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Standard Chartered Bonus$aver Increases Rates to 5.5% p.a. — Is It Worth It?

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Standard Chartered Bonus$aver

Use Code: DBF6F

Bonus$aver offers high interest rate for those who can consistently meet the spend and salary crediting requirements

Standard Chartered’s Bonus$aver Account is getting a boost. From 1 June 2025, the bank is raising bonus interest rates across several categories, enhancing the potential returns for customers who meet the required conditions.

Category
Old Rates 
New Rates (After 1 June 2025)
Notes
Base Rate
0.05%
0.05% (unchanged)
Applies to full balance
Card Spend
1.00%
1.50% 
With S$1,000/month spend on eligible transactions
Salary Credit
1.00%
1.50% 
With S$3,000/month salary credit via FAST, GIRO, or PayNow
Invest
2.00%
2.50%
6‑month bonus interest for ≥ S$20K investments
Insure
2.00%
2.50%
6‑month bonus interest for ≥ S$12K premiums
Maximum Effective Interest Rate
6.05%
8.05%
On first S$100K balance

How to Earn 3.05% p.a. Interest

  • Credit a salary of at least S$3,000/month via FAST, GIRO, or PayNow. There are no hacks for this at the moment.
  • Spend at least S$1,000/month on your linked Bonus$aver credit (recommended, more on that later) or debit card.
  • While spending S$1,000/month unlocks bonus interest, you will not earn any cashback on that S$1,000 spend. 

⚠️ Excluded transactions include ATM withdrawals, bill payments, loan repayments, EZ-Link top-ups, AXS payments, and recurring instalments. Always check the full exclusions list.

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How to Earn an Additional 2.5% p.a. Bonus Interest via Invest Tier (Valid for 6 Months)

  • Choose one of the following:

    • Invest in Unit Trusts: Subscribe and settle a trade for S$20,000+ in eligible unit trusts via SC.

    • Trade Equities: Execute S$20,000+ in cumulative buy trades via SC Online Trading within a calendar month.

      • Low-cost option: One buy trade per month qualifies, and you can sell immediately. Stick to SGD-denominated assets to avoid FX risk.

Is The Invest Tier Worth it?

To qualify for the 2.5% bonus under the Invest category, you’ll need to execute at least S$20,000 in cumulative buy trades per calendar month via SC Online Trading. You will need to sign up for a SC Online Trading account too.

Given that the bonus runs for six months, and the requirement can be fulfilled with one single buy trade (which can be sold immediately), the cost of qualifying is relatively low — particularly with SGD-denominated assets to avoid foreign exchange risk.

For a S$100,000 balance, hitting the spend, salary credit, and invest criteria yields about S$5,550/year, which could easily beat the UOB One and OCBC 360 Account interest.

Optional: (Harder to Achieve!)
  • Purchase insurance with at least S$12,000 in annual premiums through Standard Chartered. I would not go for it.

Keep in mind:

  • The invest and insure bonuses are valid for 6 months only.
  • All bonus interest is credited monthly, the month after you meet the requirements.

💳 Step-by-Step Optimisation Application Strategy

NOTE: Enter code DBF6F if prompted during sign-up

Steps
Requirements
Rewards
1. Apply for Bonus$aver Account & Bonus$aver Mastercard Credit Card
Deposit S$50,000 fresh funds. Maintain deposit until the end of the next calendar month after account opening
50 units of SPDR STI ETF (SGX:ES3) (~S$198) + S$60 SG60 sign-up cashback + S$30 referral bonus (via my link)
2. Apply for SC Online Trading Account
Must be opened by the end of the following calendar month after Bonus$aver Account opening. Your free ETF shares will be credited here

S$60 cashback for every S$60K traded (inclusive of buy + sell trades, net of fees). You can earn a maximum cashback of S$600 for S$600K trade volume between 1 July – 30 Sept 2025.

Tip: If you are new to SC credit cardholder, you can further maximise your sign up rewards by applying for a credit card below first before signing up for the Bonus$aver Account. To keep it simple, cashback hunters can go for SC Simply Cash Card while miles chasers can go for SC Journey Card.

Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card

Earn 1.5% cashback with no minimum spend and no cap

Standard Chartered Journey Card

Earn 1.2 miles per dollar on local spend, 2 miles per dollar on foreign currency spend, 3 miles per dollar on selected bonus categories

2 Priority Pass visits per membership year

Conclusion:

With a potential effective interest rate of 5.55% p.a., the revamped Bonus$aver is a strong choice for those who have more than S$50K of fresh funds to park and can consistently meet the spend and salary crediting requirements — and are willing to make the extra step of executing trades once every 6 months. 

