A card swipe machine is a device that interacts with credit cards to transfer funds electronically from the cardholder’s account to the merchant’s account. A physical payment terminal allows the user to swipe a credit card, which is then authenticated for security. Once funds are verified, the machine then initiates a transfer of funds, which take a day or two to reach the merchant’s bank account. Charge.com specifically uses our “Virtual Terminal” for online credit card purchases, in which the transaction is handled through software using a secure, encrypted process.