Revolut vs Wise in Malaysia: Features, fees and availability
Learn more about Revolut and Wise, including exchange rate comparisons, and whether the product can be used in Malaysia,
Getting the best credit card for your specific needs can help you earn rewards, cut the costs of overseas spending, or manage your money more efficiently. Whether you’re looking for your first credit card, searching for a card which has better rates or perks, or on the hunt for the best cashback credit card in Malaysia today, we’ve got you covered.
This best credit card in Malaysia guide walks through the best options for 2025. We'll also introduce the Wise account and debit card, which can be a perfect partner for your travel spending, allowing you to reduce your overall costs and avoid interest fees or penalties.
Here’s an overview of the cards we’ve picked out as some of the best available right now. We start with a credit card comparison for Malaysia side by side, and then we’ll cover each in more detail below.
Here’s an overview of the cards we’ve picked out as some of the best available right now. We’ll cover each in more detail below.
Credit card | Minimum income | Annual fee | Rewards/ Cashback/ Miles | Foreign transaction fee | Other features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CIMB eCredit Card¹ | MYR2,000/month | MYR100 | 3x rewards for online spend Up to 12x rewards on monthly eDay | 1% + Visa or Mastercard fee² | Spend rewards with Shopee, Zalora, Grab and more |
Public Bank Visa Platinum Credit Card-i³ | MYR3,333.33/month | MYR333 | 2% cashback on online and overseas transactions | 1.25%⁴ | Shariah compliant card |
UOB Simple Credit Card⁵ | MYR2,000/month | Free | Some cashback opportunities on purchases and cash advances | 1%⁶ | No annual fee |
Ambank/Ambank Islamic Visa Infinite⁷ | MYR10,000/month | Free | Huge range of rewards, cashback, insurance and more | 1% Ambank fee⁸ | Shariah compliant also available |
RHB Shell Visa Credit Card⁹ | MYR2,000/month | MYR195 | Variable cash back rewards based on spend volume and type | 1%¹⁰ | 12% cash back on fuel at Shell, up to 5% on other spend |
Maybank Visa Classic Credit Card¹¹ | MYR2,500/month | MYR60 | Earn TreatsPoints and get insurance when you purchase travel tickets | 1.25% network fee + 1% Maybank fee¹² | Ideal for people building credit |
UOB EVOL Credit Card¹³ | MYR3,000/month | MYR7.50/month | 5% - 8% cash back on select retailers | 1%⁶ | Broad range of retail, dining and lifestyle benefits available |
Maybank Grab Credit Card¹⁴ | MYR 2,000/month | Free¹⁵ | Earn extra Grab rewards points, based on spending category | 2.25% | Card is free for life |
UOB One Card | MYR 2,000/month | MYR120 | Up to 10% cash rebate on spending | 1% | Access to partner promotions and travel offers |
*Details correct at time of research - 22nd May 2025
Doing your homework is essential to make sure you get the best credit card in Malaysia for your personal needs. However, the choice can feel overwhelming.
Here are some key considerations to help you understand and assess the card options we’ve looked at in our comparison of the best credit card Malaysia, and find the right one for you.
You’ll usually find that credit card issuers use your income as one factor for gauging how much credit they can extend to you - and there will be minimum levels you’ll have to hit to qualify for a card. The good news is that these minimums vary - we’ve featured cards with everything from a MYR2,000/month minimum income right through to one with a whopping MYR10,000/month minimum, to illustrate the differences.
The annual card fee applied to your card is an important factor when deciding which option is right for you. You may find that card companies waive the fee for a fixed period, or if you meet specific criteria.
Depending on how you use your credit card, you may need to pay interest on the outstanding balance. Credit card interest rates can vary significantly and you may pay a different rate for spending on the card compared to cash withdrawals.
Using a credit card cleverly can mean you earn a selection of rewards. These may be cash back, points or miles for example. If your card earns miles or points you’ll be able to trade your accumulated rewards for treats, flight tickets or vouchers. Just make sure you choose a card from our credit card comparison for Malaysia which offers rewards you’ll value and use, to make the best possible use of your money.
One important thing to watch - some cards offer higher rates of rewards when you spend overseas. But there might be a catch - foreign transaction fees applied by the card issuer and network can push up the costs when you spend in a foreign currency when you travel. This might mean the costs still outweigh the benefits. Look carefully at the options - and compare your picks against the Wise account and debit card which has no foreign transaction fee and ways to spend and withdraw conveniently overseas.
One common credit card perk is free insurance such as travel, online purchase or medical insurance. Read the small print closely here as different card providers have different terms. For example some will only offer travel cover if you’d paid for your flights and hotels using your card, while others extend this benefit automatically.
All credit cards come with some service fees depending on how you use them. However, one cost which can really sneak up on you is the foreign transaction fee levied whenever you spend in a foreign currency using your card. Depending on your card provider, this can add run from a fee of around 1.25% levied by the issuing network, through to more like 2.5% if the issuing bank also charges their own admin fee.
Avoid foreign transaction fees with a smart multi currency account and card from Wise. Top up your account in local currency and you can use it in 150+ countries with the mid market exchange rate and low, transparent fees. This can cost significantly less than the foreign transaction fee charged by credit card companies - and you’ll also be able to use your Wise card to make ATM withdrawals as you travel, without having to worry about a cash advance fee. More on that later.
The CIMB e Credit Card has a low monthly minimum income, and offers good rewards for people who are prepared to wait to spend on eDay - the 28th day of the month.
