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.

 

[sravanbrahma]

From the table, isn't it 0.18% load, unload charges upto a lac? Agree that buy/sell rates of banks will kill the arbitrage trade in short term.

But if you hold long term, good money can be made with USD appreciation 😉

Is it ? Customer care said something like 0.75% + GST.

True USD appreciation can be taken but we are getting 0% interest in long term so doesn't attract me. Instead we can block that amount in some US stock/MF where you get USD appreciation and stock appreciation combo

 

[Ram1]

It's not illegal, any company can do define its own exchange rate compared to market.

If its ATM withdrawal only 4$. To get it back as INR after bank withdrawal, we need to take again 1-2% cut from physical foreign cash to INR.

I am referring about withdrawal to bank from forex card after your trip is done.

If we load via dcb we get 16.5% (3.3 * 5)
And after a month, if we unload, we loose approx 5%.
So we can get 11.5% gain approx right?

 

[Harry1]

Card delivered at branch. Got a call from branch informing the same. They asked to come with original passport only. No other documents. Also, got sms shortly afterwards.

Intimation! Your HDFC Bank MCY is ready at XXXX branch. Visit with ID and address proof within 90 days to collect and avoid destruction.

Card picked up from branch. As mentioned in call, nothing except original passport was required.

They didn't even ask for the printed form and sign in it. Just took one zerox of passport themselves and got my sign on that apart from one register about card reception.

I had savings account in past, but closed few months back. Probably that or my existing credit card account qualified me as existing account holder and they processed with just passport.

Card activated, NetBanking and atm pin set, trabsaction limits set. Now waiting for funds to load.

There are few concerning things though. It says card can't be used for some payments like MOTO, Card not present, Authorisation, IVR etc. I think this will be problematic for many. Many of flight/hotel bookings (Turkish / Accor) require IVR or MOTO (Qantas) type of transactions. If these won't go through, it will be difficult to use it online.

 

[meharshsanghavi]

Card picked up from branch. As mentioned in call, nothing except original passport was required.

They didn't even ask for the printed form and sign in it. Just took one zerox of passport themselves and got my sign on that apart from one register about card reception.

I had savings account in past, but closed few months back. Probably that or my existing credit card account qualified me as existing account holder and they processed with just passport.

Card activated, NetBanking and atm pin set, trabsaction limits set. Now waiting for funds to load.

There are few concerning things though. It says card can't be used for some payments like MOTO, Card not present, Authorisation, IVR etc. I think this will be problematic for many. Many of flight/hotel bookings (Turkish / Accor) require IVR or MOTO (Qantas) type of transactions. If these won't go through, it will be difficult to use it online.

Very Different Story,
Didn't get any SMS or E-mail that the Card is Ready.

Got a call from them this Morning and went and picked it up at 10.30 AM
Can't Sign up for anything Online Via the Prepaid NetBanking Portal
Says Invalid Details

I called Customer Care and they asked me to wait 48 Hours.

 

[salisburry44]

Very Different Story,
Didn't get any SMS or E-mail that the Card is Ready.

Got a call from them this Morning and went and picked it up at 10.30 AM
Can't Sign up for anything Online Via the Prepaid NetBanking Portal
Says Invalid Details

I called Customer Care and they asked me to wait 48 Hours.

After getting card activated sms then can login

 

[meharshsanghavi]

After getting card activated sms then can login

Can you help by what you mean to activate?
Do I have to call/SMS or do something else?

Or do You mean to wait for the Bank SMS That I have got the Card Delivered?

 

[Ash8]

It says card can't be used for some payments like MOTO, Card not present, Authorisation, IVR etc. I think this will be problematic for many. Many of flight/hotel bookings (Turkish / Accor) require IVR or MOTO (Qantas) type of transactions. If these won't go through, it will be difficult to use it online.

Card can also not be used for merchants which charge DCC so it can't be used on klook? Cannot be used on car rentals where transaction amount is kept on hold till the ride is complete so it can't be used for Uber?

That's so many restrictions if true.

 

[salisburry44]

Can you help by what you mean to activate?
Do I have to call/SMS or do something else?

Or do You mean to wait for the Bank SMS That I have got the Card Delivered?

Your HDFC Bank Prepaid Visa Regalia USD Card ending with XXXXXXXX has been activated. As per RBI guidelines the card is enabled to perform only ATM and POS transactions. To enable Online payment and Contactless feature log on to HDFC Bank Prepaid Card NetBanking. Refer email sent for more details.

This msg.. no need to call.

 

[Harry1]

Card picked up from branch. As mentioned in call, nothing except original passport was required.

They didn't even ask for the printed form and sign in it. Just took one zerox of passport themselves and got my sign on that apart from one register about card reception.

I had savings account in past, but closed few months back. Probably that or my existing credit card account qualified me as existing account holder and they processed with just passport.

Card activated, NetBanking and atm pin set, trabsaction limits set. Now waiting for funds to load.

There are few concerning things though. It says card can't be used for some payments like MOTO, Card not present, Authorisation, IVR etc. I think this will be problematic for many. Many of flight/hotel bookings (Turkish / Accor) require IVR or MOTO (Qantas) type of transactions. If these won't go through, it will be difficult to use it online.

Money loaded🤩. Now I need to spend it🤮. Let's see when that happens. USD has already fallen 0.1% from the day I applied. Overall 9 days from Application to Loading.

 

[Harry1]

Card can also not be used for merchants which charge DCC so it can't be used on klook? Cannot be used on car rentals where transaction amount is kept on hold till the ride is complete so it can't be used for Uber?

