Singapore’s credit card scene is always evolving. Sometimes, new contenders join the playing field, like the HSBC Live+ Card and the Trust Cashback Credit Card released earlier this year. Other times, old favourites get quietly culled—remember Asia’s first numberless physical card, the GrabPay Card?
And just when you think you’ve figured out your best cards, 2025 brings a fresh round of surprises. The HSBC Revolution Card is rolling out a limited-time buff with travel and contactless bonuses, while the UOB One Card gets a mixed makeover—think more groceries, but tougher hoops to jump through.
And speaking of makeovers, these ladies didn’t get a good one. The UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card and the DBS Woman’s World Card are both cutting back their bonus caps come Aug 2025—proving that sometimes, even the most glamorous cards get caught up in the same round of belt-tightening.
It’s a lot to make sense of, much less keep up with. Today, we’re here to help with both tasks. Here’s a low-down of the new and the nerfed in Singapore’s credit card scene.
TL;DR
Here are the credit card nerfs, buffs and changes this Jul – Aug 2025. For more details, click on the credit card names to jump to the relevant section below.
Credit card | Key changes | Effective dates |
HSBC Revolution Card | – 4 mpd on travel & contactless spend is back – Bonus cap: $1,500/month (was $1,000) |
1 Jul – 31 Oct 2025 |
UOB One Card | – New groceries category (up to 4.67% cashback) – Higher monthly cashback cap: $120 (was $100) – Higher minimum spend for Tier 1: $600 (was $500) – Increased minimum transactions per quarter from 5 to 10 |
1 Jul 2025 |
– DFI Retail Group removed from bonus cashback categories | 1 Aug 2025 | |
OCBC Rewards Card | – 6 mpd (15 OCBC$ per S$1) at Watsons, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, Taobao – Capped at 5,000 OCBC$/month (on top of regular 10,000 OCBC$) |
Now – 31 Dec 2025 |
Citi Prestige Card | – Lounge access: 12 visits/year (was unlimited) – Annual fee: $651.82 (was $545) – Renewal gift: 80,000 ThankYou Points/32,000 miles (was 62,500 Citi ThankYou Points/25,000 miles) |
1 Jul 2025 |
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card | – Bonus UNI$ cap: 2,700/month (was 3,600) – New per-category caps: 1,350 UNI$ ($750 spend) per category |
1 Aug 2025 |
DBS Woman’s World Card | – Bonus cap for online spend: $1,000/month (was $1,500) – Online earn rate unchanged: 10X DBS points (4 mpd) |
1 Aug 2025 |
UOB Visa Signature Card | – Added 4 mpd (10X UNI$ per S$5) on SimplyGo rides | 1 Jul 2025 |
Bonus UNI$ cap split: – UNI$2,400 on overseas/online – UNI$2,400 on petrol/contactless/SimplyGo Was UNI$4,000 combined |
1 Sep 2025 |
HSBC Revolution Card: Temporary buff—travel and contactless bonus categories are back, with a bigger cap
From 1 Jul to 31 Oct 2025, the HSBC Revolution Card will see a major (if temporary) upgrade. HSBC is bringing back bonus earn rates for travel and contactless spend, plus raising the monthly cap. This is a significant buff compared to the usual restrictions, so if you’re planning travel or big-ticket purchases, it’s worth taking advantage.
What’s changed?
Feature | Before 1 Jul 2025 | 1 Jul–31 Oct 2025 (HSBC Revo Up Promotion) |
Bonus earn rate | 4 mpd (online spend only) | 4 mpd on travel & contactless spend |
Monthly bonus cap | $1,000 spend (9,000 bonus points) | $1,500 spend (13,500 bonus points) |
Bonus categories | Exclude travel expenses and contactless payments | Travel (airlines, car rental, hotels, cruises), contactless payments reinstated |
Key facts you should note:
- All eligible transactions must post by 31 October 2025 to enjoy the promo earn rate.
- Any spending above the bonus cap ($1,500/month) earns the base rate of 0.4 mpd.
- This promo is automatic; you do not need to register.
Why does this matter?
- Travel bookings (airlines, hotels, car rental, cruises) and tap-to-pay transactions once again count for 4 mpd, after a long exclusion period.
