The HSBC Revolution Card has had plenty of ups and downs over the past 3 years, but remained one of the best miles credit cards in Singapore due to the 4 mpd earn rate on a number of spending categories.
With the recently announced changes, most of the good benefits are back and this card is, once again, a key part of my miles and credit card strategy.
Here’s my complete analysis of the HSBC Revolution Card.
At a glance: HSBC Revolution Card Review
The HSBC Revolution Card is still one of the best Miles credit card in Singapore for 3 key reasons:
- Earn 4 mpd on useful spending categories:
Covers a wide range of spending categories, such as online shopping, in-person shopping, dining, flights, hotels, ride-hailing and food delivery, in any currency. Plus an option to boost earn rate to 8 mpd with a S$50,000 deposit. - Good miles flexibility:
Points expire 3 years after they are earned and are transferable to 7 useful Frequent Flyer Programs (better award availability, more airlines, more destinations). - Low stress:
One of very few useful credit cards without an annual fee. Miles transfers to frequent flyer programs are free and instant.
⚠️ However, beware of the following quirks:
- Bonus spending categories are MCC-sensitive
- Poor transfer ratio to KrisFlyer (get 17% fewer miles)
Key information
Here’s a quick rundown of the important details of the HSBC Revolution Card.
HSBC Revolution Card
Card tier
Visa Platinum
Annual fee
No annual fee, ever
Income requirement
S$30,000/year
(at least S$50,000 TRB)
S$65,000/year
(under S$50,000 TRB)
Foreign currency fee
3.25%
Points expiry
37 months
(after transaction month)
Transfer partners
7
(useful ones)
Transfer ratio
2.5 points = 1 mile
Min. transfer block
25,000 points
(10,000 miles)
Transfer fee
Free
Points pooling
Yes
General earn rate
1X point per dollar
(0.4 mpd)
Bonus earn rate
10X points per dollar
(4 mpd)
Earning block
Every S$1
Calendar/Statement month
Calendar
Transaction/Posting date
Posting
Lounge access
None
Sign-up promo
Check here
Pros and cons
Here are the pros and cons of the HSBC Revolution Card compared with other Singapore credit cards.
✅ Great 4 mpd earn rate for selected contactless spending (e.g. shopping, dining, hotels)
✅ Great 4 mpd earn rate for selected online spending (e.g. online shopping, flights, hotels)
✅ Boost earn rate to 8 mpd with cash deposit
✅ No annual fee, ever
✅ No minimum spending requirement for bonus earn rate
✅ Access 7 useful Frequent Flyer Programs
✅ Free points transfers to FFPs
✅ Instant points transfers to useful FFPs
✅ 3-year points expiry term
❌ 4 mpd earn rate on contactless and online spending is MCC-sensitive
❌ 4 mpd earn rate can only be enjoyed up to S$1,000 worth of monthly spending
❌ 8 mpd earn rate can only be enjoyed up to S$1,200 worth of monthly spending
❌ 8 mpd earn rate requires S$50,000 deposit in low-yield bank account
❌ Poor transfer ratio to KrisFlyer
❌ 3.25% foreign currency fee
❌ Poor earn rate of 0.4 mpd on non-bonus spending
No annual fee
The HSBC Revolution Card does not come with an annual membership fee, making it much easier to use than others, which typically charge at least S$196.
By not having an annual fee, you wouldn’t have to set reminders to request an annual fee waiver every year, or worry about what to do with your points if/when a waiver is not granted.
✍️ There are only 2 other good credit cards in Singapore that don’t come with an annual fee.
Earn rates (4-8 mpd)
HSBC Revolution cardholders earn 10 or 20 points per dollar (equivalent to 4 or 8 mpd) on:
- Contactless spending (e.g. PayWave, Google Pay, Apple Pay)
- Online spending
All other transactions earn just 1 point per dollar (0.4 mpd).
