When it comes to credit card promotions these days, we’re spoilt for choice. Banks offering credit cards in Singapore are competing so hard for new customers that they are practically raining Apple products, Nintendo Switches, ergonomic chairs, cold hard cash and other freebies on us.
But which are the best credit card promotions in Singapore? Here are our picks from Citibank, Standard Chartered, UOB, DBS, and more.
Best Credit Card Promotions in Singapore (Dec 2023 – Feb 2024)
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- An overview
- Citibank credit card promotions
- Standard Chartered credit card promotions
- CIMB credit card promotions
- AMEX credit card promotions
- UOB credit card promotions
- HSBC credit card promotions
- DBS credit card promotions
- POSB credit card promotions
- OCBC credit card promotions
- Credit card promotions—is there a catch?
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An overview: Best credit card promotions in Singapore (Dec 2023 – Feb 2024)
| Credit card | Credit card promotion | Minimum spend | Promotion valid until |
| Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard, Citi Cash Back Card, Citi Rewards Card, Citi PremierMiles Card (★ all eligible for lucky draw) | Choose ANY gift from our Rewards Store with the 5,100 SmartPoints you’ll earn, including: – Apple iPad Wi-Fi 9th Generation, 64GB (5,040 SmartPoints) – Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (4,990 SmartPoints) – Nintendo Switch OLED (5,000 SmartPoints). Alternatively, get $300 Cash via PayNow. |
$500 (within 30 days) | 17 Dec 2023 |
| Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card ★ | $350 Cash OR 4,000 SmartPoints you can redeem for any of the following: – Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (4,000 SmartPoints) – Nintendo Switch Generation 2 (3,990 SmartPoints) – ErgoTune Classic Ergonomic Chair (3,990 SmartPoints) – Apple Watch SE (GPS), 40mm (3,830 SmartPoints) |
$500 (within 30 days) | 31 Dec 2023 |
| Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card | S$250 Cash OR 3,100 SmartPoints that you can redeem for a Nintendo Switch Lite (3,090 SmartPoints) or Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (2,720 SmartPoints). | $250 minimum spend within 30 days. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| Standard Chartered Rewards+ Credit Card | |||
| Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card | Up to 45,000 miles (with payment of annual fee) or 35,000 miles (annual fee waived) | $3,000 spend within 2 months. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| CIMB World Mastercard ★ | S$250 Cash | $988 spend within 60 days. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| CIMB Visa Signature ★ | |||
| CIMB Visa Infinite ★ | |||
| American Express The Platinum Card | 135,000 Membership Rewards points (sufficient for a Return Trip to Europe, the USA, or Canada) from Amex | $6,000 minimum spend and annual fee payment within 60 days | 28 Feb 2024 |
| American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card | S$300 eCapitaVouchers (S$150 eCapitaVouchers for existing cardholders) and up to 17,000 KrisFlyer miles | $1,000 spend and annual fee payment within 30 days | 13 Dec 2023 |
| American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card | Up to 17,000 KrisFlyer miles | $1,000 spend within 30 days | 28 Feb 2024 |
| American Express Platinum Credit Card | S$200 eCapitaVouchers (S$100 eCapitaVouchers for existing cardholders) | $1,000 spend and annual fee payment within 30 days. | 28 Feb 2024 |
| The American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card | Up to 68,000 HighFlyer points (worth S$647) OR Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 Luggage (worth S$700) + 10,800 HighFlyer points (worth S$102) | $6,000 spend within 3 months | 28 Feb 2024 |
| UOB One Card ★ | Up to 15% cashback and $350 cash credit | $1,000 spend/month for 2 consecutive months | 31 Dec 2023 |
| UOB Absolute Cashback Card ★ | $350 cash credit (first 200 new-to-UOB customers) | $1,000 spend/month for 2 consecutive months | 31 Dec 2023 |
| UOB EVOL Credit Card ★ | |||