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lobangsis

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lobangsis

Audz, your lobang sis shares personal finance to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for us all.

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DBS YUU

Receive S$300 cashback + S$80 Esso Fuel Voucher (promo code: YUU380) when you spend S$800 within 60 days of card approval

Valid till: October 31, 2025

Citi Rewards

Get Apple iPad (A16) 11" Wi-Fi 128GB or Dyson Airwrap Origin or Apple Watch SE Gen 3 40mm (GPS + Cell) or S$450 Grab Voucher or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 within 30 days of card approval

Valid till: October 31, 2025

HSBC Live+

Get Apple iPad (A16) 11" Wi-Fi 128GB or S$250 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer or S$475 Grab Voucher or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent

Valid till: November 2, 2025

UOB PRVI

Get S$60 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 within 30 days from approval

Valid till: November 2, 2025

Valid for new-to-bank credit cardholders or does not own any of the bank’s credit cards in the last 12 months, unless otherwise stated.

Gift confirmation are usually sent after you have completed rewards redemption form (sent to your email) & fulfilled qualifying spend within stipulated period.

DBS YUU

Receive S$300 cashback + S$80 Esso Fuel Voucher (promo code: YUU380) when you spend S$800 within 60 days of card approval

Valid till: October 31, 2025

Citi Rewards

Get Apple iPad (A16) 11" Wi-Fi 128GB or Dyson Airwrap Origin or Apple Watch SE Gen 3 40mm (GPS + Cell) or S$450 Grab Voucher or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 within 30 days of card approval

Valid till: October 31, 2025

HSBC Live+

Get Apple iPad (A16) 11" Wi-Fi 128GB or S$250 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer or S$475 Grab Voucher or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent

Valid till: November 2, 2025

UOB PRVI

Get S$60 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 within 30 days from approval

Valid till: November 2, 2025

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Standard Chartered Bonus$aver

Promo Details:
  • Get Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine Piano Black & Aeroccino Bundle (worth S$289)

  • How to qualify:

    1. Apply for a Bonus$aver Account and Bonus$aver World Mastercard Credit Card (as main account/principal cardholder).

    2. Deposit S$50,000 fresh funds.

    3. Keep the deposit until the end of the calendar month after account opening.

  • Who can apply:

    • New Bonus$aver accountholders, or existing Standard Chartered customers who don’t have a Bonus$aver account yet.

  • Valid from 01 – 31 October 2025.

  • Read Terms and Conditions here
 
Additional Tips to Maximise Sign Up Gifts:
  • Apply for a Standard Chartered credit card first if you are new to SC credit card holder (with sign-up bonus) before joining this promo. I personally recommend these two:

Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card

Earn 1.5% cashback with no minimum spend and no cap

Standard Chartered Journey Card

Earn 1.2 miles per dollar on local spend, 2 miles per dollar on foreign currency spend, 3 miles per dollar on selected bonus categories

2 Priority Pass visits per membership year

  • If you open the Bonus$aver Account + Bonus$aver World Mastercard first, you won’t be considered new-to-bank for other Standard Chartered credit card sign-up rewards.

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Standard Chartered Bonus$aver

The Standard Chartered Bonus$aver Account offers up to 8.05% p.a. interest on the first S$$100,000 when you credit salary, spend on the linked card, and opt for investment or insurance products. Salary and card spend alone can earn around 3.05% p.a. 

 

To Achieve 3.05% p.a. Interest:
  • Credit a salary of at least S$3,000/month via FAST, GIRO, or PayNow. There are no hacks for this at the moment.
  • Spend at least S$1,000/month on your linked Bonus$aver credit or debit card.