That's so many restrictions if true.

In klook, u at least have option to change currency to usd without any extra charges, so that should work. But yeah, uber may not. Same for Singapore / Hong Kong etc metro networks too.

Moto or card not present is a very common type of trabsaction though, I think any site which doesn't ask for OTP may come in that category. Will have to try and see. Just hope that I am missing something or terms are not strictly enforced, otherwise it will be difficult to use it on just offline expenses.

I always spend 90% before going to foreign country. Only some meals and transportation are offline expenses and in that too, if it won't work for transportation, spending 1L on Food will take several years 😅.

 

[sagarlakhisarani]

Hi Guys,
I am planning to go Australia in early March. I have a Diners Black and Biz Black Card and we have Infinia + biz black on my brother’s name.
So firstly what forex card would be better for us for AUD transactions, moreover i am still confused about the 5x offer.
Because in both the card we have already earned max points of Smartbuy i.e 10k and 15k points respectively.

 

[shadow28]

Hi Guys,
I am planning to go Australia in early March. I have a Diners Black and Biz Black Card and we have Infinia + biz black on my brother’s name.
So firstly what forex card would be better for us for AUD transactions, moreover i am still confused about the 5x offer.
Because in both the card we have already earned max points of Smartbuy i.e 10k and 15k points respectively.

The 5x reward points offer for forex card load / reload is outside the Smartbuy monthly capping. You can use the Multicurrency ForexPlus Card if you only want AUD or Regalia ForexPlus Card if you want the freedom to use any foreign currency.

 

[Ash8]

In klook, u at least have option to change currency to usd without any extra charges, so that should work. But yeah, uber may not. Same for Singapore / Hong Kong etc metro networks too.

Moto or card not present is a very common type of trabsaction though, I think any site which doesn't ask for OTP may come in that category. Will have to try and see. Just hope that I am missing something or terms are not strictly enforced, otherwise it will be difficult to use it on just offline expenses.

I always spend 90% before going to foreign country. Only some meals and transportation are offline expenses and in that too, if it won't work for transportation, spending 1L on Food will take several years 😅.

I found below in FAQs about Forex card on HDFC web portal.

Can I Use My Forex Card on Uber?

Yes, your forex card is perfect for Uber rides while traveling! Here’s how to smoothly set it up:

1. Personal Identity: First, ensure your forex card is linked to your personal identity and the local address of your travel destination.
2. Add to Uber: Open the Uber app and go to payment settings. Choose 'Add Payment Method' and select 'Prepaid Card.'
3. Enter Details: Fill in your forex card information.
4. Local Address: Update the app with the local address where you're staying, including the ZIP code.
5. Set as Default: Make your forex card the default payment method for hassle-free rides.

 

[Harry1]

I found below in FAQs about Forex card on HDFC web portal.

Can I Use My Forex Card on Uber?

Yes, your forex card is perfect for Uber rides while traveling! Here’s how to smoothly set it up:

1. Personal Identity: First, ensure your forex card is linked to your personal identity and the local address of your travel destination.
2. Add to Uber: Open the Uber app and go to payment settings. Choose 'Add Payment Method' and select 'Prepaid Card.'
3. Enter Details: Fill in your forex card information.
4. Local Address: Update the app with the local address where you're staying, including the ZIP code.
5. Set as Default: Make your forex card the default payment method for hassle-free rides.

This is from welcome letter. So there is some contradiction, will have to try and see.

 

[thanix]

You can use the Multicurrency ForexPlus Card if you only want AUD or Regalia ForexPlus Card if you want the freedom to use any foreign currency.

Isn't it other way around? You can load any currency you want and spend it. In Regalia forex, always load and settlement is USD.

hdfc doesn't charge cross currency mark up ,(very generous) in Regalia forex but that day currency rates apply for conversion by Visa. Example EUR to USD.

Am I wrong?

 

[shadow28]

Isn't it other way around? You can load any currency you want and spend it. In Regalia forex, always load and settlement is USD.

hdfc doesn't charge cross currency mark up ,(very generous) in Regalia forex but that day currency rates apply for conversion by Visa. Example EUR to USD.

Am I wrong?

The markup rates while loading the multicurrency card is higher for most currencies outside of USD anyway, so I don't think that's gonna come out to be a major benefit.

 

[Nihhaar]

To book the regalia forex card, we need to also give the date of travel and it seems to have a max of 6 months from now.

If I'm don't actually have any travel plans, what date should I keep here? Also what's the validity of this forex card? Thanks.

 

[shadow28]

To book the regalia forex card, we need to also give the date of travel and it seems to have a max of 6 months from now.

If I'm don't actually have any travel plans, what date should I keep here? Also what's the validity of this forex card? Thanks.

If you have an HDFC savings account and credit card, they don't really check the travel details so you can put any date. The forex card is valid for 5 years.

 

[thanix]

The markup rates while loading the multicurrency card is higher for most currencies outside of USD anyway, so I don't think that's gonna come out to be a major benefit.

Yes, that's what I am asking. It is better to go with Regalia forex card USD denominated rather than multi currency card. Only thing I couldn't get it whether the cross currency mark up waiver is time bound or permanent in Regalia forex card. Any thing you are aware?

 

[shadow28]

Yes, that's what I am asking. It is better to go with Regalia forex card USD denominated rather than multi currency card. Only thing I couldn't get it whether the cross currency mark up waiver is time bound or permanent in Regalia forex card. Any thing you are aware?

Yeah I went with the Regalia forex card for the same reason. The cross currency mark up waiver is a permanent feature of the card.