To earn the higher earn rate of 8 mpd, cardholders will need to have at least S$50,000 in their HSBC EGA deposit account, which unfortunately, offers a very low return of 0.25% per annum as of the time of this article.
Those without an HSBC EGA account or with less than S$50,000 balance will earn 4 mpd on the bonus categories.
These bonus earn rates come with monthly caps of S$1,000 (4 mpd) or S$1,200 (8 mpd).
Here’s a quick overview of both tiers:
| HSBC EGA Balance | Earn Rate | Monthly Cap | Max. Monthly Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| None or under S$50k | 4 mpd | S$1,000 | 4,000 |
| S$50k and above | 8 mpd | S$1,200 | 9,600 |
Eligible MCCs
To earn 4 mpd on contactless and online spending, your transaction must include a whitelisted Merchant Category Code (MCC), as follows:
⚠️ Warning: The “Travel” category doesn’t include MCC 4722 (Travel Agencies and Tour Operators), which is used by travel agencies like Klook, Airbnb, Agoda, Trip.com and Expedia.
| Category | MCC | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | 3000– 3350, 4511 |
Airlines |
| 3351– 3500 |
Car Rental Agencies | |
| 3501– 3999, 7011 |
Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts | |
| 4411 | Cruise Lines | |
| Retail | 4816 | Computer Network/Information Services |
| 5045 | Computers, Computer Peripheral Equipment, Software | |
| 5262 | Marketplaces | |
| 5309 | Duty-Free Stores | |
| 5310 | Discount Stores | |
| 5311 | Department Stores | |
| 5331 | Variety Stores | |
| 5399 | Miscellaneous General Merchandise Stores | |
| 5611 | Men’s and Boys’ Clothing and Accessories Stores | |
| 5621 | Women’s Ready to Wear Stores | |
| 5631 | Women’s Accessory and Specialty Stores | |
| 5641 | Children’s and Infants’ Wear Stores | |
| 5651 | Family Clothing Stores | |
| 5655 | Sports Apparel, and Riding Apparel Stores | |
| 5661 | Shoe Stores | |
| 5691 | Men’s and Women’s Clothing Stores | |
| 5699 | Accessory and Apparel Stores–Miscellaneous | |
| 5732 | Electronics Sales | |
| 5733 | Music Stores–Musical Instruments, Pianos and Sheet Music | |
| 5734 | Computer Software Stores | |
| 5735 | Record Shops | |
| 5912 | Drug Stores and Pharmacies | |
| 5942 | Book Stores | |
| 5944 | Clock, Jewelry, Watch and Silverware Stores | |
| 5945 | Game, Toy and Hobby Shops | |
| 5946 | Camera and Photographic Supply Stores | |
| 5947 | Card, Gift, Novelty and Souvenir Shops | |
| 5948 | Leather Goods and Luggage Stores | |
| 5949 | Fabric, Needlework, Piece Goods and Sewing Stores | |
| 5964 | Direct Marketing–Catalog Merchants | |
| 5965 | Direct Marketing–Combination Catalog and Retail Merchant | |
| 5966 | Direct Marketing–Outbound Telemarketing Merchants | |
| 5967 | Direct Marketing–Inbound Telemarketing Merchants | |
| 5968 | Direct Marketing–Continuity/Subscription Merchants | |
| 5969 | Direct Marketing–Other Direct Marketers–Not Elsewhere Classified | |
| 5970 | Artist Supply Stores, Craft Shops | |
| 5992 | Florists | |
| 5999 | Miscellaneous and Specialty Retail Stores | |
| Dining | 5441 | Candy, Nut and Confectionery Stores |
| 5462 | Bakeries | |
| 5811 | Caterers | |
| 5812 | Eating Places and Restaurants | |
| 5813 | Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Discotheques, Nightclubs and Taverns–Drinking Places | |
| Others | 4121 | Taxicabs and Limousines |
| 7997 | Clubs–Country Clubs, Membership, Private Golf Courses |
Can I check the MCC before paying?