 

To Achieve an Additional 2.5% p.a. Interest:
  • You can do either below:
    • Subscribe, through SC, and settle a trade for an eligible unit trust with a minimum single subscription amount of S$20,000; OR
    • Trade a minimum of S$20,000 in cumulative buy trades for eligible Online Equities via SC Online Trading within a calendar month

Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card

Direct Bank Reward:
  • Get Samsonite MODUS Spinner 25” worth S$610 and S$100 cashback when you spend S$800 within 60 days of your card approval
  • Valid until 31 December 2025
  • Read Terms and Conditions here

 

Singsaver Reward:
  • Get S$350 Cash via PayNow or S$370 Grab Voucher when you spend a minimum of S$800 within 30 days of card approval and apply for one of the following within 60 days of card approval:
    • EasyPay: Min. 3 transactions of S$150 minimum each, 12-month tenure
    • Bonus$aver Account: Min. deposit S$3,000
    • CashOne Personal Loan: Min. S$1,000, 12-month tenure
    • Credit Card Funds Transfer: Min. S$1,000, 3-month tenure
  • Promotion is valid for new to bank credit card holders
  • Valid until 02 November 2025
  • Read Terms and Conditions here
  • Must fulfill spending requirement to receive gift confirmation
  • Remember to check for SingSaver email and complete the registration to secure your reward!

Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card

  • Earn a flat 1.5% cashback rate, with no minimum spend requirement, and no cashback cap. This card can be used in basically anything and everything spending! This can be an ultimate card to use when paying for wedding banquet venues!

 

Annual Fee
  • S$196.20 (including 9% GST), waived for the first two years

 

Income Requirement
  • S$30,000 (locals/PRs); S$60,000 (foreigners)
 

When is Cashback Credited
  • The cashback for your eligible spending per statement cycle will be credited into your Simply Cash Credit Card in the following statement month.

 

Know what this card is best for:

 

Terms and Conditions

Full Review

Standard Chartered Journey Card

    • Receive Samsonite Straren Spinner 67/24 (worth S$600) or 7K Max Miles or S$200 Grab Voucher or S$180 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$800 within 60 days of card approval and apply for one of the following, also within 60 days of card approval:
      • EasyPay: Min. 3 transactions of S$150 minimum each, 12-month tenure
      • Bonus$aver Account: Min. deposit S$3,000
      • CashOne Personal Loan: Min. S$1,000, 12-month tenure
      • Credit Card Funds Transfer: Min. S$1,000, 3-month tenure
    • Valid until 02 November 2025
    • Read Terms and Conditions here
    • Promotion is valid for new to bank credit card holders
    • Must fulfill spending requirement to receive gift confirmation
    • Remember to check for SingSaver email to secure your rewards after you have applied!

     

    Stackable with Direct Bank Rewards:

    • Receive up to 30,000 miles
    • Receive 10,000 miles when you pay the annual fee under “Fee Paying” option
    • Receive 20,000 miles when you make a min. spend of S$800 within 60 days of card approval (This is available for both fee paying and fee waiver option)
    • Therefore, fee paying option earns 30K miles, fee waiver option earns 20K miles, if requirements are met
    • Promotion is valid until 31 October 2025
    • Read Terms and Conditions here

    My thoughts: If you were going to apply for this card, you should choose the fee waiver option as the cost per mile is 196.20/10,000 miles = 1.96 cents per mile, which is quite expensive.

    Standard Chartered Journey Card

    • Earn up to 3 miles per dollar on selected bonus categories in SGD; 2 miles per dollar on overseas spending, and 1.2 miles per dollar on other local spending. All with no minimum monthly spending required. This card is best for those who spend a lot on the bonus online categories such as transportation, grocery and food delivery with a spending cap of S$1,000 per statement month
    • This comes with 2 complimentary airport lounge passes

     

    Annual Fee
    • S$196.20 (incl. 9% GST), should be waivable

     

    Income Requirement
    • S$30,000 (locals/PRs); S$40,000 (foreigners)

     

    Points Expiry
    • The points never expire

     

    Transfer Partners
    • Krisflyer & Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
     
    Know what this card is best for:

     

    Terms and Conditions

    Full Review

    HSBC TravelOne Card

    • Get Apple iPad (A16) 11″ Wi-Fi 128GB (worth S$499) or S$350 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2″ WiFi 64GB (worth S$479) or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (worth S$559) or S$475 Grab Vouchers or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you pay the annual fee, spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent
    • Valid from from 17 October to 02 November 2025
    • Available for New HSBC Cardholders
      • New cardholder is defined as customers with no existing principal HSBC credit card and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.