- The higher cap gives you more room to maximise your bonus points—especially useful if you have upcoming trips or large purchases.
- If you’re used to only earning bonus points on online spend, this is a real boost for day-to-day use.
Get more details in the HSBC Revo Up Promotion T&Cs.
UOB One Card: Mixed bag—more groceries and a bigger cap, but higher spend and transaction requirements
The UOB One Card has shaken things up from 1 Jul 2025, with some notable changes to how you earn cashback. The biggest positives are new bonus categories and a higher cashback cap. But watch out: the minimum spend and transaction requirements are going up, making it harder to qualify for the top cashback tiers.
What’s changed?
Up to 3.33% quarterly cashback | Current | New (from 1 Jul 2025) | Remarks |
Min. spend (per quarter) | $500 (Tier 1) $1,000 (Tier 2) $2,000 (Tier 3) |
$600 (Tier 1) $1,000 (Tier 2) $2,000 (Tier 3) |
Changes effective next qualifying quarter from 1 Sep 2025 onwards |
Min. transaction count (per quarter) | 5 for all tiers | 10 for all tiers | |
Base cashback (per quarter) | $50 (Tier 1) $100 (Tier 2) $200 (Tier 3) |
$60 (Tier 1) $100 (Tier 2) $200 (Tier 3) |
While there is an increase in Tier 1’s base cashback, this isn’t really a buff. First, UOB increased the minimum spend from $500 a month to $600 a month. You get 3.33% base cashback if you spend $600 a month for every month in a quarter, which works out to be a total of $59.94 (~$60) in a quarter. So the increase in base cashback from $50 to $60 isn’t a buff; it’s a necessary consequence of the higher minimum spend imposed.
Additional cashback categories (selected):
Merchant / Category | Current | New (from 1 Jul / 1 Aug 2025) | Remarks |
Grab, McDonalds, Shopee, SimplyGo | 5% (Tier 1) 6.67% (Tier 2/3) |
5% (Tier 1) 6.67% (Tier 2/3) |
No change |
Shell | 1.67% (Tier 2/3) | 1.67% (Tier 2/3) | No change |
UOB Travel | 5% (Tier 1/2) 6.67% (Tier 3) |
Not eligible | Nerf (from 1 Aug 2025) |
DFI Retail Group | 5% (Tier 1/2) 6.67% (Tier 3) |
Not eligible | Nerf (from 1 Aug 2025) |
Groceries (NEW) | – | 2.67% (Tier 2) 4.67% (Tier 3) |
Buff (from 1 Jul 2025) |
SP Utilities | 1% | 1% | No change |
Monthly cashback cap | $100 | $120 | Buff (from 1 Jul 2025) |
Good news (“buffs”):
- Groceries are now an additional cashback category, giving you up to 4.67% back on supermarket spend (Tier 3).
- The monthly cashback cap is increased to $120, up from $100, letting you earn more per quarter.
- If you regularly spend $600 a month on your UOB One Card, the boost to Tier 1 base cashback from $50 to $60 per quarter benefits you.
Bad news (“nerfs”):
- You now need 10 transactions per quarter to unlock cashback for any tier (was just 5 before).
- Minimum spend for Tier 1 is increased from $500 to $600.
- UOB Travel and DFI Retail Group will no longer earn additional cashback from 1 August 2025 respectively.
If you regularly spend on groceries and tend to make many small transactions, you’ll benefit from the new structure. However, if you rely on UOB Travel or DFI Retail Group for extra cashback, or if you have fewer than 10 transactions per quarter, you’ll need to adjust your strategy.
See the Revision to UOB One Credit Card Changes page from UOB for more details.
OCBC Rewards Card: New quarterly 6 mpd promotion now covers Watsons and top e-commerce platforms
OCBC has been rolling out quarterly upsized rewards promos on its OCBC Rewards Card, often switching up which merchants or categories qualify for boosted rewards. The latest edition is here—and if you love shopping online or at Watsons, listen up.
