Best Travel Money Card Singapore 2026: 8 Cards Compared

Best travel money card Singapore 2026: the short answer

The MariBank Credit Card is the most underrated travel card in Singapore right now.

From 1 January 2026 it pays 1.5 per cent unlimited cashback on local spend, 1.5 per cent cashback on the first S$1,500 of overseas spend each month, charges zero FX fees, and has no minimum spend. Most comparisons leave it out because broker affiliates earn no commission on MariBank.

For a per-dollar comparison of the four fintech wallets on a single trip, see our deep dive on YouTrip vs Wise vs Revolut vs Amaze. This hub goes broader: 8 cards across 3 categories, matched to use cases (family vacation, JB day trip, digital nomad), with a per-trip cost simulator. All pricing verified from issuer pages on 10 May 2026.

The 8 best travel money cards in Singapore (May 2026)

Pricing verified against each issuer page on 10 May 2026. ATM thresholds are per rolling 30-day cycle unless noted.

The MariBank Credit Card upset: why this card now leads

MariBank is the digital-bank arm of Sea Group (parent of Shopee and Garena).

What you get from 1 January 2026 (promotional terms valid till 31 December 2026):

• 1.5% unlimited cashback on local SGD card spend, no minimum spend, no cap.
• 0% FX fees on all foreign currency transactions, overseas and online.
• 1.5% cashback on overseas spend in foreign currencies, capped at S$1,500/month (up to S$22.50/mo back).
• Best-in-class FX rates on MYR, KRW, CNY and other regional currencies.
• 1.5% Shopee Coins on Shopee spend via Instant Checkout, with optional 0% instalments.
• No annual fee, MyInfo Singpass application, minimum age 21.

What you give up: no multi-currency wallet (no rate-locking before a trip), less mature app vs DBS or HSBC, and Sea Group is younger than the Big Three banks. For most travellers spending S$500-S$5,000 per trip, the cashback gain offsets these trade-offs. The card keeps full credit card protections (chargeback rights, no Payment Services Act wallet cap).

YouTrip vs Wise vs Revolut vs Amaze: the fintech four

These are the multi-currency wallets every Singapore traveller knows. Each has a niche, none is best on every dimension, and the differences add up to S$10-30 on a typical S$1,000 trip. Below is a one-paragraph summary of where each wins; for a per-trip dollar comparison see the separate deep dive.

YouTrip

First-mover Singapore-built wallet (2018). Simplest app, 0 per cent FX, free overseas ATM up to S$400 per calendar month then 2 per cent. Trade-off: only 10 store currencies and no bank-out (leftover funds stuck unless spent). Promo code YTPERKS gives S$5 signup bonus.

Wise

53 store currencies (the most), mid-market FX from 0.43 per cent (dynamic), free ATM first S$350 AND first 2 withdrawals per 30-day cycle (whichever exhausts first triggers the cap). Bank-out supported. Trade-off: S$8.50 one-time card issuance fee.

Revolut

33 store currencies, 0 per cent FX on weekdays but 1 per cent surcharge weekends (Friday 5pm New York to Sunday 6pm New York). Standard plan is free; Premium S$10.99/mo and Metal S$21.99/mo add higher ATM allowances and cashback. Bank-out supported, virtual disposable cards, limit/stop FX orders.

Amaze (Instarem)

0 per cent FX, 0.5 per cent InstaPoints cashback overseas. The famous hack: link a Citi Rewards Mastercard, tap-and-pay tx becomes an online tx, earns 4 miles per dollar. Capped at S$1,000 per calendar month since 27 March 2024. Beyond the cap charges 1 per cent local fee.

Trust Bank Credit Card: a no-FX credit card from FairPrice and Standard Chartered

Trust Bank (backed by FairPrice Group and Standard Chartered) issues a credit card with debit-toggle, not a multi-currency wallet. It functions like a regular Visa overseas with no FX surcharge and no Visa 1% markup. No top-up flow: draws from linked savings (debit mode) or credit line (credit mode). FairPrice Linkpoints on all spend, no annual fee.

Where Trust falls behind MariBank Credit Card: Linkpoints redemption value is roughly 0.4-0.5% at FairPrice, less than a third of MariBank's 1.5% cashback. Best for FairPrice-heavy households or as a back-up no-FX card.

DBS, HSBC and UOB multi-currency accounts: best when you bank there already

Bank multi-currency accounts have weaker FX and weaker cashback than fintech alternatives. The reason to use one is bundling: if you already hold the parent savings account, marginal cost is zero and you skip another fintech app.