| UOB Lady’s Card ★ | |||
| UOB PRVI Miles Credit Card (MASTERCARD / VISA / American Express) ★ | Up to 50,000 Welcome Miles | $1,000 spend/month for 2 months, annual fee payment, and SMS registration | |
| KrisFlyer UOB Card ★ | Up to 31,000 miles and first year annual fee of S$194.40 (inc GST) waived | $2,000 spend within 60 days | |
| HSBC Revolution Credit Card ♦ | $150 Cash / 3,990 SmartPoints (worth Titan V1 7 Speed Folding Bike 3, Apple Watch SE, or Apple AirPods Pro) OR $350 Cash / 5,100 SmartPoints (worth an Apple iPad, Nintendo Switch OLED, or Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones) |
$500 OR $1,000 spend within 30 days | 12 Jan 2024 |
| HSBC Visa Platinum Card ♦ | |||
| HSBC Advance Credit Card ♦ | |||
| HSBC TravelOne Card ♦ | |||
| DBS yuu Card (Visa / American Express) | $150 cashback (new cardmembers) or $60 cashback (existing cardmembers) | $300 spend within 30 days | 29 Feb 2024 |
| DBS Live Fresh Card | $150 cashback | Apply with promo code 150CASH and spend $800 within 60 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Woman’s Card | |||
| DBS Woman’s World Card | |||
| DBS Altitude Card (Visa Signature / American Express) | Up to 37,000 miles | $2,000 spend within 30 days | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Vantage Visa Infinite Card | Up to 60,000 miles | $4,000 minimum spend and payment of annual fee within 30 days | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Takashimaya American Express Card | $200 cashback (New Cardmembers) or S$80 cashback (Existing Cardmembers) | $250 spend within 30 days | 31 Jan 2024 |
| POSB Everyday Card | $150 cashback | Apply with promo code 150CASH and spend $800 within 60 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
| OCBC INFINITY Cashback Card | De’Longhi Icona Vintage Kettle and Toaster set (worth $298) / 28″ Samsonite MINTER Luggage (worth $640) or S$168 Cashback | $250 / $500 spend within 30 days | 31 Dec 2023 |
| OCBC 365 Credit Card ★ | Hinomi Q1 Ergonomic Chair (worth S$499) OR Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (worth S$261.40) OR S$280 Amazon SG Gift Card OR S$250 Cash | $500 spend within 30 days | 31 Dec 2023 |
| OCBC Titanium Rewards Card (Pink) ★ | |||
| OCBC Titanium Rewards Card (Blue) ★ | |||
| 90°N Card / 90°N Visa Card ★ |
★ Lucky draw alert! With selected credit cards (denoted with ★ above), you’ll also stand a chance to win:
- A Panerai Quaranta 40mm Black Dial PAM01294 Luxury Watch (worth S$8,700) OR
- Up to 16,490 SmartPoints (redeem up to an iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB in our Rewards Store).
Eligible credit cards include cards from Standard Chartered, Citibank, CIMB, OCBC, and UOB. Check out the rest of our article below for more details. T&Cs apply.
♦ Apply for selected HSBC credit cards and stand to win a Rolex Submariner Steel 124060 (worth S$16,000), Apple MacBook Air M2 15 inch (worth S$1,899) or a PlayStation 5 (worth $669). T&Cs apply.
1. Citibank credit card promotion
Looking to sign up for a new Citibank credit card? Well, you’re in luck! This month, Citibank credit card welcome gifts are coming with the ultimate flexibility—earn 5,100 SmartPoints and choose any gift at our Rewards Store, including:
- Apple iPad Wi-Fi 9th Generation, 64GB (5,040 SmartPoints)
- Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (4,990 SmartPoints)
- Nintendo Switch OLED (5,000 SmartPoints)
Prefer cold, hard cash? You can also simply opt to receive $300 cash.
On top of these gifts, you’ll also stand a chance to win a Panerai Radomir Quaranta Timepiece (worth S$8,700) or up to 16,490 SmartPoints (worth an iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB in the Rewards Store) when you apply through MoneySmart!
All you need to do is sign up for one of the following Citibank credit cards via MoneySmart and spend $500 within 30 days.
There are 4 Citibank credit cards on promotion. Our top pick is the Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard, an unlimited cashback card with no monthly minimum spend.
If you’d prefer a miles card, the Citi PremierMiles Card lets you earn Citi Miles that never expire.