From now till 31 Dec 2025, you can rack up a hefty 6 miles per dollar (mpd) at Watsons and selected e-commerce giants, thanks to the current quarterly promotion:
- How much you earn: 15 OCBC$ (6 mpd), capped at 5,000 OCBC$ on top of your regular 10,000 bonus OCBC$ you can usually earn per month.
- Where you can earn it: Watsons, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, Taobao
OCBC typically updates this quarterly campaign, so participating merchants can change over time. Keep an eye out at the end of the year and beyond for changes to the line-up. For now, Watsons, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and Taobao are all included.
Find out more about the OCBC Rewards Card H2 2025 Campaign.
Citi Prestige Card: Nerfed—no more unlimited lounge access, higher annual fees from Jul 2025
It’s the end of an era for the Citi Prestige Card—long a favourite for its truly unlimited airport lounge visits. As of 1 Jul 2025, Citi has made some major changes, and unfortunately, they’re not in cardholders’ favour. Here’s what you need to know before your next trip or renewal.
What’s changed?
Feature | Before 1 Jul 2025 | From 1 Jul 2025 |
Annual fee | $545.00 (inclusive of GST) | $651.82 (inclusive of GST) |
Renewal gift | 62,500 Citi ThankYou Points (25,000 miles) | 80,000 Citi ThankYou Points (32,000 miles) |
Priority Pass lounge access | Unlimited visits (for cardholder & guests) | 12 complimentary visits per calendar year (can be shared with guests) |
The key details:
- Annual fee increase: The annual fee will rise to $651.82 (inclusive of GST).
- Bigger renewal gift: Upon renewal and payment of the annual fee, you’ll now receive 80,000 Citi ThankYou Points (equivalent to about 32,000 miles).
- Lounge access nerfed: Unlimited Priority Pass™ airport lounge visits are being replaced by a cap of 12 complimentary visits per calendar year.
- These 12 visits can be used for yourself or guests, and any combination (e.g., you and 2 guests count as 3 visits at once).
- Unused visits will expire at the end of each calendar year (31 Dec).
- What’s not changing? All other card benefits, earn rates, and privileges remain for now.
If you used to maximise unlimited lounge access for frequent trips (or to treat family and friends), you’ll definitely feel this change. The increased annual fee is somewhat offset by a much larger renewal points bonus, but the signature “unlimited” perk is now a thing of the past, and the upsized renewal bonus may not be enough incentive to keep the card for some.
Check out these FAQs on the Citi Prestige Card changes for more details.
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card: Nerf—lower bonus UNI$ cap and tighter category limits from Aug 2025
From 1 Aug 2025, UOB will be reducing the maximum bonus UNI$ you can earn each month on the UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card (excluding the Metal Card version).
Both your overall and per-category rewards will be capped at lower levels, so if you’re a high spender or focus your spending on 1 category, you’ll need to take note. You might need to split spend more evenly across 2 categories to maximise the new cap.
What’s changing?
Feature | Before 1 Aug 2025 | From 1 Aug 2025 (New) |
Monthly bonus UNI$ cap | 3,600 UNI$ ($2,000 spending) | 2,700 UNI$ ($1,500 spending) |
Category cap | No per-category cap within monthly max | 1,350 UNI$ per category ($750 spend) |
How does it work now?
- Previously, you could earn up to 3,600 bonus UNI$ each month, which equates to $2,000 spend, regardless of how you split your spending across categories.
- There was no restriction on how much bonus you could earn in a single Preferred Rewards Category (as long as you stayed under the total cap).
From 1 Aug 2025:
- The monthly bonus UNI$ cap drops to 2,700 UNI$ ($1,500 spend).
- Each Preferred Rewards Category is now capped at 1,350 UNI$ ($750 spend) per month.
- If you select one rewards category, your cap is 1,350 UNI$; if you select two, you can hit 1,350 UNI$ in each for a total of 2,700 UNI$ (but you can’t exceed 1,350 UNI$ in any one category).
- The same new limits apply if you’re linking with the UOB Lady’s Savings Account for bonus UNI$.
Check out the UOB Lady’s Card T&Cs for more information.
