Huge Update: HDFC Infinia – This Is Not Just a Devaluation – It's a Warning Sign

[TechnoFinoTechnoFino is verified member.]

For a long time, the TechnoFino Community expected that HDFC Infinia would eventually face some level of devaluation, most likely around 2026. That assumption was based on history, lifecycle patterns of premium cards, and how banks usually behave.

But what has surfaced now is far more serious than a routine devaluation.

An official HDFC Bank document, marked as internal yet publicly accessible on their website, reveals a major change in how Infinia credit cards will be retained going forward.

And yes - this is about card continuation, not just fee waiver.

What Has Changed?​

As per the document:

Effective from 1st Jan, 2026, To keep your HDFC Infinia credit card active, you must either:

• Spend ₹18,00,000 in a calendar year
Or
• Maintain a ₹1 crore+ relationship value with HDFC Bank

Failing this, the card can be reviewed / discontinued.

This is a fundamental shift.



Till now, premium card conversations revolved around:
• Joining fee
• Renewal fee
• Fee waivers

Now, the discussion has moved to:
"Do you even deserve to hold this card?"

Is This a New Concept?​

No. Not at all.

Banks in India - have been following this model quietly for years.

Almost every top-tier / invite-only credit card is not judged purely on:
• Your credit score
• Or your past loyalty

Instead, it is judged on how much total business you bring to the bank.

Ultra-premium cards are not highly profitable products on their own.
So banks compensate by demanding value elsewhere:

• High CASA balances
• Investments & relationship value
• Large annual spends (MDR income)

More spend = more MDR = more revenue.

This new Infinia rule simply makes that logic official and transparent.

Where It Really Starts Hurting​

Here is the biggest contradiction:

• Infinia annual fee waiver requires ~₹10L spends
• Infinia survival now requires ~₹18L spends

Which means:
Even if your fee is waived, your card is still not safe.

This puts many cardholders in an awkward position, especially those who:

• Got Lifetime Free Infinia
• Or use Infinia selectively, not as a primary card

A Small Reality Check (With a Smile)​

For years, TechnoFino members have been asking:

“How to get HDFC Infinia Lifetime Free?”

Looks like HDFC Bank finally answered:

Spend ₹18L every year or park ₹1 Cr with us.

Jokes aside, this is a very serious signal from the bank.

Will HDFC Really Enforce ₹18L Strictly?​

My honest assessment:

• Yes, HDFC will enforce this
• Maybe not aggressively from Day 1
• But ₹10–12L unofficial minimum spends will become standard practice

₹18L will remain the official benchmark, even if flexibility exists initially.

And once HDFC normalises this behavior, other banks will follow, silently first, officially later.

The Bigger Picture: This Is Not Just About Infinia​

This move hints at a larger shift in the Indian credit card ecosystem:

• Premium cards will slowly become relationship-locked products
• Holding multiple top-end cards across banks will get extremely difficult
• Banks will push customers to choose one primary ecosystem
• "Card collectors" will feel the heat first

In short:
Top-end credit cards will no longer be lifestyle products —
They will become loyalty contracts.

Final Thoughts​

This is not panic news.
But it is early warning news.

If you hold Infinia, plan your spends wisely.
If you aspire for Infinia, understand what you’re signing up for.
And if you hold multiple premium cards across banks - the coming years will demand hard choices.

We’ll keep tracking developments closely.
More updates soon - only on TechnoFino Community.

Original thread credit: @kumarvishwas

 

[sunit123]

 

[sunit123]

HDFC played jio strategy....Distributed easily by selling ULIP and collected fees by distributing it to everyone and now pulled the plug.

Unfortunately, At the end, customer is feeling cheated

 

[surajeetsen]

Looks like they have also removed the criteria of getting an Infinia Metal by spending 9 lakhs in the last 6 months. I have an Infinia Plastic Variant and have more than 9 lakhs spending in the last 6 months with 15L+ credit limit and still they denied me an upgrade to Metal.

Btw, I had also received the email last year to maintain a monthly spend of ₹1.5 Lakh on my credit card.

 

[Credit_Cards]

Finally HDFC realised too many people got their hands on Infinia and major chunk of them are not using it as per HNI spending criteria as per their benchmark.

 

[theXfactor]

Looks like they have also removed the criteria of getting an Infinia Metal by spending 9 lakhs in the last 6 months. I have an Infinia Plastic Variant and have more than 9 lakhs spending in the last 6 months with 15L+ credit limit and still they denied me an upgrade to Metal.

