Meet the Maybank XL Cards—a power duo quietly carving out a space among Singapore’s credit cards for young adults. Whether you’re after straightforward cashback or keen on racking up air miles, the XL series aims to fit your lifestyle. Marketed as “Xperience Love, Xplore Limitlessly,” these cards aren’t just about catchy slogans—they offer practical rewards across a wide range of everyday spend categories like dining, shopping, travel, and play.
What makes the Maybank XL Cards different? Instead of forcing you to pick a single rewards path, you can choose either a Cashback or a Rewards (miles) version—or even carry both if you want maximum flexibility. Tailored for those aged 21 to 39, they’re a natural fit for millennials and younger Gen X-ers who value choice and versatility.
But do the XL Cards really deliver on their promises, or is there fine print you should watch out for? Let’s break it down and see if they deserve a spot in your wallet.
Maybank XL Card—Is it MoneySmart? | ||
Overall rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Best for | Young adults who want simple, broad cashback across dining, shopping, travel, play, and foreign spend. | Those keen to maximise miles earn rate on everyday and overseas spend, with flexibility across wide categories. |
Pros | - 5% cashback on Dine, Shop, Travel, Play & all foreign currency spend | - 4 miles per S$1 (10X TREATS Points) on Dine, Shop, Travel, Play & all foreign currency spend |
- Wide category range across dining, shopping, travel, play | ||
Cons | - 5% rate requires $500 min spend/month | - 4 mpd rate requires $500 min spend/month |
At a glance | ||
Earn rates | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Earn categories | ★★★★☆ | |
Annual fees and charges | ★★★★★ $87.20 (waived first 2 years; waived with $6,000 annual spend thereafter). Free supplementary card. | |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ | |
Extras/periphery rewards | ★★☆☆☆ | |
Sign-up bonus | ★★☆☆☆ | |
See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.
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1. Maybank XL Cards: Summary
The Maybank XL Cards, launched in 2025 and available to ages 21 to 39, come in 2 separate flavours: the Maybank XL Cashback Card and the Maybank XL Rewards Card.
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- on Dine, Shop, Travel and Play categories
- 5% Cashback
- on Foreign Currency Spend
- 5% Cashback
- Min Spend per month
- S$500
The Cashback Card offers 5% cashback (capped at $80/month) on a broad range of spending, from dining and shopping to travel, entertainment, and overseas transactions—if you hit a $500 minimum monthly spend. Prefer to earn miles?
- on Dine, Shop, Travel and Play categories
- 4 miles per S$1
- on Foreign Currency Spend
- 4 miles per S$1
- Min Spend per month
- S$500
The Rewards Card gives you 4 miles per S$1 (10X TREATS Points), also on the same wide categories, with up to 10,000 bonus points monthly.
Both cards have relatively low annual fees, easy waivers, and throw in extras like dining deals, regional perks, and a year of free travel insurance for new applicants. The catch? Watch those monthly caps and minimum spend requirements to maximise your rewards.
2. How the Maybank XL Cards work
The Maybank XL Cards are designed with choice in mind—offering 2 distinct options to suit different rewards preferences. The XL Cashback Card is focused on giving you a flat 5% cashback across a broad mix of categories, while the XL Rewards Card is all about racking up air miles with every dollar spent.
How does it work? You apply for either the Cashback or Rewards version (or both, if you’re so inclined). Both cards have identical eligibility requirements and cover the same spending categories: dining, shopping, travel, play (entertainment), plus all foreign currency transactions (including overseas and online purchases).
To unlock the headline rates—5% cashback or 4 miles per dollar—you’ll need to spend at least $500 per calendar month. If you don’t hit the minimum, your earn rate drops significantly (to 0.2% cashback or a lower points rate, depending on the card). Monthly caps also apply: cashback is capped at $80 per month, and bonus points for the Rewards Card max out at 10,000 per month.
In short, the Maybank XL Cards are best suited to those who spend consistently each month, want rewards across diverse categories, and don’t mind keeping an eye on minimum spends and caps.
Maybank XL Cashback Card | Maybank XL Rewards Card | |
Top earn rate | 5% cashback | 4 miles per $1 (10X TREATS Points) |
Eligible categories | Dining, shopping, travel, play, all foreign spend | Dining, shopping, travel, play, all foreign spend |
Minimum spend for top rate | $500/month | $500/month |
Monthly cap (top rate) | $80 cashback/month | 10,000 bonus points/month (max 4 mpd on $2,500) |
Base earn rate | 0.2% cashback (on other spend or if min not met) | 1X TREATS Point per $1 (on other spend or if min not met) |
What happens if you don’t hit min spend? | All spend earns 0.2% cashback | All spend earns only base points (lower miles rate) |
What happens after cap? | Additional spend earns 0.2% cashback | Additional spend earns only base points |
