Best Cards to Use Overseas (2026):
Overseas spending is where credit cards quietly eat into your holiday budget. Most Singapore credit cards charge a 3.25% foreign currency (FCY) fee on every overseas transaction — that’s S$32.50 lost on every S$1,000 you spend abroad, before you’ve even thought about miles or cashback.
Here’s how to stack the cards in your wallet for an overseas trip in 2026 — broken down into cashback, multi-currency, and miles cards, so you can pick based on your goal.
Quick Verdict
- Want cashback, fuss-free: Mari Credit Card (1.5%) for the first S$1,500/month, then Trust Cashback (0.5%) for the rest.
- Want miles, comfortable with hacks: Citi Rewards + Amaze and Maybank XL Rewards (under-40 only) — both give 4 mpd on overseas spend
- Don’t qualify for credit cards: Chocolate Visa Debit Card (1 mpd, 0% FX) for spending; Wise or YouTrip for transfers and multi-currency holding.
- Cash withdrawals: Wise or YouTrip (free up to monthly limits).
Quick Glossary (For Those New To Credit Cards)
- mpd — miles per dollar. e.g. 4 mpd means S$1 of spend earns 4 air miles.
- FCY — foreign currency. Any non-SGD spending.
- FCY transaction fee — a 3.25% surcharge most banks apply on every overseas transaction. Some cards (Mari, Trust, Chocolate, Wise, YouTrip) waive this entirely.
- MCC — Merchant Category Code. The label banks use to classify what type of shop you’re paying (e.g. airlines, hotels, restaurants, fashion stores). Some cards only award the bonus rate on certain MCCs.
- Statement month — your credit card’s billing cycle, which usually does NOT match the calendar month. Caps reset on your statement closing date — find this in your bank’s app under "Statement" (e.g. Citi app → Statement → closing date).
- Cap — the most you can earn from the bonus rate per month. Spend above the cap drops to the base rate (usually 0.4 mpd or 0%).
Best Cashback Cards for Overseas Spend
1. Mari Credit Card — 1.5% Cashback, 0% FX Fee (First S$1,500/month)
This is the simplest pick for cashback in 2026. Since 1 January 2026, Mari Credit Card has waived all FCY fees and offers 1.5% cashback on overseas spend, up to S$1,500/month.
- 1.5% cashback on foreign currency spend, capped at S$1,500/month (max S$22.50 cashback per month)
- 0% FCY fee — no 3.25% surcharge on overseas transactions
- No minimum spend and no remembering specific bonus categories — just tap and earn
- Cashback is credited to your account immediately after the transaction posts (since March 2026)
- No annual fee, ever
The catch: The 1.5% rate is a promo valid until 31 December 2026. After that, the rate may change unless extended.
My take: Use Mari for your first S$1,500 of FCY spend each month. Once you hit the cap, switch to Trust Cashback for the rest.
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How to claim (tap to expand)
- Download the app from the App Store or Google Play
- Copy the referral code above and enter into the app when prompted
- Sign up with your details
2. Trust Cashback Card — 0.5% Cashback, 0% FX Fee
Trust used to give 1% cashback on FCY, but that was halved to 0.5% from 1 March 2026. Still useful as a catch-all after you’ve maxed Mari.
Why it’s still in your wallet:
- 0.5% cashback on FCY spend, uncapped
- 0% FX fees, Visa wholesale rates
- No annual fee
- Cashback credited the following month
The catch: Cashback rate is now half of what it used to be. For pure FCY cashback, Mari beats it within the first S$1,500/month.
My take: A solid back-up FCY card after Mari’s S$1,500 cap is hit. The 0.5% cashback is uncapped, so it still pulls weight on bigger trips.
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How to claim (tap to expand)
- Download the app from the App Store or Google Play
- Copy the referral code above and enter into the app when prompted
- Sign up with your details
Best Multi-Currency Cards for Overseas Spend
1. Chocolate Visa Debit Card — Best for Students & Non-Credit Card Users
If you can’t qualify for a credit card (student, retiree, or no income), the Chocolate Visa Debit Card is the strongest debit option for overseas spend in 2026.
Why it stands out:
- 1 Max Mile per S$1 on the first S$1,000 spend per calendar month (HeyMax-linked)
- 0.4 Max Miles per S$1 thereafter, no cap
- 0% FX fees — uses Visa wholesale rates
- Max Miles never expire and can be redeemed via HeyMax FlyAnywhere at ~1.8¢/mile (effectively ~1.8% return)
- No income requirement, no annual fee
- Plus: 2% p.a. on your Chocolate Finance balance (first S$20k)
The catch: Earn rate was nerfed from 2 mpd to 1 mpd from 1 July 2025, and bill payments are capped at 100 miles/month. Still solid for general overseas use.
