HDFC Forex Card Load 5X Reward Points Offer

5X Reward Points Offer

Make every online load and reload on your HDFC Bank ForexPlus Card more rewarding! Use your HDFC Bank Credit Card and activate the power of 5X Reward Points Multiplier on every transaction.

5X Reward points offer details

• Customers can earn 5X Reward Points for every Forex Card load/reload transaction made using eligible HDFC Bank Credit Cards.
• Minimum Transaction Value: Rs15,000 per transaction.
• Maximum Reward Points (RP): Customers can earn a maximum of 15,000 Reward Points per calendar month during the offer period.

• Offer Period:​

  The 5X Reward Points Offer is valid for load / reload transactions settled between 1st January 2025 and 31st March 2025.
• https://offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com/offer_details/5x-rewards-points-offer/26166/Z2mkmWk%3D

• Card Type​	Base Earn Rate (1X)​	Additional 4XRP Capped at 15,000 RPs​	Total: 5X RP​	Max Spends for 5X​
  HDFC Bank Regalia First​	3RP/Rs.150​	12RP/Rs. 150​	15 RP/ Rs. 150​	187500​
  HDFC Bank Regalia​	4RP/Rs.150​	16RP/Rs. 150​	20 RP/ Rs. 150​	140625​
  HDFC Bank Regalia Activ​	4RP/Rs.150​	16RP/Rs. 150​	20 RP/ Rs. 150​	140625​
  HDFC Bank Regalia Gold​	4RP/Rs.150​	16RP/Rs. 150​	20 RP/ Rs. 150​	140625​
  HDFC Bank Diners Privilege​	4RP/Rs.150​	16RP/Rs. 150​	20 RP/ Rs. 150​	140625​
  HDFC Bank Diners Black​	5RP/Rs.150​	20RP/Rs. 150​	25 RP/ Rs. 150​	112500​
  HDFC Bank Diners Black Metal​	5RP/Rs.150​	20RP/Rs. 150​	25 RP/ Rs. 150​	112500​
  HDFC Bank Infinia​	5RP/Rs.150​	20RP/Rs. 150​	25 RP/ Rs. 150​	112500​
  HDFC Bank Infinia Metal​	5RP/Rs.150​	20RP/Rs. 150​	25 RP/ Rs. 150​	112500​

• The offer is applicable exclusively for load / reload of HDFC ForexPlus Cards done using an HDFC Bank Credit Cards: HDFC Bank Regalia First, HDFC Bank Regalia, HDFC Bank Regalia Activ, HDFC Bank Regalia Gold, HDFC Bank Diners Privilege, HDFC Bank Diners Black, HDFC Bank Diners Black Metal, HDFC Bank Infinia and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card
• 5X reward points will be credited as: 1X reward points + additional 4X Reward Points. Additional 4X reward points are capped at 15,000 reward points per calendar month. 1X reward points will continue as is without any capping
• A minimum spend of Rs. 15,000 per transaction is required to be eligible for additional 4X reward points
• The limits are over and above the limits of HDFC SmartBuy

Issuance Fee Waiver Offer
There is another offer running on the issuance of an HDFC ForexPlus card where the joining fees get waived if you load a minimum of 1,000 USD or equivalent value of another currency. Check this out.

https://offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com/offer_details/forex-card-offers/10366/ZmOmmWk%3D

My Experience
Since I have an international trip planned next month to Japan I tried to apply HDFC ForexPlus Card (multicurrency card) and load some 2,00,000 Yen to the card to compare the actual reward rate. While Google is showing the exchange rate of 2L Yen equal to 112150 INR, HDFC is charging me some 1,16,695 INR including loading charges of around 195. It equates to a direct loss of approximately 4.01% since HDFC has higher Forex rates. But with a 16.66% (5X) reward rate on my Diners Club Black credit card, this deal is too good since it would leave me a net reward rate of 12.65% which handsomely beats even the reward rates of Axis Olympus and Axis Reserve. This is a good offer especially if you hold Diners Black or above credit cards.

Loading in USD is proving to be much cheaper since only approximately 2% charge is being applied so if you want to get a card then go for Regalia Plus Forex card since although it can be loaded only in USD but can be used to pay in any currency worldwide since it has zero cross currency markup charges.

 

[Revup]

For Thailand most ATMs allow withdrawal upto 20k baht in one txn. Only Krungsri allows 30k in one go.. Those are yellow colored ATMs.
Withdrawal charge is 220 bath..

Best is to look for Krungsri ATM which are available in abundance in cities, albeit not on airport, and withdraw 30k each time

How much we can withdraw in Vietnam - I have Diners Privelege Card (0.5 RP)

 

[sunit123]

How much we can withdraw in Vietnam - I have Diners Privelege Card (0.5 RP)

For thailand and vietnam, it makes sense to carry only CASH rather forex cards because of ATM withdrawal charges by HDFC and local banks

 

[sunit123]

Today if you buy thomas cook one currency card similar to regalia gold forex and load 1000 USD, you need to pay 87332 whereas regalia gold is charging 89000.