     

    For Existing HSBC Cardholders:

    • Get Up to 24,000 miles when you pay the annual fee and spend S$1,000 by the end of the following month
    • Valid until 31 December 2025
    • Available for Existing HSBC Cardholders
      • Existing Cardholder is defined as customers whose most recent principal HSBC Credit Card was issued more than 12 months ago and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.
      • Eg. You already hold an HSBC Live+ Card and you apply for HSBC TravelOne, you are already an existing cardholder.
    • Read Terms and Conditions here
    • Must provide marketing consent to HSBC
    • This gift will be fulfilled directly by HSBC

    HSBC TravelOne Card

    • Earn 2.4 miles per dollar on foreign currency spend, and 1.2 miles per dollar on local spend. This card is best for travelers due to the fact that it has twice more than the usual lounge passes that you can acquire in other similar earn rate entry level credit cards; you are entitled to 4 free airport lounge visits (via DragonPass) per calendar year! Plus, it has an extensive list of transfer partners allowing flexibility.
     
    Annual Fee
    • S$196.20 (inclusive of GST), first year free waiver
     
    Income Requirement

    • The amount of Total Relationship Balance—combined value of your deposits, investments, and insurance with HSBC, based on average monthly balance over the last 3 months— will determine the income requirement
      • Less than S$50,000 TRB 
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$65,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$65,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
      • S$50,000 and above TRB
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$30,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$40,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
           
    Points Expiry
    • After 37 months
     
    Transfer Partners
    • Asia Miles, Vietnam Airlines, British Airways, EVA Air, Qantas, Air Asia, Flying Blue, Krisflyer, Fortune Wings Club, Turkish Airlines, United Mileage Plus, Air Canada, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines
     
    Know what this card is best for:

    Terms and Conditions

    Read Full Review

    HSBC Revolution Card

    • Get Apple iPad (A16) 11″ Wi-Fi 128GB (worth S$499) or S$350 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2″ WiFi 64GB (worth S$479) or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (worth S$559) or S$475 Grab Vouchers or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent
    • Valid from from 17 October to 02 November 2025
    • Available for New HSBC Cardholders
      • New cardholder is defined as customers with no existing principal HSBC credit card and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.

     

    For Existing HSBC Cardholders:

    • Get S$50 cashback when you spend S$500 by the end of the following month
    • Valid until 31 December 2025
    • Available for Existing HSBC Cardholders
      • Existing Cardholder is defined as customers whose most recent principal HSBC Credit Card was issued more than 12 months ago and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.
      • Eg. You already hold an HSBC TravelOne Card and you apply for HSBC Live+ Card, you are already an existing cardholder.
    • Read Terms and Conditions here
    • Must provide marketing consent to HSBC
    • This gift will be fulfilled directly by HSBC

    HSBC Revolution Card

    • Earn 4 miles per dollar on selected online and contactless spend categories, capped at S$1,500 per calendar month (until 28 February 2026)
    • The categories include:
      • Department Stores and Retail Stores
      • Dining (excluding hotel dining)
      • Transportation & Membership Clubs
      • Travel-Related 
    • You will only earn 0.4 miles per dollar on other categories outside of these online categories and if you spend above $1,000 per calendar month.
    • The rewards points conversion fee is waived indefinitely— transferring your points is completely free!
    • Note: Contactless payment, upsized cap of S$1,500, and travel-related category will only be available until 28 February 2026. 

     

    Special hack: 

    Even though you may not be able to use the card for flights or hotel bookings directly, you can actually use atome to make your bookings via agoda or trip.com and pay via atome platform. Atome’s MCC is 5999 which falls under 4 mile per dollar category. In addition, spreading your travel spending across 3 months instalments can help you keep within the S$1,000 spending cap. However, you will not be able to earn extra cashback on platforms like Shopback or Azgo.

    If you are new to Atome, you can sign up here to receive points that is equivalent to S$10 off your first transaction. 

     

    Annual Fee
    • None

     

    Income Requirement

    • The amount of  Total Relationship Balance—combined value of your deposits, investments, and insurance with HSBC, based on average monthly balance over the last 3 months— will determine the income requirement
      • Less than S$50,000 TRB 
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$65,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$65,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
      • S$50,000 and above TRB
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$30,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$40,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
           

    Points Expiry
    • 37-month period, starting from the month after the month in which the points were acquired

     
    Transfer Partners
    • Japan Airlines, Air Canada Aeroplan, Fortune Wings Club, Qatar Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Mileage Plus, Krisflyer, Thai Royal Orchid Plus, Flying Blue, Air Asia, British Airways, Asia Miles, Etihad, EVA Air, Qantas, Vietnam Airlines

     

    Know what this card is best for:

     

    Terms and Conditions

    Read Full Review

    HSBC Advance Card

    • Get Apple iPad (A16) 11″ Wi-Fi 128GB (worth S$499) or S$350 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2″ WiFi 64GB (worth S$479) or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (worth S$559) or S$475 Grab Voucher or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent
    • Valid from from 17 October to 02 November 2025
    • Available for New HSBC Cardholders
      • New cardholder is defined as customers with no existing principal HSBC credit card and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.