Here’s a summary of all the Citibank credit cards with ongoing promotions:
| Citibank credit card | Key features | Promotion | Valid until |
| Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard | 1.6% cashback that never expires. No minimum spend required and no cap on cash back. |
Choose ANY gift from our Rewards Store with the 5,100 SmartPoints you’ll earn, including:
Alternatively, get $300 Cash via PayNow. |
17 Dec 2023 |
| Citi Cash Back Card | 6% cashback on dining, 8% cashback on groceries and petrol. | ||
| Citi Rewards Card | 10X Rewards on online purchases, ride-hailing and shopping. | ||
| Citi PremierMiles Card | $1 = 1.2 Citi Miles on Local spend and 2 Citi Miles on Foreign currency spend. Citi Miles never expire. |
Other Citibank credit cards, such as the Citibank SMRT Card and Citibank Lazada Card, do not have any ongoing promotions.
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2. Standard Chartered credit card promotions
There are a few Standard Chartered credit card promotions ongoing this month that are all very enticing. It’s hard to pick the best, but the Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card promotion comes up top in terms of cash value. This card is an unlimited cashback card with no cashback cap and no minimum spend.
On top of the regular sign-up promotion, you also stand to win a Panerai Quaranta 40mm Black Dial PAM01294 Luxury Watch (worth S$8,700) or up to 16,490 SmartPoints, which you can redeem for stuff like an iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB in our Rewards Store!
If you spend less than $500 a month, but at least $250, the Standard Chartered Rewards+ Credit Card and Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card are good options. These will give you $250 cash, or 3,100 SmartPoints that you can use to redeem a Nintendo Switch Lite (3,090 SmartPoints) or Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (2,720 SmartPoints) if you spend $250 within 30 days. That’s giving at least the full amount you spent back to you!
Here’s a summary of all Standard Chartered credit card promotions this month:
| Standard Chartered credit card | Key features | Promotion | Valid until |
| Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card | 1.5% unlimited cashback with no minimum spend |
S$350 Cash via PayNow OR 4,000 SmartPoints you can redeem for any of the following:
PLUS stand a chance to win a Panerai Quaranta 40mm Black Dial PAM01294 Luxury Watch (worth S$8,700) OR up to 16,490 SmartPoints (redeem up to an iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB in our Rewards Store). |
31 Dec 2023 |
| Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card | 6% cashback on digital subscriptions, at fast food outlets and daily commutes | S$250 Cash via PayNow OR 3,100 SmartPoints that you can redeem for a Nintendo Switch Lite (3,090 SmartPoints) or Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (2,720 SmartPoints) with $250 minimum spend within 30 days. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| Standard Chartered Rewards+ Credit Card | 10X Rewards Points per S$1 spent in foreign currency, 5X Rewards Points per S$1 local dining spend | ||
| Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card | 3 miles per S$1 spent on online Transportation, Food Delivery & Online Grocery transactions | Up to 45,000 miles with payment of annual fee and $3,000 spend within 2 months. Up to 35,000 miles with annual fee waived and $3,000 spend within 2 months. |
31 Dec 2023 |
The other Standard Chartered credit cards don’t have ongoing sign-up promotions this month. Wondering what happened to the Standard Chartered X Card, with its infamous 100,00 miles sign-up promotion? The X card got X-ed, and has been replaced by the Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card.
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3. CIMB credit card Promotion
There are 3 ongoing credit card promotions for those new to CIMB credit cards.
The most accessible CIMB credit card is the CIMB World Mastercard, which has a $0 minimum spend per month. (Note, however, that you’ll need to hit $1,00 a month to enjoy the card’s higher 2% unlimited cashback rate.)