 

[creditcard25]

Just went through online process and loaded using infinia card , says card will be delivered in 7-10 working days… hopefully no undue surprises now and I get my 15k points credited next month… I wish there was a chance to check how much each transaction has earned in terms of points instead of waiting till statement generation …

 

[vinrey287]

Can we apply forex card and load using someone else's cc?

 

[sam4]

Can we apply forex card and load using someone else's cc?

instead apply for the one who has hdfc cc. Technically yes you can but you have to provide proof of financing as per t&c, but branch person may or maynot ask for it.

 

[Revup]

Today if you buy thomas cook one currency card similar to regalia gold forex and load 1000 USD, you need to pay 87332 whereas regalia gold is charging 89000.

What is good should I load via Diners Privilege card 50k or take direct USD (those company also charges service fee and conversion rate etc) ?

 

[thanix]

Finally applied for Regalia Forex plus today. Loaded 1250 USD @ 88.73 conversion with my DCB.

At today's exchange rate, I would have got 1275 USD outside, so 25 USD or 2200 INR equivalent is the extra cost but worth with 15000 points.

Issuance fee waiver doesn't matter as almost many options are there outside. Good part is there is no cross currency mark up for Regalia Forex plus as I have travel lined up to Europe and USA in next quarter. My frustration with Diners non acceptance will be reduced is the big positive.

Unless the mad man in Oval office does something stupid in the next quarter, i will be good with USD value remaining the same for EUR (1.1) 😁

 

[spicedlatte]

Transaction settlement date is taken as the month for which points are eligible

Txn date is 28th in my statement which got generated, so surely it got settled on the same day. Smartbuy 5x I have bought till 12AM last day of the month and always got 5x for the same month. Anyway I will wait for day or two before loading for March.

I guess I was wrong. I haven't gotten the 4x for 28th load and its past a week. I guess I'll get 5x for only March. Welp.

 

[sunit123]

What is good should I load via Diners Privilege card 50k or take direct USD (those company also charges service fee and conversion rate etc) ?

Here people are not calculating, the buyback price of unused USD which is 85.29 for HDFC bank and purchase is 88.93 so net loss of around 4.2%...Also consider withdrawal fees charged by HDFC and the foreign bank...Another risk is interbank charges....Banks are worst in case of forex rates....

I did lot of calculations and concluded regalia forex will be worst decision...Bank is only giving a lollypop of RP's which does not compensate for so many losses...

I finally decided to carry 100% cash...As a backup, i applied for LTF scapia with zero forex mark up to use wherever CC will be accepted..Scapia is approved

 

[thelazycamel]

Actually I transacted in Saudi with the Regalia Plus forex card, those transactions were carried at Google USD to Sar conversion rate... So there is 0 cross currency conversion...

 

[Avatar Aang]

Here people are not calculating, the buyback price of unused USD which is 85.29 for HDFC bank and purchase is 88.93 so net loss of around 4.2%...Also consider withdrawal fees charged by HDFC and the foreign bank...Another risk is interbank charges....Banks are worst in case of forex rates....

I did lot of calculations and concluded regalia forex will be worst decision...Bank is only giving a lollypop of RP's which does not compensate for so many losses...

I finally decided to carry 100% cash...As a backup, i applied for LTF scapia with zero forex mark up to use wherever CC will be accepted..Scapia is approved

Even after all charges the net gains would be min 10%.
I don't think there's any method to get more than 10% valueback for forex transactions

 

[sunit123]

Even after all charges the net gains would be min 10%.
I don't think there's any method to get more than 10% valueback for forex transactions

Bro, if you include all the charges, there is a minimum loss of 5%.

 

[thanix]

Bro, if you include all the charges, there is a minimum loss of 5%.

This is for people who try to use this only for the 15K points. Otherwise, if you have a travel upcoming and can use it up, it works out decent. Consider it as 2% mark up which is anyway there on card as well.

 

[Avatar Aang]

Bro, if you include all the charges, there is a minimum loss of 5%.

Could you please share detailed calculations.

 

[sunit123]

Could you please share detailed calculations.

Now the biggest disadvantage or catch of regalia gold is that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only so HDFC bank will earn twice i.e. once at the time of load and second at the time of withdrawal

1. Current USD rate: 87.30 (87300 for 1000 USD)
2. HDFC Selling at: 88.92 (88920 for 1000 USD)
ATM withdrawal Charges of HDFC: 4 USD
Avg You can withdraw: 200 USD per transaction i.e. 5 transactions
3. ATM withdrawal charges of HDFC= 20 USD
4. Avg ATM Withdrawal charges of foreign bank: 35 USD (7 USD per transaction)
5. Avg forex mark up of foreign ATM bank and USD rate = 3% (HDFC is not charging any markup but foreign bank ATM charge. Also called Currency conversion charge)
6. GST = Rs 160
7. Now the biggest disadvantage of regalia gold that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only...As i checked average markup is 2%

Total Charges in INR = 1778 (3 in inr) + 3112 (4 in inr) + 2667 (5 in inr) + 1620 (diff of 2 and 1) + 160 + 1778 (7 in inr) = Rs 10006

So your total charges is 11.25%

This card is only beneficial if you have DCB or infinia and you will redeem RP on smartbuy...Now smartbuy charge 5% to 10% more on air tickets compared to other travel portals...I booked couple of times and ended up paying upto Rs 1000 more on a ticket of Rs 10000.

