HSBC Revolution Card Buff: 10X Points on Contactless Payments and Travel Spend (MoneySmart Review 2025)

hsbc-revolution-card-masthead

Just when you thought the HSBC Revolution Card’s best days were behind it, HSBC is pulling a classic plot twist. After a string of nerfs last year—most notably, scrapping 10X Rewards Points for contactless and travel-related transactions—the Revolution Card is staging a limited-time comeback with a brand-new “Revo Up” promo.

From 1 Jul to 31 Oct 2025, you’ll earn a generous 4 miles per dollar (mpd) on travel-related and contactless spend, and your monthly bonus cap gets a nice bump to $1,500. It’s a welcome about-turn for a card many had started to overlook, and a rare window for those hoping to rack up rewards on everyday purchases, tap-and-go payments, and travel bookings.

Of course, the catch is that this buff is temporary—and once November rolls around, things may go back to normal. But for now? It’s the perfect time to dust off your HSBC Revolution Card and give it another spin.

Curious how the new promo stacks up to last year’s nerfs—and whether the Revolution is worth a spot in your wallet? Let’s take a closer look.

HSBC Revolution Card Review—Is it MoneySmart?
hsbc-revolution-card
Overall: ★★★☆☆ (3.33/5.00)
Best for: General spenders who don’t exceed $1,000 spend per month, and who mainly make online purchases.
Category Our rating The deets
Earn rates: HSBC Reward points ★★★★☆ – Up to 10X Reward points (4 miles or 2.5% cashback) from now till 31 Oct 2025
– Capped at $1,500 spend/month during promo period
– Eligible transactions include online and contactless spending on: shopping, dining, ride hailing / taxis, memberships, travel (from now till 31 Oct 2025)
1X Reward point for all other types of spending (no cap)
– No minimum spend
HSBC Reward points expire after 37 months
Earn categories ★★★★
Annual fees and charges ★★★★★ $0 annual fee for both main and supplementary cards
Accessibility ★★★★☆ – Minimum age: 21 years old
– Minimum income requirement: $30,000 (Singaporean/PR); $40,000 (Self-employed/commission-based Singaporean/PR); $60,000 (Foreigner)
Extras/periphery rewards ★☆☆☆☆ – Complimentary access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC
– Up to 6% off petrol at Caltex stations or 14% off at Shell stations
Sign-up bonus ★★☆☆☆ Welcome gift for new cardmembers$370 Cash via PayNow or 5,000 SmartPoints
Gift requirements
:
Spend a minimum of $500 from Card Account Opening Date to the end of the following month. Valid till 14 Jul 2025. Do check the HSBC Revolution Credit Card page for the latest promotions.
Lucky draw:
From now to 31 Jul 2025, spend with HSBC credit cards and stand to win prizes like business and economy class flights, Mandai Rainforest Resort stays, COMO lifestyle vouchers, and Michelin dining experiences.

See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.

 

HSBC Revolution Card Review 2025

  1. HSBC Revolution Card—What’s getting buffed?
  2. HSBC Revolution Card Review
  3. HSBC Revolution Annual Fee, Minimum Income
  4. HSBC Revolution Reward Points Redemption
  5. HSBC Revolution vs HSBC Live+
  6. How to maximise my HSBC Revolution Card?
  7. HSBC Revolution Card Promotion
  8. Should I get the HSBC Revolution Card?

 

1. HSBC Revolution Card—What got buffed?

After a tough 2024, the HSBC Revolution Card is making an unexpected return to the spotlight. Last year, cardholders lost out in two major ways:

  • Contactless payments stopped earning 10X Rewards points from 15 Jul 2024.
  • Travel-related transactions lost their 10X earn after 31 Dec 2024.
hsbc-revolution-nerf
Image: HSBC

Many thought that was the end of the Revolution Card’s heyday. But from 1 July to 31 October 2025, HSBC is bringing back the very perks that made this card so popular—at least for a limited time.