Here are all the CIMB credit card promotions:
| CIMB credit card | Key feature(s) | Promotion | Valid until |
| CIMB World Mastercard | 2% unlimited cashback on Wine & Dine, Online Food Delivery, Movies & Digital Entertainment, Taxi & Automobile, Luxury Goods. No annual fees for life. | S$250 Cash via PayNow with $988 spend within 60 days. You’ll also stand a chance to win a Panerai Radomir Quaranta Timepiece (worth S$8,700) OR 16,490 SmartPoints (worth an iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB in the Rewards Store) via our lucky draw. |
31 Dec 2023 |
| CIMB Visa Signature | 10% cashback on Beauty & Wellness, Online Shopping, Groceries and more, capped at S$100 per month and up to S$20 per category. Minimum spend S$800. | ||
| CIMB Visa Infinite | 2% unlimited cashback on Travel, Overseas, Online Spend in Foreign Currencies with $2,000 minimum monthly spend. |
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4. AMEX credit card promotions
This month, AMEX credit cards are offering up to 135,000 Membership Rewards points with the American Express The Platinum Card—that’s enough for a return trip to Europe, the USA (West Coast), or Canada!
Here are all the American Express credit card promotions this month:
| American Express credit card | Key feature(s) | Promotion | Valid until |
| American Express The Platinum Card | $1.60 spend = 2 Membership Rewards | 135,000 Membership Rewards points (sufficient for a Return Trip to Europe, the USA, or Canada) from Amex with $6,000 minimum spend and annual fee payment within 60 days. | 28 Feb 2024 |
| American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card | $1 local spend = 1.2 KrisFlyer miles; S$1 spend on Grab = 3.2 KrisFlyer miles | S$300 eCapitaVouchers (S$150 eCapitaVouchers for existing cardholders) and up to 17,000 KrisFlyer miles with $1,000 spend and annual fee payment within 30 days. | 13 Dec 2023 |
| American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card | $1 local spend = 1.1 KrisFlyer miles; S$1 spend on Grab = 3.1 KrisFlyer miles | Up to 17,000 KrisFlyer miles with a minimum spend of S$1,000 within 30 days. | 28 Feb 2024 |
| American Express Platinum Credit Card | $1.60 spend = 10 Points at participating Platinum EXTRA Partners / 2X Points
on all other spend |
S$200 eCapitaVouchers (S$100 eCapitaVouchers for existing cardholders) with $1,000 spend and annual fee payment within 30 days. | 28 Feb 2024 |
| The American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card | Up to 8.5 HighFlyer Points per S$1 spent on eligible Singapore Airlines Group flights | (1) Up to 68,000 HighFlyer points (worth S$647) OR (2) Samsonite Choca Spinner 68/25 Luggage (worth S$700) + 10,800 HighFlyer points (worth S$102) with $6,000 spend within 3 months. | 28 Feb 2024 |
This month, the American Express True Cashback Card and American Express CapitaCard, do not have any ongoing promotions.
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5. UOB credit card promotions
This month, UOB is full of credit card promotions. Currently, there are 2 main types of UOB credit card promotions—cash credit or welcome miles.
One of the most accessible UOB credit cards is the $0 minimum spend UOB Absolute Cashback Card, which will get you $350 Cash Credit this month.
With a 50,000 miles bonus, the UOB PRVI Miles Card offers one of the biggest miles promotion this month:
Here’s a summary of all ongoing UOB credit card promotions this month:
| UOB credit card | Key features | Promotion | Valid until |
| UOB One Card | Up to 15% rebate on Shopee, Dairy Farm Group, Grab, SP. | Up to 15% cashback and $350 cash credit with $1,000 spend/month for 2 consecutive months. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| UOB Absolute Cashback Card | 1.7% limitless cashback with no minimum spend | $350 cash credit with $1,000 spend/month for 2 consecutive months (first 200 new-to-UOB customers). | |
| UOB EVOL Credit Card | 8% cashback on Online and Mobile Contactless spend with | ||
| UOB Lady’s Card | Up to 30 miles per S$5 spent on your preferred category with no min. spend required. | ||
| UOB PRVI Miles Credit Card (MASTERCARD / VISA / American Express) | $1 local spend = 1.4 miles; $1 overseas spend = 2.4 miles. No minimum spend and no cap on earned miles. | Up to 50,000 Welcome Miles with $1,000 spend/month for 2 months, annual fee payment, and SMS registration. | |
| KrisFlyer UOB Card | $1 = 3 KrisFlyer Miles (with $800 annual spend on Singapore Airlines Group) $1 = 3 KrisFlyer Miles on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot and KrisShop purchases |
Up to 31,000 miles and first year annual fee of S$194.40 (inc GST) waived with $2,000 spend within 60 days. |
Plus, with selected UOB cards, you’ll stand to win a Panerai Radomir Quaranta Timepiece (worth S$8,700) OR up to 16,490 SmartPoints (worth an iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB in the Rewards Store)! Here are the eligible cards for this lucky draw:
- UOB One Credit Card
- UOB Absolute Cashback Card
- UOB Lady’s Card
- UOB EVOL Credit Card
- UOB PRVI Mastercard Miles Card
- UOB PRVI Visa Miles Card
- UOB PRVI Miles American Express Card
- KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
At the time of writing, the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card and UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card have no ongoing promotions.
