Compare the Best Credit Cards for Overseas Spending 2026
Find the latest credit cards have the lowest foreign transaction fees and the best rewards for overseas spending.
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How To Pick A Credit Card for Overseas Spending
There are many reasons to use your credit card overseas, many of which are too good to resist. So when it comes to choosing the most suitable credit card for your overseas spending, the benefits that come with it have to be compatible with your spending habits and lifestyle needs so that you can fully maximise the rewards, cashback and other perks that you’re entitled to. Here are a few things to look out for while you’re still deciding which card to get.
Air Miles for travelling
One of the main reasons to use your credit card for your shopping overseas is for the air miles. Certain credit cards, which are also known as air miles credit cards or frequent flyer credit cards, enable you to accumulate frequent flyer miles with purchases made on your cards, such as online shopping, travel and even transport like Grab. With these air miles, you can redeem free air tickets or get great discounts for your next airfare.
Cashback benefits
Cashback credit cards let you earn some cashback when you use your credit card to pay your bills, such as telco, medical and utilities bills, while others give you the most cashback for dining, online shopping and other stuff like petrol. There are certain credit cards which focus on giving you the best cashback benefits for overseas spending such as the UOB EVOL Credit which provides you with up to 8% cashback on weekend dining, entertainment and Grab rides for your weekend trips.
Reward Points system
Rewards credit cards are all about you collecting points and redeeming them for specific things that you like i.e. air tickets to your dream destination, dining, shopping and staycation vouchers, and even Apple gadgets, Dyson Tower Fan, wireless in-ear earphones and other popular tech merchandise.
So every time you use your credit card locally or overseas, you’ll get to collect points, which usually can be converted to air miles or vouchers and trendy gadgets. The more you spend, the more points you get, and the more attractive the redemption item is going to be.
Annual fees
Annual fees are usually charged by most credit cards and it’s kind of like for the convenience of you enjoying using the card to make your purchases. Of course, there are administrative costs, which are also included as part of the annual fees, for maintaining your credit card account.
Many banks do offer a waiver of your annual fee when you make a request through phone calls or email.
Dynamic currency conversion fees
Dynamic currency conversion fees or DCCs in short, make up that extra percentage of your monthly credit card bill when you use it to pay for something you bought overseas.
If you choose to have the convenience of being able to see how much you’re paying in Singapore dollars just for that particular product or service you get on your overseas vacation or business trip, instead of just paying in overseas currency, you’re actually wasting precious money that you can spend on something else, or simply save it for rainy days.
Foreign transaction fees
These foreign transaction fees are very much “hidden” most of the time as many banks do not list them upfront unless it’s part of a promotion that they charge lower fees than the standard market rate.
Sometimes, the dynamic currency conversion fees are included in the foreign transaction fee too, if you’ve chosen to pay in SGD for your overseas purchases. So picking cards that offer waivers or discounts for these foreign transaction fees do matter if you mind paying for these fees.
Foreign Currency Credit Card Charges By Banks
Foreign currency charges, which are also known as foreign transaction fees (which we briefly talked about above), are not that noticeable and there’s not that much hype about it unlike the great cashback benefits or attractive air miles and reward points promotions.
This means that it’ll take you a little more effort to spot them in the terms and conditions of your credit card documents or your credit card bills. Each foreign transaction fee is made of 3 parts - a fee that is charged by a credit card network i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, etc, and another fee that is charged by your card issuer company i.e. DBS, UOB, Citibank, OCBC, etc, and finally, the third component which is the dynamic currency conversion fee (only if you pay in SGD instead of overseas currency).
Tips To Lower Overseas Credit Card Fees
Tip #1 Make payments in overseas currency when abroad
Dynamic currency conversion fees will be jacking up your credit card bills if you choose to pay in SGD for shopping or on other purchases overseas. Paying in SGD may also cause you to lose your potential cashback, rewards or miles for foreign currency spending if that particular credit card you own offers any of such benefits. So be sure to let the cashier know that you wish to make your payments in overseas currency just in case they assume that you would like to pay in SGD.
Tip #2 Compare waivers or discounts on foreign transaction fees
Foreign transaction fees are charged by the bank which you got your credit card from, and these fees are for the transactions you made overseas or through an online merchant based overseas. It includes the dynamic currency conversion fee which was mentioned above, plus an administrative fee on the foreign transaction amount charged by the bank. Such fees usually range from 2.5% to 3.5%, depending on which bank you picked.
Some credit card issuing banks offer waivers and better discounts on such fees, so choosing certain credit cards with such benefits can help you save some money on your monthly credit card bills.
Tip #3 Use a multi-currency account or mobile wallet
By using a multi-currency account or mobile wallet, you can convert your currency without having to pay dynamic currency conversion fees. For a multi-currency account, you’ll be able to exchange SGD with the currencies that you want when the exchange rates are favourable, deposit that money into your account and use your debit card for overseas purchases. This will enable you to escape currency conversion and foreign exchange fees altogether.
Using a mobile wallet gives you similar benefits, just that you don’t have to open a multi-currency bank account. Multi-currency travel cards like YouTrip, TransferWise, Revolut and InstaReM lets you convert currency on the go with a mobile wallet, without paying for any currency exchange fees.
Tip #4 Link your cashback credit card with Instarem Amaze Card
This tip only works for Mastercard-issued cashback credit cards and once you link them (only up to 5 cards) with the Instarem Amaze Card, all of your transactions will have the Amaze affix, which is based in Singapore. With this Instarem Amaze Card, you’ll be able to combine your current cashback rewards with the Amaze card’s 1% cashback reward.
How to Activate Credit Card for Overseas Use
Credit Card Overseas Rebate
Credit Card Foreign Transaction Fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Which credit card is best for overseas travel from Singapore?
There's no single best credit card for overseas travel from Singapore—the right choice depends on whether you prioritise maximising air miles or saving on foreign transaction fees. Traditional miles cards (UOB PRVI Miles, HSBC TravelOne, Citi PremierMiles) deliver high overseas miles and perks but charge a 3.25% FX fee. Newer disruptor cards (Trust Cashback, UOB EVOL) offer 0% FX fees and straightforward cashback, making them ideal for savings-focused travellers.
What are the best Singapore credit cards with no foreign transaction fees?
The best Singapore credit cards with 0% foreign transaction fees are the Trust Cashback Credit Card and UOB EVOL Card. These cards waive the typical 3–3.5% FX fee, allowing you to transact overseas using standard Mastercard or Visa exchange rates with no hidden markup. Both cards offer cashback on overseas and local spend.
Is it better to use debit or credit cards abroad?
It depends on your spending habits abroad. If you are going for rewards points to redeem for attractive perks such as air miles for your next airfare or dining and shopping vouchers or other tech gadgets, then using credit cards which are linked to reward programmes would be better.
On the other hand, if you just want to withdraw amounts of cash, debit cards will suffice as it relieves you of the hassle of carrying large amounts of cash with you as you travel. Moreover, some debit cards let you earn bonus interest on money you spend overseas.