Here’s what’s getting buffed in 2025:

  • 4 miles per dollar (or 10X Rewards points) is back for both contactless spend and travel-related expenses
  • The monthly bonus cap is increased to $1,500 (previously $1,000)
Feature Usual (Before 1 Jul) HSBC Revo Up Promotion (1 Jul–31 Oct 2025)
Bonus earn rate 4 mpd (online spend only) 4 mpd (contactless and online spend)
Monthly bonus cap $1,000 spend (9,000 bonus points) $1,500 spend (13,500 bonus points)
Bonus categories Online spending:
– Shopping
– Dining
– Ride hailing / taxis
– Memberships
Online and contactless (new) spending:
– Shopping
– Dining
– Ride hailing / taxis
– Memberships
– Travel (new)

This reversal is a welcome surprise for anyone who still has the HSBC Revolution Card tucked away in their wallet. If you missed out on bonus points in late 2024 and early 2025, now’s your chance to catch up. The “Revo Up” promo is automatic—no registration needed, just spend and earn.

2. HSBC Revolution Card Review

HSBC logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Earn up to 4 miles per S$1 | Instant Activation*
on Online & Contactless Spend on Travel, Shopping & Dining
S$1 = 10X Points
on All Other Spend
S$1 = 1X Point
for every 10 Points
Earn 4 Miles
MoneySmart Exclusive:

Get S$370 Cash via PayNow or 5,000 SmartPoints when you apply, spend a min. of S$500 from Card Account Opening Date to end of the following calendar month! T&Cs apply.

Valid until 14 Jul 2025

HSBC Revolution is a rewards card. For the uninitiated, that means you spend money on the card, earn rewards points in exchange, and then use them to redeem gifts.

On the surface level, the card looks fantastic. 10x rewards with $0 minimum spend? And now with the buff till 31 Oct 2025, the HSBC Revolution Card is a heavyweight—at least for 4 months. Here’s what to know before you dive in:

Caveat #1: Payment modes—buffed (for now)

The Revolution Card’s biggest flex is back: from 1 Jul to 31 Oct 2025, both contactless payments (think payWave, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and travel-related online spend (airlines, hotels, car rental, cruises) qualify for 10X Rewards (4 mpd).

  • “Contactless” means Visa contactless payment through Visa payWave, Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Online travel bookings must be tagged to eligible MCCs (airlines, lodging, car rental, cruise lines).

Caveat #2: Spend categories—check your merchant codes

As always, bonus points only apply to eligible categories. Besides travel, department stores, retail, dining (except hotel dining), and selected others (like transport and membership clubs) are included if coded correctly. If in doubt, check the merchant category code (MCC)—this makes or breaks your rewards.

Caveat #3: Rewards cap—higher, but still a limit

The monthly cap on bonus rewards is now $1,500 (up from $1,000), translating to up to 13,500 bonus points/month during the promo period. Any spend above the cap will only earn the base 0.4 mpd. This is great for moderate spenders, but high spenders may still want to pair the Revolution with a different card once they hit the cap. If that’s you, you might want to check out unlimited cashback cards like the Citi Cash Back+ or Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card instead.

Do also remember that HSBC rewards points expire after about 3 years. So don’t forget to redeem them before it’s too late!

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3. HSBC Revolution Card Terms and Conditions

The HSBC Revolution Card is an entry-level credit card. In other words, as far as credit cards goes, it’s one of the most accessible—you need an income of at least $30,000 per annum to sign up for it, which is at low as it goes.

HSBC Revolution Card
Annual Fee No annual fee! Forget about call the bank up every year to beg for a fee waiver.
Annual Fee Waiver
Supplementary Card Annual Fee
Interest Free Period 20 days
Annual Interest Rate 26.9%
Late Payment Fee $100
Minimum Monthly Payment 3% or $50, whichever is higher
Foreign Currency Transaction Fee 3.25%
Cash Advance Transaction Fee 6% or $15, whichever is greater
Overlimit Fee $40
Minimum Income – $30,000 (Singaporean/PR)
– $40,000 (Singaporean/PR who is self-employed/commission-based)
– 
$60,000 (Foreigner)
Card Association Visa
Contactless Payment Visa payWave, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay

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4. HSBC Revolution Card Points Redemption

The HSBC Revolution Card earns you Reward Points. You can choose to redeem these points as gifts, air miles, or to directly offset your credit card spending.

How do I redeem my HSBC Reward Points?