It requires a little trick, but you can! To do this, you’ll need to use an Amaze card to intentionally get a payment declined.
Here are the steps:
- Make sure that you have a S$0 or low balance in your Amaze wallet
- Link your Amaze card to the Amaze wallet (instead of a credit card)
- Next, attempt to pay for the online transaction using your Amaze card details
- The transaction will not go through (due to insufficient balance), but you can now check the MCC of the transaction in the ‘Activity’ tab in your Amaze app
Additional note: As the Amaze card is a Mastercard, you may see minor differences in the MCC descriptions compared to a Visa card, such as the HSBC Revolution Card.
Related: How to Check Merchant Category Code (MCC) Before You Pay
Calendar or statement month?
Bonus earn rates on credit cards typically have monthly caps, which come in two forms:
- Calendar month (ends on the last day of the calendar month)
- Statement month (ends the day before your statement date)
Transaction date or posting date?
Credit card providers determine monthly qualifying spend based on either:
- Transaction date (date of the transaction, in Singapore time)
- Posting date (date when the transaction is posted in your credit card account, usually 1 to 3 days after the transaction)
The HSBC Revolution Card takes the posting date into account. So, if you want the transaction to count for the current calendar month, it is advisable to complete the purchase around 4 to 5 days before the last day of the month.
HSBC rewards exclusions
HSBC shares a list of transactions that are excluded from earning rewards points. Using the HSBC Revolution Card for the following transactions will not earn any points:
tl;dr: There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. Most of these are also excluded from earning miles/cashback on other cards.
- Foreign exchange transactions (including but not limited to Forex.com);
- Donations and payments to charitable, social organisations and religious organisations;
- Quasi-cash transactions (including but not limited to transactions relating to money orders, traveler’s checks, gaming related transactions, lottery tickets and gambling);
- Payments made to financial institutions, securities brokerages or dealers (including but not limited to the trading of securities, investments or crypto-currencies of any kind);
- Payments on money payments/transfers (including but not limited to Paypal, SKR skrill.com, CardUp, SmoovPay, iPayMy);
- Payments to any professional services provider (including but not limited to GOOGLE Ads, Facebook Ads, Amazon Web Services, MEDIA TRAFFIC AGENCY INC);
- Top-ups, money transfers or purchase of credits of prepaid cards, stored-value cards or e-wallets (including but not limited to EZ-Link, Transitlink, NETS Flashpay and Youtrip);
- Payments in connection with any government institutions and/or services (including but not limited to court costs, fines, bail and bond payment);
- Any AXS and ATM transactions;
- Tax payments (except HSBC Tax Payment Facility);
- Payments for cleaning, maintenance and janitorial services (including property management fees);
- Payments to insurance companies (including but not limited to sales, underwriting, premiums and insurance services);
- Payments to educational institutions;
- Payments on utilities (Electric, Gas, Water, and Sanitary);
- Balance transfers, fund transfers, cash advances, finance charges, late charges, HSBC’s Cash Instalment Plan, any fees charged by HSBC;
- The monthly instalment amounts under all card instalment plan (including HSBC 0% Card Instalment Payment Plan, HSBC PayLater Instalment Plan and HSBC Spend Instalment);
- Total purchase amount under HSBC 0% Instalment Payment Plan and HSBC PayLater Instalment Plan
- Any unposted, cancelled, disputed and refunded transactions;
| MCC | Description |
|---|---|
| 4829 | Money Transfer |
| 4900 | Utilities – Electric, Gas, Water and Sanitary |
| 5199 | Nondurable Good |
| 5960 | Direct Marketing – Insurance Services |
| 6010 | Financial Institutions – Manual Cash Disbursements |
