Credit card provider DCS has announced an upcoming change to how the membership/service fee is charged to the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard.
✍️ I currently see the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard as one of the best credit cards in Singapore for general spending and big purchases, offering 2% cashback with no minimum spending requirement and a generous S$10,000 monthly cap.
Annual fee replaced with Monthly fee
Currently, the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard has an annual fee of S$196.20 (incl. GST), and cardholders enjoy a first-year waiver. Cardholders can (and should) request an annual fee waiver from the second year onwards, or spend a minimum of S$12,000 per year to receive an automatic waiver.
This is changing soon.
From 1 Aug 2026 onwards, the annual fee on the principal card will be replaced with a monthly service fee of S$10.90 (incl. GST).
New cardholders will receive an automatic waiver for 12 months, and an automatic subsequent waiver every month after that if they meet any of the following conditions within a calendar month:
- Perform at least 8 retail transactions (any amount)
- Spend at least S$800
What about supplementary cards?
Supplementary cards of the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard currently come with a S$98.10 annual fee.
Also from 1 Aug 2026, the annual fee will be replaced with a S$5 monthly service fee, and supplementary cardholders can also get a waiver by spending at least 8 times or S$800 monthly.
Is this change good or bad?
It depends on what you’re using the card for.
For active cardholders of the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard who use it as a one-card solution for all their local spending, hitting at least 8 transactions per calendar month shouldn’t be a problem. This would be a positive change, as you wouldn’t have to track your card membership year and request an annual fee waiver each year.
If you’re using the card for occasional big purchases (e.g. a S$5,000 home appliance), this change would probably require more effort on your part to avoid the monthly fee.
Looking for the cheapest way to spend 8 times per month to avoid the S$10.90 fee? You can buy 8 plastic bags at a FairPrice supermarket for S$0.40 (S$0.05 each).
Details of the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard
Here’s a detailed look at the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard:
More information
Key details of the DCS Ultimate Platinum Mastercard
Ease of use :
Minimum annual income:• S’porean/PR: S$15,000 – S$30,000
• Foreigner: S$60,000Annual fee: S$196.20 (first year waived; request waiver every year)
Get 2% cashback on almost everything, up to S$10,000 per calendar month
No minimum spending
⚠️ 3.25% foreign transaction fee