You can exchange your rewards points for gifts in HSBC’s Rewards Catalogue. Gifts include lifestyle products, airline miles, and hotel stays. 

Redeem your rewards points via the HSBC Singapore app.

  1. Log on to the HSBC Singapore app.
  2. Go to the ‘Products & services’ tab, select ‘Credit card rewards’.
  3. At this point, you can choose:
    • ‘Rewards Marketplace’ to redeem a gift
    •  ‘Pay with Points’ to offset your credit card spending
    • ‘Airline miles’ or ‘Hotels’ to redeem miles or a hotel stay

How long will it take to process my HSBC Rewards points redemption?

  • Rewards Marketplace: Within 7 working days for giftcards and vouchers; within 21 working days for merchandise
  • Pay with Points: Within 2 working days
  • Air miles and hotel points redemptions: Usually instantly or within 1 business day.

Is there an HSBC Rewards points miles conversion fee?

No. There used to be a $40 fee to join HSBC’s Mileage Programme, but HSBC has since decided to waive the redemption fee for miles/hotel points redemptions.

What is the conversion rate to Pay with Points?

The conversion rate is 400 Rewards Points = S$1. However, do note that you need at least 4,000 Reward Points to make 1 redemption, which comes up to S$10 worth. This also means that for 1 such redemption, you have to spend at least $400 in HSBC’s bonus points categories to earn 4,000 Reward Points (S$1 spend = 10X Points). If you only rack up 3,990 points, you can’t redeem them to offset your credit card spending.

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5. HSBC Revolution Card vs HSBC Live+

Thought relatively new, the HSBC Live+ Credit Card is a standout card from HSBC, covering lifestyle categories like dining, shopping and entertainment. With the recent “Revo Up” promo, however, the HSBC Revolution Card is back in the spotlight—at least for a limited time. So which should you pick in 2025? Here’s how they stack up now:

HSBC Revolution Card HSBC Live+ Card
Bonus Earn Rate 10X Rewards points (4 mpd / 2.5% cashback) on travel-related, contactless, and online spend (promo)
Base rate 0.4 mpd after $1,500 monthly cap
Promo valid 1 Jul – 31 Oct 2025
8% cashback (includes 3% extra) on dining, shopping, entertainment for first 2 quarters if you sign up by 30 Sep 2025
5% cashback after 2 quarters or for sign-ups after 30 Sep 2025
5% cashback on petrol (Shell/Caltex)
Bonus Categories Online and contactless (new) spending: Shopping, Dining, Ride hailing / taxis, Memberships, Travel (new)
Note: Only online spend after promo ends
Dining, shopping, entertainment, petrol (Shell & Caltex)
Minimum Spend No minimum spend $600/month (all 3 months in quarter)
Cashback/Rewards Cap $1,500/month for bonus (13,500 bonus points); above that, base rate applies $250/quarter cashback cap
Annual Income $30,000 $30,000
Annual Fee $0 $196.20 (waived for first year)
  • HSBC Revolution Card: With its “Revo Up” promo, it’s a miles and rewards powerhouse for the rest of 2025—especially if you spend big on travel bookings, tap-and-go, or major online purchases. No minimum spend, no annual fee, and the new $1,500/month bonus cap makes it more useful for big months.

  • HSBC Live+ Card: Still the better choice if you want predictable, easy cashback on day-to-day lifestyle spending. The 8% cashback (for new sign-ups) is eye-catching, but you’ll need to maintain at least $600/month every month in the quarter, and your total cashback is capped at $250/quarter. Cashback applies to all the key lifestyle categories, and you get 5% back on petrol too.

MoneySmart take:

  • For the next few months, the HSBC Revolution Card is back in the running if you’re after high rewards and flexibility, especially with no minimum spend or annual fee.
  • If you want fuss-free cashback and reliably hit $600/month, the HSBC Live+ Card remains the pick for everyday local spend—even more so if you sign up in time for the 8% promo.
  • Big online/travel spenders: Revolution. Consistent spenders who want guaranteed cashback: Live+.

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6. How do I maximise my HSBC Revolution Card?