     

    For Existing HSBC Cardholders:

    • Get S$50 cashback when you spend S$500 by the end of the following month
    • Valid until 31 December 2025
    • Available for Existing HSBC Cardholders
      • Existing Cardholder is defined as customers whose most recent principal HSBC Credit Card was issued more than 12 months ago and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.
      • Eg. You already hold an HSBC TravelOne Card and you apply for HSBC Live+ Card, you are already an existing cardholder.
    • Read Terms and Conditions here
    • Must provide marketing consent to HSBC
    • This gift will be fulfilled directly by HSBC

    HSBC Advance Card

    • Earn 1.5% cashback on all local & overseas purchases with no minimum spend and 2.5% cashback on all local & overseas purchases if you spend more than S$2,000 in a calendar month. Cashback capped at S$70 per calendar month; maximum sweet spot spend is S$2,800
    • This card is best used when you have a large monthly spending of S$2,000 to S$2,800. Particularly best for wedding banquets.
     
    Annual Fee
    • S$196.20, first year waived
     
    Income Requirement
    • The amount of  Total Relationship Balance—combined value of your deposits, investments, and insurance with HSBC, based on average monthly balance over the last 3 months— will determine the income requirement
      • Less than S$50,000 TRB 
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$65,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$65,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
      • S$50,000 and above TRB
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$30,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$40,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
           
     
    When is Cashback Credited
    • It will appear on your card statement and be credited to your account before the end of the next calendar month.
     
    Know what this card is best for:

    Terms and Conditions

    Read Full Review

    HSBC Live+ Card

    • Get Apple iPad (A16) 11″ Wi-Fi 128GB (worth S$499) or S$350 cash + Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2″ WiFi 64GB (worth S$479) or Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (worth S$559) or S$475 Grab Vouchers or S$400 Cash via PayNow when you spend S$500 by the end of the following calendar month + provide marketing consent
    • Valid from from 17 October to 02 November 2025
    • Available for New HSBC Cardholders
      • New cardholder is defined as customers with no existing principal HSBC credit card and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.

     

    For Existing HSBC Cardholders:

    • Get S$50 cashback when you spend S$500 by the end of the following month
    • Valid until 31 December 2025
    • Available for Existing HSBC Cardholders
      • Existing Cardholder is defined as customers whose most recent principal HSBC Credit Card was issued more than 12 months ago and who haven’t canceled one in the past 12 months.
      • Eg. You already hold an HSBC TravelOne Card and you apply for HSBC Live+ Card, you are already an existing cardholder.
    • Read Terms and Conditions here
    • Must provide marketing consent to HSBC
    • This gift will be fulfilled directly by HSBC

    HSBC Live+ Card

    • Earn 5% cashback capped at S$3,125 spending on dining, entertainment, and shopping categories.
    • There is a minimum spend required monthly of S$600 in each quarter, per calendar month but it is easy to hit the amount of spending with just one category. This means that you could spend S$600 on dining category in Jul, S$600 in shopping category in Aug, S$600 in entertainment category in Sept and receive your full 5% cashback.

    Pro-tip: You can buy vouchers via heymax to clock the minimum spending or for large electronic purchases at Courts, Best Denki or furniture purchases at IKEA.

     

    Annual Fee
    • S$196.20 (first year waived) (For subsequent years, you can request for a waiver)

     

    Income Requirement

    • The amount of  Total Relationship Balance—combined value of your deposits, investments, and insurance with HSBC, based on average monthly balance over the last 3 months— will determine the income requirement
      • Less than S$50,000 TRB 
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$65,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$65,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
      • S$50,000 and above TRB
        • Salaried (locals/PRs): S$30,000 
        • Self-Employed/Commission-based (locals/PRs): S$40,000
        • Foreigners: S$65,000
           
    When is Cashback Credited
    • It will be credited within 2 months, after the end of each calendar quarter.

     

    Know what this card is best for:

     

    Terms and Conditions

    Read Full Review