Is the UOB EVOL Credit Card the Easiest Way to Earn 10% Cashback? MoneySmart Review (2025)

If you live online, tap to pay everywhere, and can’t go without your streaming subscriptions, the UOB EVOL Credit Card might be your perfect match. This lifestyle-focused cashback card gives you 10% back on online, contactless, gym, telco, and streaming spend, plus the rare perk of no FX fees when you shop or travel overseas.

To unlock the high rates, you’ll need to hit a $800 monthly spend and stay within the cashback caps—but for the right spender, the rewards can be impressive. 

In this review, we’ll cover how the card works, its pros and cons, and whether it deserves a place in your wallet.

UOB EVOL Credit Card —Is it MoneySmart?
Overall: ★★★★☆ (3.8/5) Best for: Young, digitally savvy spenders who shop online, tap to pay, and keep up with subscriptions. The catch: You’ll need to hit $800 monthly spend and navigate category caps to unlock the 10% cashback. Oops, we mean 6.6% cashback—find out why in our review.
Pros—What we like			Cons—What we don’t like
– Up to 10% cashback (although effective cashback is closer to 6.6%—read why below) – Decent breadth of categories online, mobile contactless, gym, telco, and streaming spend. – No FX fees – Annual fee waiver applies if you consistently make 3 transactions a month.			– Cashback is capped at $20–$30 per category – Due to caps and minimum spends, effective cashback is only 6.6% – Requires at least $800 spend per month to unlock cashback rates – Overseas cashback (1%) only lasts until 31 Dec 2025
UOB EVOL Credit Card at a glance
Category		Our rating		The deets
Earn rates: Cashback		★★★★★		– 10% cashback on online and mobile contactless spend (capped at $30) – 10% cashback on gym, telco, and streaming spend (capped at $20) – 1% cashback on foreign currency spend (capped at $20) – 0.3% on everything else (capped at $30)
Earn categories		★★★★☆
Annual fees and charges		★★★★☆		$196.20. First supplementary card free, $98.10 after. Fee waiver available with minimum 3 transactions per month.
Accessibility		★★★★☆		– Singaporean/PR minimum income: $30,000 – Non-Singaporean minimum income: $40,000
Extras/periphery rewards		★☆☆☆☆		No FX fees.
Sign-up bonus		★★★★★		– Apple 11-inch iPad 128GB (worth $499) or up to $70 Cash when you apply and spend a min. of S$500 within 30 days – The Paper Bunny Multi-Way Tote Bag in an exclusive colourway for first 250 new-to-UOB credit card customers who register and take the least total number of days to spend a min. of $500 per month for the first 2 consecutive months. Valid till 15 Sep 2025—see latest promotion.

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

 

UOB EVOL Credit Card Review (2025)

1. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Summary
2. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Cashback categories
3. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Cashback calculation
4. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Does my cashback expire?
5. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Fees and charges
6. Is the UOB EVOL Credit Card worth it?
7. UOB EVOL Credit Card promotion
8. Alternatives to the Citi SMRT Card

 

1. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Summary

The UOB EVOL Credit Card is a great pick if most of your spending happens online or through your phone. It gives you 10% cashback when you shop online, tap to pay in-store, or pay for your telco bills, streaming subscriptions, and gym memberships, as long as you hit the monthly minimum spend of $800.

Heading overseas? On top of no foreign transaction fees, the UOB EVOL Card is now offering 1% cashback on foreign spending until 31 Dec 2025. Everything else earns 0.3% cashback.

On top of that, the card stays fuss-free with an annual fee waiver if you make 3 transactions a month for a year. Perfect for young adults and savvy spenders who love the convenience of online shopping, subscriptions, and staying active at the gym.

 

2. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Cashback categories

Category	Cashback rate	Cap (per statement month)
Overseas foreign currency spend (valid till 31 Dec 2025)	1%	$20
Local online spend + mobile contactless spend	10%	$30
Selected gym, telco and streaming spend	10%	$20
All other spend	0.3%	$30

The EVOL Card keeps things simple with 4 main cashback categories, and its strength lies in this everyday digital lifestyle coverage—online shopping, tap-to-pay, streaming, telco, and gym. The 10% cashback rates are competitive, though the caps ($20–$30) mean heavy spenders may max out quickly. Still, for young adults who spend consistently in these categories, it’s an easy way to earn high cashback without juggling multiple cards.

To unlock these rates, you’ll need to spend at least $800 each statement month. 

Here’s how the categories break down:

1) Overseas foreign currency spend—1% cashback (cap: $20)

This covers transactions processed outside of Singapore and charged in a foreign currency. For example, if you’re travelling and use your card at overseas merchants or on foreign websites billed in USD or EUR, you’ll get 1% cashback. However, note that this cashback category is only for a limited time—until 31 Dec 2025. On the plus side, you get to enjoy 0% FX fees even past 2025—we’ll talk more about the UOB EVOL Card’s fees later.