With the “Revo Up” promo in full swing (from 1 Jul to 31 Oct 2025), the HSBC Revolution Card is more versatile than ever. To get the most out of it:

  • Prioritise eligible spend: Use your card for travel bookings (airlines, hotels, car rentals, cruises), tap-and-go payments (Visa payWave, Apple Pay, Google Pay), and online retail and dining—these all now qualify for 10X Rewards points (4 mpd).
  • Stack your big purchases: Plan your major travel and online buys during this window to take full advantage of the higher earn rate.
  • Watch the monthly cap: You’ll earn 10X points on up to $1,500 in eligible spend per month (up from the usual $1,000). Once you hit the cap, further spending only earns the base rate (0.4 mpd), so consider switching to another card if you go over.

Remember, you must have your transactions posted by 31 Oct 2025 to ensure they qualify for the promo rates. Posting dates can sometimes lag, especially with travel bookings.

By being strategic and timing your spend, you’ll be able to rack up the maximum rewards points during this limited-time buff.

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7. HSBC Revolution Card promotion

From now until 14 Jul 2025, sign up for the HSBC Revolution Card via MoneySmart and get $370 Cash via PayNow or 5,000 SmartPoints.

You’ll need to hit a minimum spend of $500 from your Card Account Opening Date to the end of the following month to redeem these gifts.

From now til 31 Jul 2025, you also stand a chance to win prizes like business and economy class flights, Mandai Rainforest Resort stays, COMO lifestyle vouchers, and Michelin dining experiences in HSBC’s mid-year miles and rewards lucky draw. Read more in our round-up of the best bank offers in Singapore this month.

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8. Should I get the HSBC Revolution Card?

The HSBC Revolution Card is having a genuine comeback moment. For these precious months up till the end of Oct 2025, you can earn 10X Rewards points (4 mpd) not just on online spend, but also on contactless payments and travel bookings—making it one of the most flexible rewards cards on the market, at least for now.

If you’ve been holding off because of last year’s nerfs, this is the perfect time to dust off the card. The raised $1,500/month cap and no minimum spend required mean both big and small spenders can benefit. The fact that there’s no annual fee and the minimum income requirement is just $30,000 makes it accessible to most.

Our verdict:

  • If you want to rack up miles or rewards points with minimal fuss (especially on tap-and-go and travel), the HSBC Revolution Card is worth a spot in your wallet for the promo period.
  • After the promo ends, its value may dip again. Take advantage while you can!

In short: For most of the rest of 2025, it’s a strong “yes”. Just remember to make the most of it before the buffs disappear.

Alternatives to the HSBC Revolution Card

Here are some alternative rewards cards aimed at entry-level earners.

Citibank logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
FASTER REWARD FULFILMENT | 10X POINTS FOR SPENDS
on Online & Shopping Purchases
S$1= 10X Points
for all other purchases
S$1= 1X Point
Rewards Conversion
10X Points = 4 Miles
MoneySmart Exclusive:

[SURE WIN S$450 CASH]
Get S$400 Cash or 5,040 SmartPoints, in as fast as 5 weeks when you spend S$500 within 30 days. Plus spend monthly on your card for 3 months and get EXTRA S$50 Cash! T&Cs apply.

Valid until 15 Jul 2025

Citi Rewards Card – You earn a very attractive 10X rewards (4 miles per dollar) when you shop for shoes, bags and clothes, both online and offline. Get 10X rewards too for practical reasons too, like buying groceries online and spending on rides with Grab and Gojek.

DBS logo
Online Shopping
on Online Purchases
S$5 = 5 DBS Points (2 Miles per S$1)
on Other Purchases
S$5 = 1 DBS Point (0.4 Miles per S$1)
e-Commerce Protection for Online Purchases
Complimentary

DBS Woman’s Card – This one offers 5X DBS points (10 miles per dollar) for every $5 spent online and overseas, but expenditure is capped at $1,000 a month, which is easily burst if, say, you use it for travel bookings.

UOB logo
on Online Shopping, Entertainment & Contactless Payments
S$5 = 10X UNI$
on All Other Spend
S$5 = 1X UNI$
Rewards to Miles Conversion
1 UNI$ = 2 Miles

UOB Preferred Platinum Card – Get up to 10 UNI$ for every $5 spent on online shopping and entertainment, and mobile contactless payment. Total UNI$ awarded is capped at $2,000 per month.