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6. HSBC credit card promotions
Check out all the HSBC credit cards for the latest credit card promotions.
Among their cards, our top pick is the HSBC Revolution Credit Card. The most accessible card with $0 minimum spend, this card is great for earning points through everyday spending.
| HSBC credit card | Key feature(s) | Promotion | Valid until |
| HSBC Revolution Credit Card | 10X Reward points on online purchases and contactless payments. No minimum. spend and no annual fee. | $350 Cash / 5,100 SmartPoints (worth an Apple iPad, Nintendo Switch OLED, or Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones) with $1,000 spend within 30 days. $150 Cash / 3,990 SmartPoints (worth Titan V1 7 Speed Folding Bike 3, Apple Watch SE, or Apple AirPods Pro) with $500 spend within 30 days. |
12 Jan 2024 |
| HSBC Visa Platinum Card | 5% cash rebate on local dining and groceries with minimum spend of S$600 monthly in a calendar quarter | ||
| HSBC Advance Credit Card | 1.5% cashback on local and overseas purchases with no min. spend | ||
| HSBC TravelOne Card | S$1 local spend = 1.2 miles; S$1 on foreign spend = 2.4 miles |
You could also win a Rolex Submariner Steel 124060 (worth S$16,000), Apple MacBook Air M2 15 inch (worth S$1,899) or a PlayStation 5 (worth $669) in our lucky draw when you apply for these HSBC credit cards through MoneySmart:
- HSBC Revolution Credit Card
- HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card
- HSBC Advance Credit Card
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card
ALSO READ: The Best Entry-Level Luxury Watches to Buy in a Falling Market: Top Picks From Our Resident Watch Collector
There’s no current promotion for the HSBC Visa Infinite Credit Card.
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7. DBS credit card promotions
The juiciest DBS credit card sign-up promotions this month are a $200 cashback promotion and a 60,000 miles promotion. The former applies to the DBS Takashimaya American Express Card:
The DBS Vantage Visa Infinite Card comes with a fat miles welcome gift this month, but do note that this is not an entry-level miles card:
Here’s the full list of ongoing DBS credit card promotions:
| DBS credit card | Key feature(s) | Promotion | Expiry |
| DBS yuu Card (Visa / American Express) | 5% Cash Rebate / 10x yuu Points with no minimum spend and no cap. | $150 cashback (new cardmembers) or $60 cashback (existing cardmembers) with $300 minimum spend within 30 days. | 29 Feb 2024 |
| DBS Live Fresh Card | 5% cashback on Online & Visa contactless spend with $600 minimum monthly spend | $150 cashback when you apply with promo code 150CASH and spend $800 within 60 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Woman’s Card | 5X DBS Points per S$5 online spend. 1X DBS Points per S$5 / 0.4 miles per S$1 on other spend | ||
| DBS Woman’s World Card | 10X DBS Points per S$5 / 4 miles per S$1 on online spend | ||
| DBS Altitude Card (Visa Signature / American Express) | $1 spend = 10 miles that never expire. Get 10,000 miles upon paying annual fee of $194.40. | Up to 37,000 miles with $2,000 spend within 30 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Vantage Visa Infinite Card | 1.5 miles or 1.5% cashback per S$1 local spend; 2.2 miles or 2.2% cashback per S$1 overseas spend | Up to 60,000 miles with $4,000 minimum spend and payment of annual fee within 30 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
| DBS Takashimaya American Express Card | 2 Taka Bonus Points for every S$10 spend at Takashimaya; 10% additional discount at Takashimaya sales | $200 cashback (New Cardmembers) or S$80 cashback (Existing Cardmembers) with $250 minimum spend within 30 days. | 31 Jan 2024 |
A word on the DBS Woman’s and Woman’s World Card: Don’t be fooled by the name. You can apply for these cards no matter your gender.