3. What counts as ‘Dine, Shop, Travel, Play’ and foreign spend?
To earn 5% cashback or 4 miles per dollar with the Maybank XL Cards, your spending needs to fall within the specific categories—and their Merchant Category Codes (MCCs)—defined by Maybank’s terms and conditions. Here’s exactly what counts as bonus spend:
Category | Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Dine | 5811, 5812, 5814, 5462 | Caterers, restaurants, fast food eateries, bakeries, food delivery locally |
Shop | 5262, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5621, 5631, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5941 | Apparels, departmental stores, sports/riding apparel, sporting goods stores locally |
Travel | 3000–3299, 3300–3308, 4511, 4722, 7011 | Airlines, travel agencies, hotels locally |
Play | 4899, 5813, 5815, 7832, 7993, 7994 | Bars, drinking places, cable television, cinemas, motion picture theatres, video game arcades |
Foreign spend | N/A | Retail spend overseas or online in foreign currencies (as long as not excluded in the T&Cs) |
To get the highest earn rates, your transaction must be coded with one of these MCCs at the point of sale.
Transactions that do not match these MCCs (or are listed in the exclusions) will only earn the base reward (0.2% cashback or 1X TREATS Point per $1).
What’s excluded?
Payments to government bodies, insurance (except Etiqa), utilities, wallet top-ups, education, certain financial and payment services, and similar non-retail transactions are specifically excluded. For full details, refer to Clauses 5.6 (Cashback) and 4.6 (Rewards) in the T&Cs.
ALSO READ: 3 Best Singapore Air Miles Cards for Online Shopping
4. Fees, charges, and card eligibility
Both Maybank XL Cards are positioned as accessible options for young adults, but it’s still important to consider the costs and requirements before applying. Here’s how the key figures stack up:
Maybank XL Card fees | |
Annual fee | $87.20 (waived 1st 2 years; waived with $6,000 annual spend) |
Supplementary card | Free |
Foreign currency transaction fee | 3.25% |
Late payment fee | 5% of min. payment due or $100 (whichever is higher) |
Minimum monthly repayment | 3% of outstanding balance or $20 (whichever is higher), plus overdue amount |
Cash advance fee | 8% of amount withdrawn or $15 (whichever is higher) |
Minimum income (SG/PR) | $30,000/year |
Minimum income (Malaysian) | $45,000/year (employed ≥1 year) |
Minimum income (other foreigners) | $60,000/year (employed ≥1 year) |
Age eligibility | 21–39 |
5. How to redeem cashback or miles
Maybank XL Cashback Card
Cashback is automatically credited to your card account; there’s no manual redemption required. According to the official Cashback Programme Terms and Conditions:
“5% Bonus Cashback, 0.2% Base Cashback, and Cashback for Petrol Transactions (if applicable) will be credited together as one amount in the Card Account.”
You’ll receive your cashback by the end of the next calendar month, or at a date determined by Maybank:
“All cashback will be credited to the Card account by the end of the next calendar month or at a date to be determined by Maybank. Cashback is not transferable, so any accumulated cashback will be forfeited if a Cardmember terminates the Card account.”
If any transaction is reversed, refunded, or found to be ineligible, Maybank reserves the right to deduct the corresponding cashback from your card account.
Maybank XL Rewards Card
TREATS Points are awarded automatically for eligible transactions. To redeem for miles or other rewards, you’ll need to access Maybank’s redemption channels (such as Maybank Online Banking or the TREATS Mobile App), as summarised in the official Rewards Programme Terms and Conditions:
“Bonus 10X TREATS Points and the Base 1X TREATS Points will automatically combine and [be] credited to the Card Account.”
Points are credited by the end of the next calendar month, and can be forfeited if the card account is terminated:
“All TREATS Points will be credited to the Card account by the end of the next calendar month or at a date to be determined by Maybank. TREATS Points earned are not transferable and/or exchangeable for other goods and services, other than those determined by Maybank. If the Cardmember terminates the Card account, any accumulated TREATS Points will be forfeited.”
To actually redeem your points (for miles, vouchers, or gifts), you must initiate the redemption via the Maybank platform. Refer to the “General Terms and Conditions Governing TREATS Points Rewards Programme, Maybank TREATS Mobile App and Cardmember’s Card account” for full redemption processes.
In summary
- Cashback is credited automatically, requiring no action from you.
- TREATS Points are also credited automatically but must be redeemed by you (for miles or other rewards) through Maybank’s specified channels.
- Both rewards are credited by the end of the following calendar month, and will be forfeited if you close your card before redemption.
6. Who should get the Maybank XL Cards?
The Maybank XL Cards are best suited for young adults (ages 21–39) who spend consistently across a wide range of lifestyle categories. If your monthly expenses reliably cover dining, shopping, travel, entertainment, and the occasional foreign currency transaction, you’ll likely have no trouble hitting the $500 minimum spend to unlock the highest rewards.
You should consider the XL Cashback Card if:
- You want predictable, easy-to-track 5% cashback across popular categories.
- Your monthly spend rarely exceeds $1,600 (to stay within the $80 cashback cap).
- You prefer automatic rewards without any manual redemption required.