| 6011 | Financial Institutions – Automated Cash Disbursements |
| 6012 | Financial Institutions – Merchandise, Services, and Debt Repayment |
| 6050 | Quasi Cash—Customer Financial Institution |
| 6051 | Non-Financial Institutions – Foreign Currency, Non-Fiat Currency (for example: Cryptocurrency), Money Orders (Not Money Transfer), Travelers Cheques, and Debt Repayment |
| 6211 | Security Brokers / Dealers |
| 6300 | Insurance Sales, Underwriting, and Premiums |
| 6513 | Real Estate Agents & Managers – Rentals |
| 6529 | Remote Stored Value Load – Member |
| 6530 | Remote Stored Value Load – Merchant |
| 6532 | PSP-Member-Payment Transaction |
| 6533 | PSP-Merchant-Payment Transaction |
| 6534 | Money Transfer Member |
| 6536 | Moneysend – Intracountry |
| 6537 | Moneysend – Intercountry |
| 6538 | Moneysend funding |
| 6540 | Non-Financial Institutions – Stored Value Card Purchase/Load |
| 6555 | Mastercard Imitated Rebate |
| 7299 | Other Services–Not Elsewhere Classified |
| 7399 | Business Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 7349 | CLEAN/MAINT/JANITORIAL SERV |
| 7511 | Quasi Cash – Truck Stop Trxns |
| 7523 | Automobile Parking Lots and Garages |
| 7801 | Government Licensed On-Line Casinos (On-Line Gambling) (US Region only) |
| 7995 | Betting, including Lottery Tickets, Casino Gaming Chips, Off-Track Betting, and Wagers at Race Tracks |
| 8062 | Hospitals |
| 8211 | Elementary and Secondary Schools |
| 8220 | Colleges, Universities, Professional Schools, and Junior Colleges |
| 8241 | Correspondence Schools |
| 8244 | Business and Secretarial Schools |
| 8249 | Vocational and Trade Schools |
| 8299 | Schools and Educational Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 8398 | Charitable Social Service Organizations |
| 8651 | Political Organizations |
| 8661 | Religious Organizations |
| 8999 | Professional Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 9211 | Court Costs, Including Alimony and Child Support |
| 9222 | Fines |
| 9223 | Bail and Bond Payments |
| 9311 | Tax Payments |
| 9399 | Government Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 9402 | Postal Services – Government Only |
| 9405 | Intra-Government Purchases – Government Only |
| 9754 | Gambling-Horse Racing Dog Racing State Lotteries |
When are points credited?
Base points are credited immediately when the transaction is posted, while bonus points earned on the HSBC Revolution Card are credited by the end of the following calendar month.
So, for an eligible online shopping transaction that earns 4 mpd, you’d receive:
- 1X base point credited when the transaction is posted (usually 2-4 days after the transaction)
- 9X base points credited by the end of the following calendar month
This adds up to 10 points per dollar spent, which converts to 4 miles per dollar when transferred to a good FFP (more on this later).
Here are a couple of examples:
| Transaction post date | Base points credited (1X) | Bonus points credited (9X) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug 2026 | 6 Aug 2026 | by 30 Sep 2026 |
| 27 Aug 2026 | 27 Aug 2026 | by 30 Sep 2026 |
HSBC points expiry
Points earned on the HSBC Revolution Card expire 37 months (3 yrs 1 mth) after the calendar month in which the points were earned. Here are a couple of examples:
| Points earned | Points expire |
|---|---|
| 3 Apr 2026 | 31 May 2029 |
| 29 Apr 2026 | 31 May 2029 |
How to check expiring HSBC points?
The HSBC mobile app shows whether any points are expiring in the next 6 months.
HSBC points pooling
Points earned on the HSBC Revolution Card pool with those earned on other points-earning HSBC cards (e.g. HSBC TravelOne Card). In other words, points from all HSBC cards can be combined and transferred out in one go.
Additional note: Although HSBC points across multiple cards can be pooled, the system stores them separately in each card. So, if you are cancelling the HSBC Revolution Card while still holding the HSBC TravelOne card, the points earned on the HSBC Revolution Card will be gone.