This card is best for users who can wait to spend on the one day a month when they’ll earn higher points. On a regular day, you’ll get 3x rewards for online spend, but this goes right up to 12x rewards on eDay - the 28th of the month. The e Credit Card has one of the best points to ringgit conversion rates available - which means you earn more to spend on yourself. There is also a relatively low annual fee of MYR100 which is waived automatically for the first year.
Learn more here about the best CIMB credit cards in Malaysia.
If you’re looking for a Shariah compliant credit card option this one might be for you. You’ll be able to earn 4% cashback (up to MYR30/month) on some purchases, and a proportion of your spend can be used to make donations.
This account has a relatively high annual fee of MYR333, but this is waived in the first year and will be waived in subsequent years if you use your card at least 12 times in the preceding year. You’ll be able to manage your card online, with other perks including airport lounge access and easy contactless payments. If you’re getting this card for travel, don’t forget to check the foreign transaction fee, which can add costs when you spend overseas.
Learn more here about the best Public Bank credit cards in Malaysia.
This card has relatively low minimum income requirements and no annual fee, making it an attractive option for people looking to find a simple, low fee card for daily use.
UOB’s Simple card has a range of opportunities to get discounts and savings. You can get an uncapped rebate on finance charges of up to 10%, if you meet the minimum repayments. Both Malaysian and expat customers are able to apply for this card from UOB.
👀 Looking for a credit card with travel rewards instead? Click here to find out which Malaysian credit cards come with free airport lounge access
This card comes with both conventional and Islamic banking versions - and although it has a high minimum earning requirement, it brings so many perks we have included it in our round up of the best options out there. If you’re a high earner, it may be worth a look.
High earners might consider this card as an exclusive way to spend and earn rewards, perks and cash back. If you’re getting this card for travel, there are some great perks - but there’s also a 1% foreign transaction fee to consider. The range of exclusive offers and rewards is pretty staggering, from fun things like lounge access and Club Marriott Malaysia Privileges, through to more serious options like additional insurance to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Learn more here about the best AmBank credit cards in Malaysia.
If you drive and live close to a Shell station, this card could help you earn significant cash back on fuel purchases for example.
This card makes sense for people who need to buy fuel and can conveniently use Shell petrol stations. Cash back on some other categories is also relatively high if you spend at least MYR2,500 a month.
Maybank has a broad range of credit card options from exclusive cards for high earners, to cards for football fans, to cards like this - a simple credit card with a reasonable minimum income (MYR30,000/year for Malaysians, MYR60,000/year for expats) and low annual fee (MYR60).
This card is recommended as one for people looking to build credit history or improve their credit score. It’s a simple card with a low annual fee, which still allows you to earn points. One of the best perks though is the travel insurance option which you can access if you buy your travel tickets using your card. Maybank has one of the highest foreign transaction fees in the Malaysian credit card comparison we’ve looked at today - which can mean adding 2.25% to all overseas spending, which might mean you choose to leave your card at home when you travel.
If you’ll be using your credit card to pay for dining, travel and other hobbies, this card from UOB may be the one for you. There are lots of rewards and offers across lifestyle categories, which may net you discounts on shopping, hotels and travel.
The MYR7.50/month fee for this card is easily waived with just one use of the card on a monthly basis. You’ll then get the opportunity to access a good selection of rewards and offers, primarily on lifestyle, travel and dining. These offers change and are updated all the time so you can benefit from them over and over again.
If you frequently use Grab to pay for ride hailing, order food, or to shop using Grab’s e-wallet feature, adding in a Maybank Grab Credit Card could help you make more of your money.
There’s no annual fee for this card, which means you can boost your Grab points without spending anything extra. The annual income requirement is usually 24,000 MYR which is also one of the lower limits we’ve featured. As with other Maybank cards, watch out for the foreign transaction fee on overseas and foreign spending - this pushes up your costs by 2.25%.
The UOB One Credit card - which comes as a standard Visa or a Platinum Visa card - is a good pick for higher spenders who want to unlock extra cash rebates.
To make the most of the UOB One card you’ll need to consistently hit the minimum spend level. By spending at least 500 MYR per month, your cash rebate amount jumps from the base rate of 0.2% right up to 10%. Spending requirements are higher for the Platinum card - plus you’ll need to have a higher income and pay a higher annual fee. However, Platinum card holders can earn even more in rewards, making this worth considering if you’ll hit the minimum eligibility requirements.
Learn more here about UOB One Card in Malaysia
Shop around to find the credit card which suits you and your lifestyle the best. You could find you cut down on fees, and earn some handy perks and rewards, too.
As you pick which is the best credit card in Malaysia for you, consider getting a Wise card to spend abroad for great rates and no foreign transaction fees.
The Wise card lets you spend in 40+ currencies at the mid-market rate including CNY, JPY, GBP, and SGD so you know you'll be getting a great deal in over 150+ countries. Simply create a free Wise account, order a card and top-up MYR to get started.
Virtual cards are free and can be added to your Google or Apple Pay wallet, while a physical Wise card can be ordered for a low fee of 13.7 MYR. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as two free ATM withdrawals to the value of 1,000 MYR each month, before low fees start.
While abroad, you can choose to spend with directly in MYR and let auto-conversion do the trick, or convert to your desired currency with your Wise account. Either way, you’ll get the exchange rate you see on Google, with low, transparent fees from 0.77%.
Avoid credit card foreign transaction fee on top of exchange rates determined by Visa or Mastercard and get the best bang for your buck.
Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
Sources
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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