DBS Woman’s World Card: Nerf—lower bonus cap for online spend from Aug 2025
The UOB Lady’s Card isn’t the only sister card facing a trim. From 1 Aug 2025, the DBS Woman’s World Card will also see its monthly cap for online bonus points reduced. If you love racking up points on your online shopping sprees, this is a change you’ll want to note. You’ll need to keep a closer eye on your card usage—or consider splitting your spend between different cards to keep maximising your rewards.
What’s changing?
Feature | Before 1 Aug 2025 | From 1 Aug 2025 |
Monthly bonus cap (online spend) | $1,500 | $1,000 |
Online earn rate | 10X DBS points (4 mpd) | 10X DBS points (4 mpd) |
Overseas earn rate | 3X DBS points (1.2 mpd) | 3X DBS points (1.2 mpd) |
Here’s what it means for you:
- You’ll still get up to 4 miles per S$1 (10X DBS points) on online purchases, but only on the first $1,000 you spend online each month—down from the previous $1,500 cap.
- Any online spend above $1,000 in a month will only earn you the base rate.
- The earn rate for overseas spending remains unchanged, so overseas shoppers aren’t affected by this change.
What about the “regular” DBS Woman’s Card?
No worries there—it’s unaffected. You’ll continue to earn 5X DBS points on online purchases (that’s 2 miles per S$1), with the cap staying at $1,000 per month.
UOB Visa Signature Card: Buff for SimplyGo, but cap split means less flexibility from Sep 2025
If you use the UOB Visa Signature Card for daily commuting and travel, there’s both good and bad news on the horizon. From July 2025, SimplyGo transactions (via Visa payWave or mobile payment) will start earning 4 miles per S$1 (10X UNI$ per S$5). However, from September 2025, the way your bonus UNI$ cap works is getting a significant change that could reduce your flexibility in maximising rewards.
What’s changing?
Feature | Before 1 Jul 2025 | 1 Jul–31 Aug 2025 | From 1 Sep 2025 |
SimplyGo earn rate | Not eligible | 10X UNI$ per S$5 (4 mpd) | 10X UNI$ per S$5 (4 mpd) |
Bonus cap per statement period | Combined UNI$4,000 (all eligible categories) | Combined UNI$4,000 (all eligible categories) | Separate caps: – UNI$2,400 on Category 1 (Overseas/online) – UNI$2,400 on Category 2 (Petrol/contactless/SimplyGo) |
Eligible for 10X UNI$ | Overseas/online, petrol, contactless | Overseas/online, petrol, contactless, SimplyGo | Overseas/online (Cat 1), petrol/contactless/SimplyGo (Cat 2) |
The details
- Buff: Starting 1 Jul 2025, you’ll earn 10X UNI$ (4 mpd) on your SimplyGo rides, making this card much more rewarding for everyday MRT and bus commutes.
- Nerf: From 1 Sep 2025, the UNI$ bonus cap is split—UNI$2,400 max for overseas/online (Category 1), and UNI$2,400 max for petrol/contactless/SimplyGo (Category 2), per statement period.
- Previously, you could max out a combined UNI$4,000 on whichever category suited your spend.
- Now, you must split spend more evenly to hit the maximum rewards.
What does this mean for you?
Earning 4 mpd on SimplyGo is a great upgrade for commuters, and this is a clear buff to the UOB Visa Signature.
However, the split category caps are a plus and minus. On the plus side, your cap is increased to UNI$4,800 from UNI$4,000. On the downside, there are now sub-limits of UNI$2,400 each on 2 split categories. If you focus spending on just 1 type (e.g. all overseas or all transport/contactless), you’ll hit your category cap sooner and lose out on potential extra UNI$. Make sure to diversify your spending between both categories to get the most out of your card.
Check back as we continue to bring you the last nerfs, buffs, and everything in between in Singapore’s credit card scene.
Also don’t miss out our ultimate list of credit card reviews for our take on credit cards in Singapore.
This article was first drafted with the help of AI and later reviewed and refined by the author.
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About the author
Vanessa Nah likes her finance articles the way she likes her sitcoms—light-hearted, entertaining, and leaving people knowing a little more about life. She believes money—like life—should be made simple. Outside of work, you’ll find Vanessa attending dance classes, fingerpicking a guitar, and fulfilling her life mission to make her one-eyed cat the most spoiled kitty in the world.