HSBC transfer partners
Points earned on the HSBC Revolution Card can be converted to miles on a number of frequent flyer programs.
On paper, this card has 20 airline/hotel transfer partners. However, many of them are not useful and/or come with poor transfer ratios. An easy way to look at it is HSBC cards have access to 7 useful transfer partners; far better than most other Miles credit cards in Singapore.
⚠️ Warning: HSBC is the only Singapore credit card provider that has an inferior transfer ratio to KrisFlyer, which converts with 17% fewer miles than other FFPs and an effective earn bonus rate of just 3.3 mpd instead of 4 mpd.
0 Good conversion ratio, useful FFP
0 Good conversion ratio, poor FFP
0 Poor transfer ratio
0 Unlock useful FFP through an additional step*
*Transfer HSBC points to The British Airways Club (TBAC) first to enjoy a good conversion ratio, then convert TBAC Avios to another FFP in the Avios family for free.
| Frequent Flyer Program | Conversion Ratio | Effective Bonus Earn Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 30k HSBC points to 10k miles | 3.3 mpd |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 25k HSBC points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | 25k HSBC points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| British Airways Executive Club | 25k HSBC points to 10k Avios | 4 mpd |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | to 10k Avios Transfer via TBAC | 4 mpd |
| Finnair Plus | Transfer via TBAC | – |
| KLM/Air France Flying Blue | 25k HSBC points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 25k HSBC points to 10k points | 4 mpd |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 35k HSBC points to 10k miles | 2.9 mpd |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 30k HSBC points to 10k miles | 3.3 mpd |
| Etihad Guest | 25k HSBC points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | 25k HSBC points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 35k HSBC points to 10k points | 2.9 mpd |
| United Airlines MileagePlus | 30k HSBC points to 10k miles | 3.3 mpd |
| Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club | 30k HSBC points to 10k miles | 3.3 mpd |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | 50k HSBC points to 10k miles | 2 mpd |
| Airasia Rewards | 25k HSBC points to 20k points | 8 ppd |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 25k HSBC points to 10k points | 4 ppd |
| Accor Live Limitless | 25k HSBC points to 5k points | 2 ppd |
| IHG One Rewards | 25k HSBC points to 10k points | 4 ppd |
| Wyndham Rewards | 30k HSBC points to 10k points | 3.3 ppd |
How to transfer HSBC points?
HSBC cardholders can convert credit card points to frequent flyer miles easily using the HSBC mobile app.
Here’s a quick guide shared by HSBC:
How long do HSBC points transfers take?
HSBC points transfers to all useful FFPs are usually instant. This is a huge advantage over other Singapore credit cards that take at least 2 days, and as long as 1 month.
HSBC cardholders can also keep their points on the card and transfer them immediately when they find award availability, without worrying about the award availability disappearing while waiting for the points transfer to complete.
Note: HSBC notes that points transfers to Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank may take up to 5 and 10 working days, respectively. But you shouldn’t transfer HSBC points to these 2 FFPs anyway, given their poor transfer ratios.
Best ways to redeem HSBC points
While HSBC points cannot be transferred to KrisFlyer at a good ratio, it gives you access to other FFPs with great award rates to regions that are over-demanded (hence, overpriced) on KrisFlyer. These are:
- Japan, South Korea
- Europe
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Destination (to/from SIN) | Cabin Class | Miles Required (Other FFP) | Miles Required (KrisFlyer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan, S. Korea | Economy | 15.5k | 25.5k |
| Japan, S. Korea | Business | 25k | 54.5k |
| Europe | Economy | 25k | 44k |
| Europe | Business | 62.5k | 108.5k |
There are many other factors to consider, such as award availability, fuel surcharges and other taxes and fees. But the general takeaway is: HSBC points give you choices and, depending on where you are flying, access to better award rates and availability.