 

2) Local online spend and mobile contactless spend—10% cashback (cap: $30)

 Local online spend refers to transactions made via the internet and processed in Singapore, such as shopping from Lazada or Shopee Singapore. Mobile contactless spend, on the other hand, means tapping to pay in-store with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. Do note that if you use a mobile wallet for an online purchase, it’ll count under “online spend” instead.

 

3) Selected gym, telco and streaming spend—10% cashback (cap: $20)

This category covers your lifestyle essentials, from gym memberships to monthly telco bills and streaming subscriptions. Here’s the full list of what qualifies:

Category	Eligible merchants/services
Gym	Anytime Fitness, Virgin Active, Fitness First, Body Fit Training, True Fitness, 24/7 Fitness, Pure Yoga, True Yoga, Revolution SG, ClassPass
Telco	StarHub, Singtel, M1, GOMO, MyRepublic, Giga, Circles.Life
Streaming	Netflix, Spotify, Disney+

 

4. All other spend—0.3% cashback (cap: $30)

Anything that doesn’t fall into the above categories earns a flat 0.3% cashback. It’s not high, but at least you’re never left empty-handed.

There is a cap for this category of $30, but in my opinion it’s not just unhelpful—it’s an impediment to maximising the cashback you can earn on the UOB EVOL Card. I’ll explain why in the next section.

 

3. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Cashback calculation

To unlock the headline 10% cashback, you’ll need to spend at least $800 each month. But since each category has its own cap, here’s what it really looks like:

Category caps and required spend

Category	Cashback rate	Cap (per month)	Spend needed to max cap
Overseas foreign currency (until 31 Dec 2025)	1%	$20	$2,000
Local online + mobile contactless	10%	$30	$300
Gym, telco & streaming	10%	$20	$200
All other spend	0.3%	$30	$10,000

Wait, $10,000? Are we really spending 10 grand a month just to maximise 10% cashback rates?

No. With the UOB EVOL Card, you should not be maximising all categories that have a cashback cap.

 

Why the “all other spend” category is a dud

To max this…	You’d need to spend	Effective cashback
$30 cap at 0.3%	$10,000	0.3%

This is both inefficient and an opportunity cost. For the same $10,000 spend, you’d earn $150–$170 cashback on no-minimum cards like the Citi Cash Back+ (1.6% unlimited).

Plus, this $30 cap counts towards your overall monthly cashback limit of $100 (till 31 Dec 2025) or $80 (after 31 Dec 2025), eating into more valuable categories. Imagine if that $30 was distributed instead to the online/contactless or gym and telco categories!

 

The real cashback sweet spot

Although the overseas spend component is unusual and a pleasant surprise to find in a cashback card, 1% really is not high. I would choose to treat this category as a bonus, an extra that I can tap on if I travel. This is by not by any means a category I would strive to maximise.

Instead, focus on these:

Category	Spend to max	Cashback
Online + contactless (10%)	$300	$30
Gym, telco & streaming (10%)	$200	$20
Total	$500	$50

Now the problem is $500 is below the $800 minimum spend required to unlock the 10% rates. In a perfect world, you’d pad up the extra $300 in spending in the next highest earning category—foreign spending, at least from now to 31 Dec 2025.

Category	Spend	Cashback
Overseas spend (1% till 31 Dec 2025)	$300 (not max)	$3
Online + contactless (10%)	$300 (max)	$30
Gym, telco & streaming (10%)	$200 (max)	$20
Total	$800	$53

Your effective cashback rate is hence $53 ÷ $800 = 6.6% cashback overall. This is still a high cashback rate, but you are certainly not earning the 10% cashback advertised when you consider the caps and minimum spends imposed.

 

4. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Does my cashback expire?

The good news is that your EVOL cashback doesn’t vanish straight away. Cashback you earn in one statement month will be credited to your account the following month, in Singapore dollars, and automatically used to offset your next bill.

A couple of things to note: you can’t withdraw your cashback as cash, transfer it to another UOB account, or use it to pay off fees, late charges, or interest. It’s purely for reducing your card balance.

As for expiry, unused cashback is valid for up to 2 years from the month it was awarded. It’ll also disappear if you close your card—or if UOB terminates your account for any reason. So, if you feel the EVOL card deserves a spot in your wallet, the best approach is simple: keep using your card regularly, and your cashback will keep rolling in to lighten your bills.

