Brex credit card requirements: What you need
- What is the Brex card?
- What are the requirements for a Brex business credit card?
- How Brex credit limits work
- What are the odds of being approved for a Brex card?
- Who the Brex card is best for
- Other common questions about the Brex card
- How to apply for a Brex card
- Get the Ramp Business Credit Card with no credit check or personal guarantee
To qualify for a Brex card, your business must be a registered U.S. entity (LLC, C-corp, or S-corp) with an EIN and a physical U.S. address. Brex runs no personal credit check and requires no personal guarantee, basing eligibility on your company's financials instead.
Being a venture-backed startup doesn't guarantee approval, though. And following Capital One's acquisition of Brex, it's unclear whether these requirements will stay the same.
What is the Brex card?
Brex is a fintech company that offers a corporate charge card and spend management tools for startups and growing companies. Alongside the card, it provides cash management accounts and expense management tools 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 officially closed the week of April 7, 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.
For a prospective applicant deciding now, the most practical effect is that Brex's underwriting and approval criteria could shift under new ownership, so it's worth confirming current terms before you apply.
Is it hard to get a Brex card?
Getting a Brex card is more accessible than a traditional corporate card but harder than a typical small-business card, because approval hinges on your company's financials rather than your personal credit. It can be a challenge, but the bar is different from a consumer card, not necessarily higher.
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.
According to Brex, funded startups generally need a minimum cash balance of $50,000 to qualify. 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?
To qualify for a Brex business credit card, your company generally needs to meet these core requirements:
- Registered U.S. entity (LLC, S-corp, C-corp, or LP)
- Valid EIN
- Physical U.S. business address
- Company financials that meet Brex's cash or revenue thresholds
- No personal guarantee or personal credit check
- A connected business bank account
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 US 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 US business address (or a virtual address if your business has a verifiable presence in the U.S., EU, or UK)
Financial history and creditworthiness
Brex doesn't check your personal credit or require a personal guarantee. It underwrites on your company's cash, revenue, and business model. That non-traditional approach means it reviews your company's cash balance, revenue trends, and business model rather than a founder's credit score or personal founder guarantee, so 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 now that the acquisition has closed.
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.
In short, growth-oriented sectors like technology and e-commerce tend to clear approval more easily, while brick-and-mortar and high-risk businesses draw closer review, and nonprofits are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Connecting 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 fails. Unlike many other business credit cards, your personal assets aren't at risk in the event of default, which makes it attractive to business owners.
How Brex credit limits work
Brex sets your credit limit dynamically from your cash balance, cash flow, and funding, so the limit can rise or fall over time. There's no fixed number tied to a personal credit score.
Brex monitors your connected accounts continuously, so your limit can drop if your cash drops and recover as your balance builds back up. That's a departure from traditional cards, which set a static limit at approval and rarely adjust it.
| Payment schedule | How the limit is set | When the balance is debited | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | Tied to your Brex account balance, similar to a debit card | Auto-debits each evening | Newer accounts and businesses that want to spend against cash on hand |
| Monthly | Based on cash balance, cash flow, and financial performance | Collected at the end of the statement period | Established companies that meet Brex's revenue thresholds |
Daily vs. monthly payments
With daily payments, your balance auto-debits each evening and your limit is tied to your Brex account balance, so the card behaves much like a debit card. With monthly payments, Brex collects your balance at the end of the statement period, and your limit is based on your cash balance, cash flow, and overall financial performance.
Why your credit limit can change
Brex re-evaluates your limit continuously, so spending down your cash reduces your available limit until that cash returns. Brex determines credit limits from your connected bank account balance, cash flow, and business performance, which is why the number can move month to month rather than staying fixed.
What are the odds of being approved for a Brex card?
Your approval odds rise with strong cash reserves, steady revenue, and funding, and personal credit isn't a factor. Companies with a healthy financial history have the best 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.
Who gets fast tracked
Here's who Brex fast-tracks. 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 have shifted now that the deal has closed.
How long Brex approval takes
Brex typically reviews applications quickly, often within a few business days. If approved, you usually receive a virtual card right away.
A few things can slow a decision, including identity and address verification or a request for additional documentation to confirm your business details.
By comparison, Ramp requires no personal credit check or personal guarantee, and applications are typically approved in fewer than 48 hours.
Discover Ramp's corporate card for modern finance
Who the Brex card is 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 travel credit card 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.
Here's how the two compare at a glance:
| Feature | Brex | Ramp |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum cash in bank | $50,000 (funded startups) | $25,000 |
| Personal guarantee | Not required | Not required |
| Personal credit check | No | No |
| Rewards model | Tiered points, higher rates require exclusivity | Cashback rewards on purchases |
| Ownership | Acquired by Capital One (2026) | Independent |
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 do a hard credit pull?
No. Brex doesn't run 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 isn’t 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 the top earning tiers.
For cardholders who make Brex their primary card, the published earning tiers are:
- 7x on rideshare
- 4x on travel booked through the Brex portal
- 3x at restaurants
- 2x on software
- 1x on everything else
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 apply for a Brex card
You can fill out a Brex card application online in a few steps, and most businesses get a response fairly quickly:
- Visit the Brex website: Go to the Brex website and locate the Get started button
- Create an account: Provide basic information such as your name, work email, and company name
- 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.
- Verify beneficial owners: Brex collects information for beneficial owners and controlling officers, meaning anyone who owns 25% or more of the business, including a government-issued photo ID. Brex may request an SSN for identity verification only, not a credit pull.
- 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.
- 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.
In some cases, your application will be approved, but you'll need 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. U.S. businesses just need an EIN and $25,000 in a business bank account, compared to Brex's minimum 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.
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 and completed on April 7, requirements and policies may evolve.
FAQs
Yes. Capital One announced its acquisition of Brex on January 22, 2026, in a deal valued at $5.15 billion, and the transaction closed the week of April 7, 2026.
No. Brex doesn't run a hard pull on your personal credit when you apply. It underwrites on your company's bank account and financial records instead.
A new LLC can qualify if it's a registered US entity with an EIN and meets Brex's cash or revenue thresholds, such as $50,000 in the bank for funded startups. Pre-revenue businesses without funding usually won't.
Brex sets your limit dynamically from your connected bank account balance, cash flow, and financial performance, then re-evaluates it continuously, so the limit can rise or fall as your cash changes.
Businesses weighing alternatives often look at Ramp for its independence, modern spend controls, and lower $25,000 cash requirement compared to Brex's $50,000.
Yes, Ramp accepts businesses registered in the United States and Canada. U.S. applicants will need at least $25,000 in a business bank account to qualify; Canadian applicants must be registered in a supported province and have at least CA$25,000 across their connected accounts. See Ramp’s Canadian eligibility requirements for the full details.
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