Read more about the cheapest ways to fly to the following destinations using credit card miles:
Redeem HSBC points for cashback
HSBC points can also be converted to cashback using the Pay with Points feature in the HSBC mobile app.
Points can be redeemed at the following conversion blocks:
- 4,000 points = S$10 cashback
- 20,000 points = S$50 cashback
If you’re using the HSBC Revolution Card for the bonus categories only (like you should), this is equivalent to 2.5% cashback (instead of 4 mpd).
ENTERTAINER with HSBC
Cardholders also get a complimentary membership on ENTERTAINER with HSBC. Through the mobile app, members can enjoy 1-for-1 deals on dining, takeaway, entertainment, travel and wellness.
📄 More about ENTERTAINER with HSBC
HSBC Revolution Card sign-up promotion
Over the years, new HSBC credit cardholders typically receive bonus miles, cash, vouchers and/or gadgets worth upwards of S$800 when applying for a card.
Previous HSBC credit cardholders who cancelled their last card with the bank (as a principal cardholder) more than 12 months ago will also qualify as a new cardholder.
🎁 Latest HSBC Revolution Card sign-up promotion
HSBC Revolution Card’s competitors
As a reminder, the best miles credit cards in Singapore award 4 miles per dollar on your spending, albeit with monthly caps.
So, are there any alternatives to the HSBC Revolution Card that offer a similar earn rate and annual income requirement (S$30k/annum)? Let’s see how this card compares against its key competitors:
| Card | Bonus Earn Rate | Min./Max. Spend (per month) | Bonus Categories | Transfer Partners (useful ones) | Miles Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 HSBC Revolution | 4-8 mpd | Max. S$1k (or S$1.2k) | Contactless, Online | 7 | 3 years |
 Citi Rewards | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online, In-Person Shopping | 9 | 5 yr 3 mths cycles |
 UOB Preferred Visa | 4 mpd | Max. S$600 (per category) | Mobile Contactless, Online | 2 | 2 years |
 Maybank XL Rewards | 4 mpd | Min. S$500 Max. S$1k | Online Shopping, In-Person Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Overseas | 3 | 1 year |
 DBS Woman’s World | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online | 3 | 1 year |
 UOB Lady’s | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | CHOOSE ONE: Travel, Dining, Fashion, Transport, Beauty, Family | 2 | 2 years |
 OCBC Rewards | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online Shopping | 2 | 2 years |
Should you get the HSBC Revolution Card?
For its unique features (and quirks), I currently see the HSBC Revolution Card as one of the best Miles credit cards in Singapore.
Here’s a summary of its best and worst features:
✅ No annual fee, ever
✅ Access to 7 useful FFPs
✅ Free points transfers
✅ Instant points transfers
✅ 3-year points expiry term
❌ Not good for earning KrisFlyer miles
You should get the card if you:
- Want to accumulate miles for future travels
- Appreciate flexibility when searching for award flights (e.g. award rate, date, FFP, airline, destination)
- Want to take advantage of a good sign-up promo
- Often max out the superior Citi Rewards Card (S$1,000/month)
- Plan to use the miles to fly to regions where other FFPs are stronger than KrisFlyer (e.g. Europe, Japan/South Korea)
You should NOT get the card if you:
- Don’t like to travel much
- Only want to fly Singapore Airlines with KrisFlyer miles
- Don’t usually max out the superior Citi Rewards Card
- Plan to use the miles only to fly to regions where KrisFlyer is stronger than other FFPs (e.g. China, India, Istanbul, Australia, NZ)
✍️ Apply for the HSBC Revolution Card
Important documents
📄 HSBC Revolution Credit Card’s 10X Reward points programme T&Cs
Thanks for reviewing this card again in 2025. Still keeping it as an alternative to the often listed Citi Rewards VISA (which is no longer available) for online shopping.
Great article! Thanks for laying all the details clearly!