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ALSO READ: 3 Best Credit Card Pairings for Maximising Cashback, Miles, and Rewards

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5. UOB EVOL Credit Card: Fees and charges

Most of the UOB EVOL Credit Card’s fees and charges are fairly standard—you’ll find the usual late payment and interest fees similar to other cards in the market. But there are two things worth calling out:

Annual fee waiver 

You won’t have to worry about the $194.40 annual fee (including GST) as long as you make at least 3 transactions every month for 12 consecutive months before your card’s fee charge date. This makes the card practically free to keep, provided you use it regularly.

 

No FX fees

One of the biggest perks is that there are no foreign exchange (FX) administrative fees on overseas foreign currency transactions, no minimum spend required. This is a rare benefit that’ll come in useful if you travel often or shop on overseas sites.

For clarity, do note that the International Processing Fee of 1% still applies if you’re charged in Singapore dollars but the transaction is processed overseas.

UOB EVOL Credit Card
Annual fee & waiver	– $196.20 (waiver available*) – First supplementary card free; $98.10 for subsequent supplementary cards *Fee waived if you make at least 3 transactions on your card every month for 12 consecutive months before your card annual fee charge date.
Annual interest rate	27.8%
Late payment fee	$100
Minimum monthly repayment	3% or $50, whichever is higher
Foreign currency transaction fee	0%
Cash advance transaction fee	8%
Overlimit fee	$40
Card association	Visa

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ALSO READ: How to Get Credit Card Annual Fee Waivers and Still Enjoy Rewards and Perks

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6. Is the UOB EVOL Credit Card worth it?

The EVOL card shines if your lifestyle is built around online shopping, mobile payments, and subscriptions. With high cashback in everyday digital categories and no FX fees, it’s a strong contender among cashback cards. Still, its caps and conditions mean it won’t suit everyone.

Pros of the UOB EVOL Credit Card :

• 10% cashback on online, mobile contactless, gym, telco, and streaming spend.
• No FX fees—a rare and useful perk for travellers and online shoppers.
• Annual fee waiver made simple with just 3 transactions a month.
• Generous effective cashback (up to 6.6%) if you optimise your spend.

Cons of the UOB EVOL Credit Card: 

• Cashback is capped at $20–$30 per category, so heavy spenders may max out quickly.
• The 0.3% base cashback is poor value, and its $30 cap eats into the overall monthly limit.
• Requires at least $800 spend per month to unlock the 10% rates, which may be high for lighter spenders.
• Overseas cashback (1%) only lasts until 31 Dec 2025.

Checklist: Is the UOB EVOL Credit Card for you?

Ask yourself:

• Do I spend at least $800 every month consistently?
• Is most of my spend in online shopping, contactless payments, gym memberships, telco bills, or streaming?
• Will I benefit from no FX fees because I travel or shop in foreign currencies often?
• Am I okay with tracking category caps to get the most out of the card?
• Do I want a card that’s easy to keep long-term with a simple annual fee waiver?

If you answered “yes” to most of these, the UOB EVOL Credit Card could be a smart fit for your wallet.

 

7. UOB EVOL Credit Card promotion

If you’re considering the UOB EVOL Credit Card, now’s a good time to apply—there are some attractive sign-up gifts up for grabs.

• Apple 11-inch iPad 128GB (worth $499) or up to $70 cash when you apply and spend at least $500 within 30 days. 
• The Paper Bunny Multi-Way Tote Bag (exclusive colourway) for the first 250 new-to-UOB cardholders who register via SMS and are among the fastest to spend at least $500 per month for the first 2 consecutive months.

Promotion is valid until 15 Sep 2025. T&Cs apply.

Don’t forget to enrol in our Rollin’ Rewards campaign for free before you apply to win extra rewards—we refresh them monthly. Plus, check out all our ongoing credit card promotions for more credit card welcome gifts.

 

8. Alternatives to the UOB EVOL Credit Card

The EVOL Card is strong for all-round digital lifestyle spending, but if you’re after something more focused, here are a couple of solid alternatives.

Best alternative for online/contactless spend: Citi SMRT Card

The Citi SMRT Card gives you 5% cashback on online purchases. While that’s lower than EVOL’s 10%, the monthly minimum spend is just $500, making it easier to qualify. Plus, instead of strict monthly caps, the Citi SMRT works with a more flexible annual cap, which gives you more breathing room to maximise your rewards.

Best alternative for streaming spend: Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card

If streaming is where your money goes, the SC Smart Credit Card is worth a look. Eligible merchants include Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Viu, iQiyi, and HBO GO.

• Earn 10% bonus cashback when you spend at least $1,500 in a month.
• Earn 8% bonus cashback when you spend between $800–$1,499.

The main drawback? It’s great for streaming, but doesn’t cover gym and telco spend. That’s where the UOB EVOL Card is unique—bundling gym, telco, and streaming into one 10% cashback category.

 

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-$45,000 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 our ultimate list of credit card reviews for the low-down 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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