UOB logo
on Online Shopping, Entertainment & Contactless Payments
S$5 = 10X UNI$
on All Other Spend
S$5 = 1X UNI$
Rewards to Miles Conversion
1 UNI$ = 2 Miles

Remember, reward points are only as useful as the rewards you can redeem them for. So make sure you “shop” around each bank’s rewards catalogue before deciding on which credit card to get. It’s not as simple as just comparing the earn rates, since the banks’ points are different “currencies” when it comes to redeeming rewards.

The only thing that you can compare apple to apple is air miles. If you’re serious about chasing air miles, the 10X rewards cards will definitely get you there faster.

If you’re just starting to manage your finances, you don’t want to be overwhelmed with too many terms & conditions. The HSBC Revolution Card has a big win in this respect as one the most fuss-free cards out there, thanks to its huge range of bonus rewards categories and $0 monthly minimum spend.

HSBC logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Earn up to 4 miles per S$1 | Instant Activation*
on Online & Contactless Spend on Travel, Shopping & Dining
S$1 = 10X Points
on All Other Spend
S$1 = 1X Point
for every 10 Points
Earn 4 Miles
MoneySmart Exclusive:

Get S$370 Cash via PayNow or 5,000 SmartPoints when you apply, spend a min. of S$500 from Card Account Opening Date to end of the following calendar month! T&Cs apply.

Valid until 14 Jul 2025

 

P.S. Here’s our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric

In case you’re wondering, here’s how we decide on our credit card rankings.

Is that credit card MoneySmart? Our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric
Category Our rating
Overall The average rating for the credit card on the whole, calculated from the ratings for the individual categories below. Plus, we’ll give you a one-liner on who we think the credit card is best suited for. 
Earn rates: Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points Air miles ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ / Cashback / Rewards points . This category looks at the depth rather than breadth of earn rates.

  • 5 stars means this card’s got the highest earn rates within that credit card type.
  • 3-4 stars mean it’s average
  • 1-2 stars reflect earn rates that are below average.
Earn categories This category looks at the breadth rather than depth of your earnings.

  • 5 stars: Earn with ANY spend.
  • 3-4 stars: Earn on a large number of categories (e.g. all dining, transport and retail, but not telco bills) OR earn on 1 very broad category (e.g. all contactless/mobile payments).
  • 1-2 stars: Earn a decent rate only on selected categories, such as fast food only.
Annual fees and charges
  • 5 stars: $0 
  • 4 stars: $1-200
  • 3 stars: $201-500
  • 2 stars: $501-$999
  • 1 star: $1,000 and up
  • We dock a star if fee waiver is NOT allowed.
Accessibility Minimum income requirements:

  • 5 stars: Less than $30,000 a year
  • 4 stars: Around $30,000 a year for Singaporeans and $40,000-$45,o00 for non-Singaporeans
  • 3 stars: $30,000-$60,000 a year for Singaporeans, $40,000-$70,000 for non-Singaporeans
  • 2 stars: $60,000-$120,000 a year for Singaporeans, $70,000-$120,000 for non-Singaporeans
  • 1 star: $120,000 and up for either, or both

Exclusivity: We dock 1-2 stars if there is/are another category/categories that make the card exclusive and very specific to a certain clientele.

Extras/periphery rewards These include:

  • Travel benefits, such as airport lounge access
  • Lifestyle benefits, such as spa privileges
  • Dining benefits, such as complimentary AMEX Love Dining or Entertainer with HSBC subscriptions

We count the number of benefits and award between 0.5 to 2 stars for each, depending on how good the perk is.

Sign-up bonus
  • 5 stars: The gift(s), cash, or miles are the highest we see out there compared to other credit cards of the same type (miles, cashback, etc). Also easy to attain these welcome bonuses.
  • 3-4 stars: Average but not disappointing sign-up bonus compared to other credit cards. You aren’t losing out.
  • 1-2 stars: You are probably losing out in terms of the welcome bonus you’re getting; there are other similar credit cards with sign-up bonuses that are better or easier to attain.

Check out all our MoneySmart credit card reviews: The Ultimate List of Credit Card Reviews in Singapore.

 

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