Therefore, NET NET Regalia gold forex is LOSS making proposition. Lolly pop of RP is just a mental masturbat*****

Note: I have only considered avg charges and these are slightly higher in some countries but slightly less in other

 

[sravanbrahma]

Now the biggest disadvantage or catch of regalia gold is that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only so HDFC bank will earn twice i.e. once at the time of load and second at the time of withdrawal

1. Current USD rate: 87.30 (87300 for 1000 USD)
2. HDFC Selling at: 88.92 (88920 for 1000 USD)
ATM withdrawal Charges of HDFC: 4 USD
Avg You can withdraw: 200 USD per transaction i.e. 5 transactions
3. ATM withdrawal charges of HDFC= 20 USD
4. Avg ATM Withdrawal charges of foreign bank: 35 USD (7 USD per transaction)
5. Avg forex mark up of foreign ATM bank and USD rate = 3% (HDFC is not charging any markup but foreign bank ATM charge. Also called Currency conversion charge)
6. GST = Rs 160
7. Now the biggest disadvantage of regalia gold that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only...As i checked average markup is 2%

Total Charges in INR = 1778 (3 in inr) + 3112 (4 in inr) + 2667 (5 in inr) + 1620 (diff of 2 and 1) + 160 + 1778 (7 in inr) = Rs 10006

So your total charges is 11.25%

This card is only beneficial if you have DCB or infinia and you will redeem RP on smartbuy...Now smartbuy charge 5% to 10% more on air tickets compared to other travel portals...I booked couple of times and ended up paying upto Rs 1000 more on a ticket of Rs 10000.

Therefore, NET NET Regalia gold forex is LOSS making proposition. Lolly pop of RP is just a mental masturbat*****

Note: I have only considered avg charges and these are slightly higher in some countries but slightly less in other

This is total BS. I agree only to the first part where hdfc decides rate while loading and unloading...
Remaining is decided by VISA and hdfc promises mark up. So no charges there. BTW no charges on ATM withdrawal except for the flat fee of 6$ even if you withdraw 1000$. So net loss of 4-5% effectively. In that 4-5% itself forex markup is included when compared to other Credit card.

 

[sunit123]

This is total BS. I agree only to the first part where hdfc decides rate while loading and unloading...
Remaining is decided by VISA and hdfc promises mark up. So no charges there. BTW no charges on ATM withdrawal except for the flat fee of 6$ even if you withdraw 1000$. So net loss of 4-5% effectively. In that 4-5% itself forex markup is included when compared to other Credit card.

This is the biggest problem in India, people don't want to see calculations and data points....The easiest way to boost self-ego is to shrug it off.

Regalia forex plus card sabka bewakoof bana raha hain...Yeh baat infinia aur DCB walon ko samjhani bahut mushkil hain

 

[vinrey287]

Now the biggest disadvantage or catch of regalia gold is that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only so HDFC bank will earn twice i.e. once at the time of load and second at the time of withdrawal

1. Current USD rate: 87.30 (87300 for 1000 USD)
2. HDFC Selling at: 88.92 (88920 for 1000 USD)
ATM withdrawal Charges of HDFC: 4 USD
Avg You can withdraw: 200 USD per transaction i.e. 5 transactions
3. ATM withdrawal charges of HDFC= 20 USD
4. Avg ATM Withdrawal charges of foreign bank: 35 USD (7 USD per transaction)
5. Avg forex mark up of foreign ATM bank and USD rate = 3% (HDFC is not charging any markup but foreign bank ATM charge. Also called Currency conversion charge)
6. GST = Rs 160
7. Now the biggest disadvantage of regalia gold that exchange rate is not linked to live interbank rate but it is decided by HDFC bank only...As i checked average markup is 2%

Total Charges in INR = 1778 (3 in inr) + 3112 (4 in inr) + 2667 (5 in inr) + 1620 (diff of 2 and 1) + 160 + 1778 (7 in inr) = Rs 10006

So your total charges is 11.25%

This card is only beneficial if you have DCB or infinia and you will redeem RP on smartbuy...Now smartbuy charge 5% to 10% more on air tickets compared to other travel portals...I booked couple of times and ended up paying upto Rs 1000 more on a ticket of Rs 10000.

Therefore, NET NET Regalia gold forex is LOSS making proposition. Lolly pop of RP is just a mental masturbat*****

Note: I have only considered avg charges and these are slightly higher in some countries but slightly less in other

How much does your net loss reduce to if you don't withdraw from ATM and only use it for POS

 

[sunit123]

How much does your net loss reduce to if you don't withdraw from ATM and only use it for POS

exclude charge no 3 and 4 i.e. 55 USD