You should consider the XL Rewards Card if:
- You’re keen on maximising air miles (4 miles per $1, up to 10,000 bonus points per month) with flexible redemption options.
- You plan to use your card for everyday spend in categories like dining, shopping, travel, and play—especially if you’re also racking up foreign currency transactions.
- You don’t mind keeping track of your TREATS Points and initiating redemptions for miles or other rewards.
Who might not benefit as much?
- If your spending is highly irregular or concentrated outside the bonus categories (e.g., mostly on bills, utilities, insurance, taxes, or large one-off purchases), you may struggle to unlock the best rates or hit the caps.
- Big spenders may find the monthly caps on cashback or bonus points limiting.
- If you’re looking for premium travel perks (like airport lounge access or hotel status), these cards are relatively “no-frills” in that department.
Bottom line:
The XL Cards are ideal for younger adults who want flexibility and strong everyday rewards, as long as they can reliably meet the minimum spend. They offer simplicity for cashback seekers, and a strong earn rate for miles chasers—but aren’t designed for those seeking luxury card benefits or unlimited rewards.
7. Maybank XL Card promotion
- on Dine, Shop, Travel and Play categories
- 5% Cashback
- on Foreign Currency Spend
- 5% Cashback
- Min Spend per month
- S$500
- on Dine, Shop, Travel and Play categories
- 4 miles per S$1
- on Foreign Currency Spend
- 4 miles per S$1
- Min Spend per month
- S$500
New to Maybank Credit Card/CreditAble customers will receive $10 cashback after making their first transaction.
Additionally, get a free 12-month Etiqa Trip XpLorer Protect travel insurance plan (covers up to $5,000 in overseas medical expenses for accidents and illness, including adventurous activities). This is available for the first 15,000 new Maybank XL Cards applicants under the age of 40. The insurance does not auto-renew.
ALSO READ: Best Credit Card Promotions in Singapore: Citibank, DBS, HSBC, UOB, and More
8. Alternatives to consider
While the Maybank XL Cards offer strong rewards for a wide range of everyday spend, they aren’t the only game in town—especially if you have specific spending patterns or want different perks. Here are some notable alternatives:
DBS yuu Card
- at participating merchants with no min. spend
- 5% cash rebates
- spend min. S$800 & at 4 participating merchants per calendar month
- Up to 18% cash rebates
- on all other spend
- 0.25% cash rebates
- Earn rate: Up to 18% cash rebate or 10 miles per dollar, but only at selected “yuu” partner merchants (e.g. Cold Storage, Giant, foodpanda, Gojek).
- Requirements: Minimum $800/month spend at 4+ participating merchants to unlock top rates.
- Pros: Extremely high earn rate at partner merchants, flexibility to choose between cashback and miles, no conversion fee for miles.
- Cons: Bonus rate limited to a specific merchant list; outside that, earn rate drops sharply.
UOB One Card
- cashback on daily spend at McDonald's, Grab, SimplyGo & Shopee
- Up to 10%
- cashback at all grocery spend
- Up to 8%
- cashback cap a year
- Up to S$2,240
Get a SURE-WIN S$30 Cash for New-To-UOB customers who apply and make just one eligible transaction within 30 days from approval. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, enjoy highest cashback of up to 20% on daily spend! T&Cs apply.
- Earn rate: Up to 10% cashback at select merchants (e.g. Shopee, Grab, DFI Retail Group stores like Cold Storage, Guardian, 7-Eleven, and more).
- Requirements: Tiered minimum spend ($500, $1,000, $2,000 per month) for each quarter to unlock max cashback.
- Pros: High cashback cap ($2,240/year); great for bigger, steady spenders.
- Cons: Quarterly system and strict spend requirements make it less flexible for those with varying monthly budgets.
Citi Rewards Card
- on Online Grocery, Food Delivery, Ride-Hailing
- S$1= 10X Points
- for in-store shopping purchases at Department Store, Clothing Stores
- S$1= 10X Points
- for all other purchases
- S$1= 1X Point
Apply and spend S$500 within 30 days to choose your reward: S$380 Cash Reward or 6,140 SmartPoints (worth up to S$499 of Gifts) and receive them as quickly as 5 weeks after meeting the spend criteria!
PLUS, double your excitement with a chance to win the ultimate S$15,000 getaway to your dream destination in our exclusive lucky draw! T&Cs apply.
- Earn rate: 10X Rewards Points (4 miles per dollar) on online and retail shopping, including ride-hailing and online groceries.
- Pros: Favours online spenders; no category cap if you mostly spend on eligible online merchants.
- Cons: Monthly bonus cap applies; rewards are focused on shopping (not dining, travel, or play).
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. |
Earn categories | This category looks at the breadth rather than depth of your earnings. |
Annual fees and charges |
|
Accessibility | Minimum income requirements:
|
Extras/periphery rewards | These include:
|
Sign-up bonus |
|
Check out our ultimate list of credit card reviews for the low-down on credit cards in Singapore.
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This article was first drafted with the help of AI and later reviewed and refined by the author.