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How to claim (tap to expand)
- Download the app from the App Store or Google Play
- Copy the referral code above and enter into the app when prompted
- Sign up with your details
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How to claim (tap to expand)
- Download the HeyMax app from the App Store or Google Play
- Enter the referral code 43774BFE when prompted during sign-up
- Complete phone verification
- Make 1 confirmed transaction via HeyMax within 180 days of account creation
- Get 200 Max Miles as your sign-up reward
2. Wise Card — Best for Transfers, Multi-Currency Banking
Wise is built around transparency and the mid-market rate. Every quote shows the exact conversion fee and the rate you’ll receive before you confirm, so you always know what you’re paying. It excels at international transfers and unusual currencies, and is a strong choice for travellers who want predictable, well-disclosed pricing.
Best used for:
- International money transfers and paying overseas invoices
- Holding multiple currencies in one account
- Travellers who value transparent, mid-market pricing on every transaction
- Currencies where you want fee certainty before confirming
Mari and Trust are stronger for everyday shopping and dining because of their cashback. Wise is the better fit when you need cross-currency banking features (transfers, multi-currency holdings, fee transparency).
3. YouTrip — Predictable Top-Ups, Locked Rates
YouTrip is a multi-currency prepaid Mastercard. It carries selected currencies and is a worthy contender to Wise.
Trade-off: No cashback or miles
Amaze: The Ultimate Pairing Tool
Amaze: The Pairing Tool That Unlocks 4 mpd Overseas
If you want miles on overseas spend, Amaze keeps coming up. Read this section once and the credit card sections below will make sense.
What is Amaze?
It’s a multi-currency card (via Wallet function) that doubles up as a third party payment processor (via linked bank card function). You can use it like Wise or Youtrip as a multi-currency card, or use it as a payment processor for your Mastercard credit cards. There’s no income check, no annual fee, no credit application. You download the Instarem app and apply. Once signed up, you will receive the Amaze card. You can access all functionalities of the amaze card using the Instarem amaze app.
You can choose between two types of payment source: Linked bank card or wallet.
If you choose wallet function, every Amaze transaction draws from the amount that you top up into your multi-currency wallet.
If you choose linked bank card function, every Amaze transaction is automatically charged to your linked Mastercard credit card.
Why use Amaze for overseas spend?
Two reasons:
- It saves you about 1.25% on the FCY fee. Tap a credit card overseas and you typically pay 3.25% on top of the conversion. Tap Amaze and you skip that 3.25% — you only pay Amaze’s own ~2% rate spread. Net saving: roughly 1.25% on every overseas swipe.
- It re-codes your overseas tap as “online SGD” on the linked credit card’s bill. This unlocks 4 mpd on cards like Citi Rewards that only award the bonus rate on online transactions — even though you tapped at a physical shop.
Important — Amaze keeps the merchant’s MCC. If you tap Amaze at a restaurant in Tokyo, the transaction is still tagged with the “restaurants” MCC. Cards that award 4 mpd by MCC (like OCBC Rewards on shopping merchants) still earn the bonus when paid via Amaze.
Which cards work with Amaze?
- ✅ Citi, Maybank, OCBC, HSBC
- ❌ NOT UOB, DBS / POSB, DCS (Diners Club Singapore), AMEX
How to set up:
- Download the Instarem Amaze app and order the free card
- Inside the app, link the credit card you want to use as the funding source (one-time setup)
- When overseas, tap your physical Amaze card or use it via Apple Pay / Google Pay
⚠️ Watch out — Amaze charges 1% on SGD transactions. Use Amaze only for foreign currency spend overseas. For local SGD purchases (even online stores billed in SGD), tap your credit card directly. Otherwise you’ll pay an extra 1% (min S$0.50) for nothing.
Quick comparison of the four common pairings (more detail in each card section below):
| Pairing | Earn Rate | Monthly Cap | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Rewards + Amaze | 4 mpd | S$1,000 | Almost everything overseas (excl. travel) |
| Maybank XL Rewards + Amaze | 4 mpd | S$1,000 | Selected categories only (dining, shopping, travel, entertainment) |
| OCBC Rewards + Amaze | 4 mpd | S$1,110 | Overseas shopping (department stores, fashion) |
Best Miles Cards for Overseas Spend
If you’d rather earn miles than cashback, here are the top picks for 2026. Heads up: most miles cards still charge the standard 2-3.25% FX fee. The earn rates need to justify that cost — generally, you want to be earning at least 4 mpd to make it worthwhile.
