Account linking system and method

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a processor computer in a payment processing network, configuration data including an allocation amount of an account limit of the first account to allocate to the second account for use by the second account in transactions, the first account being associated with a credit card and the second account being associated with a debit card;
• sending, by the processor computer to an issuer computer associated with the first account, a first pre-authorization hold request message including a first account number of the first account, a second account number of the second account, and the allocation amount, wherein the issuer computer establishes a first pre-authorization hold on the first account for the allocation amount and establishes a second account limit for the second account by the allocation amount;
• sending, by the processor computer to the issuer computer, an authorization request message comprising a transaction amount for a transaction on the second account, wherein the issuer computer thereafter reduces the second account limit of the second account by the transaction amount to form a reduced second account limit and records transaction details for the transaction on the second account;
• modifying, by the processor computer, a settlement file containing the transaction details for the transaction to form a modified settlement file by including an identifier of the first pre-authorization hold with the transaction details such that the issuer computer can reconcile the transaction on the second account against the first pre-authorization hold on the first account;
• and
• sending, by the processor computer to the issuer computer, the modified settlement file, wherein the issuer computer initiates a transfer of funds for the transaction amount from the first account a merchant based on the transaction details, records the transaction details and the second account number of the second account on the first account, cancels the first pre-authorization hold, cancels the first pre-authorization hold, and establishes a second pre-authorization hold on the first account for the reduced second account limit.

A server computer in a payment processing network, the server computer comprising a processor and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium comprising code for implementing a method comprising:

• receiving configuration data including an allocation amount of an account limit of a first account to allocate to a second account for use by the second account in transactions, the first account being associated with a credit card and the second account being associated with a debit card;
• sending, to an issuer computer associated with the first account, a first pre-authorization hold request message including a first account number of the first account, a second account number of the second account, and the allocation amount, wherein the issuer computer establishes a first pre-authorization hold on the first account for the allocation amount and establishes a second account limit for the second account by the allocation amount;
• sending, to the issuer computer, an authorization request message comprising a transaction amount for a transaction on the second account, wherein the issuer computer thereafter reduces the second account limit of the second account by the transaction amount to form a reduced second account limit and records transaction details for the transaction on the second account;
• modifying a settlement file containing the transaction details for the transaction to form a modified settlement file by including an identifier of the first pre-authorization hold with the transaction details such that the issuer computer can reconcile the transaction on the second account against the first pre-authorization hold on the first account;
• and
• sending, to the issuer computer, the modified settlement file, wherein the issuer computer initiates a transfer of funds for the transaction amount from the first account to a merchant based on the transaction details, records the transaction details and the second account number on the first account, cancels the first pre-authorization hold, and establishes a second pre-authorization hold on the first account for the reduced second account limit.