Last updated on 23 January 2026
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Compare the best credit cards for overseas spending, as well as online shopping in foreign currencies, to earn maximum miles or cashback.
Foreign Transaction Fees in Singapore
The majority of Singapore credit card providers have been charging over 3% in foreign transaction junk fees for years. This hefty fee eats away a lot of value from credit card rewards (miles/cashback) that cardholders receive from their spending.
Related: Credit Cards with Zero Foreign Transaction Fees
| Credit Card Provider | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| Trust Bank | 0% |
| GXS Bank | 0% |
| MariBank | 0% |
| ICBC | 2.5% |
| CIMB | 3% |
| BOC | 3% |
| DBS | 3.25% |
| UOB | 0% – 3.25% |
| OCBC | 3.25% |
| Citibank | 3.25% |
| HSBC | 3.25% |
| Maybank | 3.25% |
| DCS | 3.25% |
| American Express | 3.25% |
| Standard Chartered | 3.5% |
Best Credit Cards for Overseas Spending in Singapore
As each “player” of the Miles Game values their miles/points differently, this is always a complicated spending category to analyze.
No matter how you look at it, the facts remain:
- Most Singapore credit cards charge 3 – 3.5% in FX junk fees (see table above)
- Using a Miles credit card for foreign currency spending comes with an opportunity cost of at least 4 – 4.5% (because a card that offers effortless 1% cashback + zero FX fee exists), hence, you’re technically “paying” about 1.1 cents (SGD) per mile with a 4 mpd card, and 1.7 cents per mile with a 2.4 mpd card
- By linking a Mastercard to Amaze, one can save ~1% in FX fees, while still earning miles/cashback on some cards
- Multi-currency cards/wallets do not have any FX fees, but also don’t usually earn miles/cashback
I’m confident that this page would give you the knowledge required to pick the best miles or cashback cards for your overseas/foreign currency spending needs.
Pro tip: Most of the cards listed in this page can also be used for online shopping in foreign currencies.
Related: Best cards for free Overseas ATM withdrawals
❓ What’s a good price to pay for miles?
Firstly, you need to understand that there is no “correct” valuation of miles, as all miles currencies have different pros and cons, and each traveller has different wants and needs.
For example, some Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) requires over 100k miles to fly Business Class to Europe, while others require as little as 62.5k. And, some travellers don’t even want to visit Europe!
If you don’t have your own valuation of miles yet, I suggest using miles cards for foreign currency spending only when the earn rate is at least 4 miles per dollar, with a cost of 1.1 cents per mile at most (after considering the FX fee).
Personally, it hardly makes sense to go through the trouble of picking the right cards, just to pay over 1.5 cents for inflexible credit card miles, when you can simply buy more “powerful” miles at a similar price. And remember, when you buy miles outright, you can earn even more miles by using the right cards.
| Amaze + Citi Rewards | 4 miles per dollar • Non-travel spending only (i.e. no flight/hotel bookings) • Up to S$1,000 per statement month • 2.5% FX loss (estimated) Cost per mile: 0.8 cents 📄 Read our complete review of the Citi Rewards Card |
| Maybank XL Rewards | 4 miles per dollar • Specific merchant categories only • Min. spend S$500 per calendar month • Up to S$1,000 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents 📄 Read our complete review of the Maybank XL Rewards Card |
| Mari Credit | No foreign currency fee + 1.5% cashback • Max. spend S$1,500 per calendar month for foreign currency cashback • No annual fee, ever Net gain: 1.5% |
| Maybank XL Cashback | 5% cashback • Specific merchant categories only • Min. spend S$500 per calendar month • Up to S$1,600 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Net gain: 1.5% |
| Trust Cashback | No foreign currency fee + 1% cashback • No annual fee, ever Net gain: 1% 📄 Read our complete review of the Trust Cashback Card |
| UOB Preferred Platinum | 4 miles per dollar • Mobile Contactless only (Google Pay, Apple Pay) • Up to S$600 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents |
| DBS Woman’s World | 4 miles per dollar • Online only • Up to S$1,000 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents |
| UOB Lady’s | 4 miles per dollar • On chosen category only • Up to S$1,000 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents |
| HSBC Revolution | 4 miles per dollar • Specific online shopping merchant categories only • Poor transfer ratio to KrisFlyer • Up to S$1,000 per calendar month • No annual fee, ever • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents 📄 Read our complete review of the HSBC Revolution Card |
| UOB Visa Signature | 4 miles per dollar • Min. spend S$1,000 per statement month • Up to S$1,200 per statement month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.1 cents |
| Citi SMRT | 5% cashback • Online only (non-travel related) • Min. spend S$500 per statement month • Up to S$12,000 per membership year • 3.25% FX fee Net gain: 1.5% |
| Maybank Family & Friends | 8% cashback • 5 bonus categories only • Min. spend S$800 per calendar month • Up to S$312.50 per category, per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Net gain: 4.5% |
| Citi Cash Back | 6 – 8% cashback • Dining & groceries (6%), fuel (8%) only • Min. spend S$800 per statement month • Up to S$1,333 per statement month Net gain: 2.5 – 4.5% |
| ICBC Global Travel | 3% cashback • 2.5% FX fee Net gain: 0.5% |
| Trust Link | No foreign currency fee + 0.22% cashback • No annual fee, ever Net gain: 0.22% |
| YouTrip | No foreign currency fee • No annual fee, ever Net gain: 0% |
| Maybank World | 2.8 – 3.2 miles per dollar • Min. spend S$800 per calendar month for 2.8 mpd • Min. spend S$4,000 per calendar month for 3.2 mpd • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.3 – 1.5 cents |
| Maybank Horizon | 2.8 miles per dollar • Flights up to S$10k per calendar month, others uncapped • Min. spend S$800 per calendar month • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.5 cents |
| Citi PremierMiles | 2.2 miles per dollar • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.9 cents |
| HSBC TravelOne | 2.4 miles per dollar • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.8 cents |
| UOB PRVI Miles | 3 miles per dollar (selected currencies) 2.4 miles per dollar (others) • 3.25% FX fee Cost per mile: 1.4 – 1.8 cents |
💡 Click on + Card Summary below to view key details like pros & cons, miles/cashback details, annual fee, income requirement, and more.
Maybank XL Rewards
4 mpd on flights, hotels, dining, shopping, foreign currencies
Maybank XL Cashback
5% cashback on flights, hotels, dining, shopping, foreign currencies
Trust Cashback
1% cashback, no FX fees, free overseas ATM withdrawals
Citi Cash Back
8% cashback on ride-hailing & petrol, 6% cashback on dining & groceries