1. Citi Rewards + Amaze — 4 mpd on Almost Everything Overseas
Best Amaze pairing for almost everything overseas — dining, shopping, taxis, supermarkets — because Amaze re-codes your tap as “online SGD” on the Citi card, which is what Citi Rewards needs to award 4 mpd.
- Earn rate via Amaze: 4 mpd
- Effective FCY fee: ~2% (Amaze spread) instead of 3.25% (Citi direct)
- Cap: S$1,000 per statement month — your billing cycle, not the calendar month. Find your statement closing date in the Citi app under “Statement” or on your most recent statement.
⚠️ Travel-related categories are excluded. Citi Rewards specifically blocks 4 mpd on certain MCCs — airlines, hotels, car rentals, and cruises — even when paid via Amaze. These earn only the base 0.4 mpd. For car rentals, flights and hotels, use a different card.
Requirements (tap to expand)
- You qualify if: you have no Citibank credit card right now
- Spend min. S$500 within 30 days of card approval
- SingSaver will email you a Rewards Redemption Form — check inbox (and spam folder) after applying. Fill it in within 14 days to claim your gift, or you'll lose it.
2. Maybank XL Rewards — 4 mpd on All FCY Spend (Open to Those Below 40)
The most beginner-friendly miles card for overseas — earns 4 mpd on all foreign currency spend, regardless of merchant category. No Amaze setup needed.
Two ways to use it:
- 🟢 Beginner mode — tap Maybank XL directly. 4 mpd on everything overseas. FCY fee 3.25%, but no thinking required — works at any merchant.
- 🔵 Pro mode — pair with Amaze, but ONLY for these merchant categories: dining, shopping, travel, entertainment (Maybank XL has a separate 4 mpd track for these in SGD). Drops the FCY fee to ~2% while still earning 4 mpd. Outside these categories, Amaze pairing actually drops you to 0.4 mpd — so just use Maybank XL alone.
Things to note:
- Min spend: S$500/month
- Cap: S$1,000 of bonus-eligible spend per calendar month (= max 4,000 bonus miles/month)
- Eligibility: Must be under 40 to apply
- Annual fee S$87.20, waived for first 2 years
Read more: Maybank XL Rewards/Cashback Card Review
Requirements (tap to expand)
- Etiqa Insurance: for new Maybank XL Card applicants only · first 15,000 applicants below age 40
- S$10 Cashback: for new-to-Maybank Credit Card / CreditAble customers only
- Apply for XL Cashback or XL Rewards Card via the button
- Fill the Google Form after signing up
- Make one transaction → cashback auto-credited to card account
3. OCBC Rewards + Amaze — 4 mpd on Overseas Shopping
The third Amaze pairing — niche for overseas shopping. Use this after you’ve hit the monthly cap on Citi Rewards and Maybank XL.
Eligible (4 mpd works via Amaze — MCC-based):
- Duty-free stores (MCC 5309): e.g. KrisShop, Lotte Duty Free, Shilla Duty Free, King Power
- Department stores (MCC 5311): e.g. Isetan, Takashimaya, TANGS, Marks & Spencer, Metro
- Clothing & fashion boutiques (MCCs 5611, 5621, 5631, 5651, 5691, 5699): e.g. Uniqlo, Zara, H&M, Cotton On, Burberry, Hermes, Prada, Chanel, Ferragamo, Pull & Bear, Suitsupply, Zalora
- Children’s wear (MCC 5641): e.g. Cotton On Kids, Mothercare, Kiddy Palace
- Sports apparel (MCC 5655): e.g. Lululemon, Adidas, Nike, On Running
- Sporting goods (MCC 5941): e.g. Decathlon, FILA, New Balance, PUMA
- Shoe stores (MCC 5661): e.g. ALDO, Charles & Keith, Foot Locker, Onitsuka Tiger
- Leather goods / luggage (MCC 5948): e.g. Louis Vuitton, Coach, Bottega Veneta, Rimowa
The merchants listed above are examples only — the 4 mpd rate is determined by the MCC tagged to the merchant by Visa/Mastercard, not by the merchant name. Some stores may use a different MCC than expected; check the OCBC app or your statement to confirm.
NOT eligible (only 0.4 mpd): electronics (Apple, Best Denki), furniture (IKEA), supermarkets, restaurants, transport.