These other DBS credit cards do not have ongoing sign-up promotions:
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8. POSB Credit Card Promotion
The POSB Everyday Card is a straightforward cash rebates card with (strictly speaking) no minimum spend; certain bonus reward categories require you to spend above $800/month.
As the name suggests, you can apply for the POSB Everyday Card to make the most out of your day-to-day spending. The latest POSB Everyday Card promotion is as fuss-free as the card—$150 cashback when you apply with promo code 150CASH and spend $800 within 60 days.
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9. OCBC credit card promotions
If you’ve been looking for a sign to get on board the OCBC train, this is it. This month, you could take home a 28″ Samsonite MINTER Luggage (worth $640), Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (worth $261.40), or a $280 Amazon SG Gift Card along with your shiny new OCBC credit card. Here’s the low down on what the promotions and credit cards are all about:
| OCBC credit card | Key feature(s) | Promotion | Expiry |
| OCBC INFINITY Cashback Card | 1.6% in unlimited cashback with no minimum spend | 28″ Samsonite MINTER Luggage (worth $640) or S$168 Cashback with $500 spend within 30 days OR De’Longhi Icona Vintage Kettle and Toaster set (worth $298) with $250 spend within 30 days. |
31 Dec 2023 |
| OCBC 365 Credit Card | 5% cashback on everyday dining, 6% cashback on fuel, 3% cashback on groceries, land transport, online travel, recurring telco and electricity bills | Hinomi Q1 Ergonomic Chair (worth S$499) OR Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (worth S$261.40) OR S$280 Amazon SG Gift Card OR S$250 Cash with $500 minimum spend within 30 days. | 31 Dec 2023 |
| OCBC Titanium Rewards Card (Pink) | 10x OCBC$ (equivalent to 4 air miles) per $1 spent on eligible online and retail purchases at Apple, Shopee, H&M and more 1x OCBC$ on all other eligible purchases |
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| OCBC Titanium Rewards Card (Blue) | |||
| 90°N Card / 90°N Visa Card | S$1 = Up to 7 Miles on Agoda accommodation S$1 foreign spend = 2.1 Miles S$1 local spend = 1.3 Miles |
On top of the welcome gifts above, you’ll also stand a chance to win a Panerai Radomir Quaranta Timepiece (worth S$8,700) or up to 16,490 SmartPoints (worth an iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB in the Rewards Store) when you apply for selected OCBC credit cards through MoneySmart!
The OCBC NXT Credit Card, OCBC Frank Card, and OCBC Great Eastern Cashflo Credit Card don’t have any ongoing promotions at the time of writing.
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Credit card promotions—is there a catch?
With free AirPods Pro, ergonomic standing desks and thousands of miles raining down on us, you might be wondering: Is there a catch to all these freebies?
Truth is, there is one drawback to signing up for credit card promotions: You won’t be eligible for more freebies in the future. Well, at least for a year. Here’s how it works:
Banks and comparison sites like MoneySmart usually offer the best giveaways for new sign ups. Usually this is defined as people who either:
- Have never ever owned a credit card from that bank, OR
- Cancelled their card at least 12 months ago
If you’re thinking of gaming the system by cancelling your card and re-applying, tough luck!
Another thing to note is that you must hit the minimum spend to get your reward. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get your shiny new iPad or cashback immediately upon card approval. However, most banks require you to spend a minimum sum (say, $1,000 in the first month) and sometimes even fork out the first year’s annual credit card fee (goodbye, fee waiver!). After all that, banks will make you wait a few months before you can even smell the freebie.
So what’s the lesson here? Read the T&Cs carefully, and only sign up when you’re confident you can hit the minimum spend.
Read more about the best air miles, cashback, and rewards credit cards! Plus, learn the differences between air miles vs cashback vs rewards credit cards.