wondering about changes to their rewards structures. Brex continues to operate as-is for now, but like all card issuers, its rewards may change in the future.

How to fill out a Brex card application

You can fill out a Brex card application online in six easy steps, and most businesses get a response fairly quickly:

1. Visit the Brex website: Go to the Brex website and locate the Get started button
2. Create an account: Provide basic information such as your name, work email, and company name
3. Provide business details: Enter your company's legal name, EIN, and date of incorporation. Specify your company's industry, annual revenue, and number of employees. Describe your business model and funding sources (if applicable).
4. Link your bank account: Connect your business bank account to the Brex platform. This allows Brex to assess your company's financial health and determine your creditworthiness.
5. Review, submit, and await approval: Carefully review all the information you entered for accuracy, agree to the terms and conditions, and submit your application. Brex will review your application and typically provide a decision quickly. If approved, you'll receive a virtual card immediately, and a physical card will arrive by mail shortly.

In some cases, your application will be approved, but you’ll need you to provide some additional information.

Get the Ramp Business Credit Card with no credit check or personal guarantee

If you're looking for an accessible business credit card that doesn't require a personal credit check or personal guarantee, the Ramp Business Credit Card is easier to get than Brex for many businesses. All you need is an EIN and $25,000 in a U.S. business bank account to qualify, compared to Brex’s minimum requirement of $50,000.

Ramp is designed to simplify expense management and streamline financial operations, saving your business time and money. Like Brex, Ramp focuses on your business's financial health rather than your personal credit, making it an attractive alternative for companies looking to avoid personal liability.

And because Ramp remains independent and purpose-built for high-growth companies, you won't face the risk of underwriting standards or strategic priorities changing as the platform transitions to traditional bank ownership.

Try an interactive demo to learn more about why more than 4,200 businesses chose Ramp over Brex.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article has not been officially confirmed by Brex and is subject to change. Following Capital One's acquisition of Brex announced in January 2026, requirements and policies may evolve as the deal closes in mid-2026.