- Cap: S$1,110 per calendar month
- Effective FCY fee via Amaze: ~2% instead of 3.25%
⚠️ The 6 mpd Watsons / Shopee / Lazada / Taobao / TikTok Shop promo (until 30 June 2026) does NOT work with Amaze. For those merchants, pay with the OCBC card directly — Amaze rewrites the merchant name on the transaction, which breaks this specific promo.
Requirements (tap to expand)
- You qualify if: you have no OCBC credit card right now
- Spend min. S$400 within 30 days of card approval
- SingSaver will email you a Rewards Redemption Form — check inbox (and spam folder) after applying. Fill it in within 14 days to claim your gift, or you'll lose it.
4. UOB Visa Signature (No Amaze Needed)
Earns 4 mpd on FCY spend without needing Amaze — useful if you don’t want to set up Amaze, or you’ve already capped Citi Rewards and Maybank XL.
- Earn rate: 4 mpd on foreign currency spend, online or contactless
- Min spend: S$1,000 in FCY per statement month for the 4 mpd rate to apply
- Cap: S$1,200 of FCY bonus spend per statement month (max 4,800 bonus miles/month).
- FCY fee: 3.25% (UOB cards aren’t Amaze-compatible — no workaround)
My take: Useful for travellers who hit the S$1,000/month FCY threshold
Read the full review for the latest sub-caps, minimum spend rules, and quirks: UOB Visa Signature Card Review
Requirements (tap to expand)
- You qualify if: you have no UOB credit card right now, AND haven't cancelled any UOB credit card in the last 12 months
- This is a timed flash deal. Only the FIRST person to submit a valid application at 2PM or 10PM SGT wins the top reward. Everyone else who applies gets the standard gift (S$90 Cash via PayNow).
- Spend min. S$500 within the first 30 days from card approval
- SingSaver will email you a Rewards Redemption Form — check inbox (and spam folder) after applying. Fill it in within 14 days to claim your gift, or you'll lose it.
5. UOB Preferred Platinum Visa (No Amaze Needed)
UOB’s Preferred Platinum Visa earns 4 mpd on mobile contactless payments — that’s Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. Tapping the physical card does NOT count.
- Earn rate: 4 mpd on mobile contactless (Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) and selected online merchants
- Cap: S$600 per calendar month for mobile contactless + S$600 for selected online merchants
- FCY fee: 3.25%
My take: Useful overseas because most modern terminals accept mobile contactless, but the small S$600/month cap means it’s a top-up card — not a primary overseas card.
Read review: UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card Review
My Recommended Stack for Overseas Trips
Here’s the order to run through, depending on whether you want cashback or miles, and whether you want to set up Amaze.
If you want cashback (fuss-free, no Amaze setup)
- Mari Credit Card → first S$1,500/month FCY (1.5% back, 0% FCY fee)
- Trust Cashback → everything beyond Mari’s cap (0.5% back, 0% FCY fee, uncapped)
- Chocolate Visa → if you don’t qualify for credit cards (1 Max Mile/S$1, 0% FCY fee)
If you want miles AND are willing to set up Amaze
- Citi Rewards + Amaze → first S$1,000/statement month FCY (4 mpd, ~2% FCY fee, excludes travel MCCs)
- Maybank XL Rewards (with or without Amaze) → next S$1,000/calendar month FCY (4 mpd, under-40s only)
- OCBC Rewards + Amaze → next S$1,110/calendar month for overseas shopping (department stores, fashion, duty-free)
If you want miles WITHOUT Amaze (UOB cards)
- UOB Visa Signature → first S$1,200/statement month FCY (4 mpd, but min S$1,000/month FCY threshold; 3.25% FCY fee)
- UOB Preferred Platinum Visa → S$600/calendar month on mobile contactless (Apple/Google/Samsung Pay only; 3.25% FCY fee)
For specific use cases
- Money transfers / paying invoices abroad → Wise
- Locking in FX rates before a trip → YouTrip
- Cash withdrawals overseas → Wise or YouTrip (free up to monthly limits)
Conclusion
For 2026, the overseas card landscape is finally getting friendlier — Mari’s 0% FCY fee shift is the biggest unlock for fuss-free cashback. For miles collectors willing to set up Amaze, the Maybank XL + Citi Rewards + Amaze combo gives you 4 mpd on most things up to S$2,000/month combined. For those who want to skip Amaze, UOB Visa Signature still earns 4 mpd on FCY directly.
Pick one or two cards that match your spending habits — there’s no need to apply for every card on this list. Keep things simple: use Mari for fuss-free cashback, or pick one Amaze pairing if you want to chase miles.
💳 Credit cards change their T&Cs every so often and it’s difficult to stay updated. That’s why I created a Telegram Broadcast where you can receive timely bite-sized updates.