• DBS Visa Debit: linked to DBS My Account. Manual SGD-to-FCY conversion required (11 currencies) for 0% FX, else 3.25%. Pays 2% cashback on foreign spend if you hit S$500 monthly Visa spend AND keep ATM withdrawals at S$400 or below. ATM fee S$7. Best for medium spenders who hit the threshold.
• HSBC Everyday Global Account: 10 currencies (AUD, CAD, CNY, EUR, HKD, JPY, NZD, GBP, CHF, USD). $0 fees retail and ATM in those 10. Pair with HSBC Everyday Card for 1% local cashback. Best for HSBC Premier or One holders.
• UOB Mighty FX: 11 currencies, no conversion or admin fees, overseas ATM supported. App-only via UOB Mighty. Best for UOB One, Lady or Stash holders.

Per-trip cost simulator: 3 worked scenarios

Three scenarios. Cashback at headline rate. ATM costs include issuer fee only; foreign ATM operator fee (S$3-7) is excluded since it varies regardless of card.

MariBank Credit Card wins outright on small-medium trips (1.5% cashback compounds, no min spend).

DBS Visa Debit wins on large trips if you hit S$500 min AND keep ATM under S$400 (2% cashback at S$3,000 returns S$60).

Amaze + Citi Rewards wins for miles collectors on the first S$1,000/calendar month.

Picks by traveller type

• Casual leisure (1-2 trips/year, S$500-S$2,000): MariBank Credit Card. The 1.5% unlimited cashback beats every wallet, plus credit card chargeback rights on hotels and flights. Pair YouTrip as back-up wallet.
• Family vacation (4 pax, S$3,000-S$8,000): DBS Visa Debit if you can hit S$500 min monthly Visa spend (2% cashback on the full trip beats MariBank's 1.5% capped at S$1,500/mo). Pre-convert SGD before flights to lock the rate.
• Frequent regional (monthly JB/KL, quarterly Asia): MariBank Credit Card primary (best MYR rates promo plus cashback), YouTrip secondary for ATM access.
• Digital nomad or long-stay (3+ weeks): Wise primary (53 store currencies, bank-out, multi-currency income holding). Revolut secondary (FX limit orders, virtual disposable cards). Skip PSA-capped wallets if monthly burn is over S$5,000.
• Miles collector: Amaze + Citi Rewards on first S$1,000/mo for 4 mpd, MariBank for the rest. Top up Amaze via UOB PRVI Miles or Citi PremierMiles for miles on the top-up itself.
• FairPrice household: Trust Bank Credit Card. Linkpoints at FairPrice plus 0% FX means one card covers both groceries and travel.

Stack: pair the card with the rest of your travel kit

A travel money card alone saves 2-3% vs a regular Singapore Visa overseas. Stack with three other choices: a credit card sign-up bonus (S$200-S$500 welcome offers, time the card to a trip to clear min spend), a dedicated travel eSIM for overseas data, and check whether your premium card already includes free travel insurance (HSBC TravelOne, Citi Prestige and DBS Altitude all do, when you charge the air ticket).

Frequently asked questions

Is MariBank safe?

MariBank Singapore Private Limited is licensed by MAS as a digital full bank, eligible for the Singapore Deposit Insurance Scheme up to S$100,000 per depositor. The credit card has full Mastercard chargeback protection. Sea Group is the parent.

Where is the catch on MariBank 0% FX with no min spend?

Current pricing is a customer acquisition promotion valid till 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027 the standard fee table may apply (typical 2-3% FX markup). Lock in usage now; track the issuer page for renewal terms in late 2026.

Can I use multiple travel money cards on one trip?

Yes and you should. Primary: MariBank Credit Card for cashback. Back-up: YouTrip or Revolut for ATM access (credit cards are not ideal for cash withdrawals). Carry physical plus Apple Pay or Google Pay in case of loss.

Does the Amaze 4 mpd hack still work in 2026?

Yes, for the first S$1,000 per calendar month. Citi Rewards still pays 10 bonus points (4 mpd) on online transactions, and Amaze still routes physical tap-and-pay through its online MCC. Above S$1,000/mo Amaze charges 1%; cap your recurring spend at exactly S$1,000.

Related DiveDeals guides

YouTrip vs Wise vs Revolut vs Amaze deep dive, SIM-only plan tracker (regional roaming), JB day trip playbook, and cheapest holiday destinations ranking.

Bottom line

The 2026 Singapore travel card answer in one line: MariBank Credit Card primary (1.5% cashback, 0% FX, no min spend) plus YouTrip back-up for ATM access. Two cards cover cashback, FX-free retail, ATM and chargeback protection.

Heavy DBS, HSBC or UOB customer: stack the bank's multi-currency account on top instead of switching banks. Singapore Airlines miles collector: keep Amaze 4 mpd on first S$1,000/mo, MariBank for the rest. Lock in MariBank pricing now since the 0% FX and 1.5% overseas cashback are promotional till 31 December 2026.