Btw, I had also received the email last year to maintain a monthly spend of ₹1.5 Lakh on my credit card.

Firstly why r u even trying to upgrade to Metal. Kya fayda?

 

[surajeetsen]

Firstly why r u even trying to upgrade to Metal. Kya fayda?

My PVC card has worn out and sometimes the POS machines are not able to read the chip. So, instead of asking for a reissue I thought of asking for an upgrade.

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

My 2c
The number of people holding super premium cards is very less. If we consider it as a % of total number of card holders then it will be less than 1%
And banks have a clear use case and business model for why these cards are issued.
Like we expected 2026 will be a year of devaluation and more and more restrictions coming in.
We cannot blame banks for asking customers to maintain a TRV or spend considerable amounts to retain the card..
Ideally even for HNIs 2-3 super premium cards are more than enough. But once people start to game the system it will go out of banks hands. Earlier the number of these gaming people were very less. But now with X blasting with so called ccgeeks influencers and experts, everyone is trying to extract best value by hook or crook.
If you have seen the recent fight and elafda in X between these content creators - one thing is clear : everyone wants referral benefits and other monetization benefits from banks and X.
Slowly people are realising the value of forums like technofino where we don't focus on viral content but we focus on useful discussions. That's where the real value lies.
Coming to card collectors, yes it will be difficult going forward to hold all super premium cards without spending much.
So either stick to one or two or come down one level and be satisfied with mid tier cards.

 

[Kushagra_]

Chokh Puraavo
Maati Rangaavo
Aaj Mere Piya Ghar Aavengey
Heri Sakhi Mangal Gaao Ree
Dharti Ambar Sajaao Ree
Utregi Aaj Mere Pee Ki Sawaar

Aap theek? 🥺

 

[Z_S]

I don't even have Infina, idk why I read this entire post lol 🤣

Us bro us😁

 

[Rajx99]

Us bro us😁

+1 🤣 but time to unwatch now as this thread page count won't stop anytime soon

 

[Z_S]

Next in line would be LTF DCB, coz many of us got it under Alumni offer as LTF & refused to upgrade to paid DCBM so buckle up guys DCB maybe next

It seems hdfc will take more ideas from this TF thread rather than their internal discussions and suggestions..😄

 

[eldraco]

The story of the two GOAT cards in Indian market tell a similar tale. SBI won't give CB to seasoned card holders and HDFC won't give Infinia to non high spenders. As always, the loser is the middle to upper middle financially-informed guy who has > 4-5 cards for optimizing different spends yet nowhere near 18 lakh annual spends.

Makes sense though, I mean why would any for-profit business want to be exploited by this sect of smart customers? No bank is out there to do charity.

 

[Giyu-san]

The story of the two GOAT cards in Indian market tell a similar tale. SBI won't give CB to seasoned card holders and HDFC won't give Infinia to non high spenders. As always, the loser is the middle to upper middle financially-informed guy who has > 4-5 cards for optimizing different spends yet nowhere near 18 lakh annual spends.

Makes sense though, I mean why would any for-profit business want to be exploited by this sect of smart customers? No bank is out there to do charity.

Banks make money off people who are dumb or uninformed or preferably both. I have seen bankers who wpuld gleefully greet me at first later turn sour when they learned that I won't fall for ULIPs or insurance and know how to use credit cards optimally and know te difference between regular and direct mutual funds, all of which are the very basics.

Smart people are dangerous. They can cause losses.

 

[Nishan11]

Very good move by HDFC without devaluation of perks offered.

HNI/UHNI cards should be for HNI/UHNI customers only. Such cards are launched mostly by keeping expected spends by such high end customers.

Generally speaking , Now even those who don't even have decent bank balance in saving/salary account or don't have required ITR criteria still gets such card through spend criteria.

Spend based upgrade should be stopped unless they also qualify through income/business earning criteria set by bank.

I hope all banks do this with their premium/super premium credit cards & keep perks offered intact.

 

[Aniket Sharma]

Very good move by HDFC without devaluation of perks offered.

HNI/UHNI cards should be for HNI/UHNI customers only. Such cards are launched mostly by keeping expected spends by such high end customers.

Generally speaking , Now even those who don't even have decent bank balance in saving/salary account or don't have required ITR criteria still gets such card through spend criteria.

Spend based upgrade should be stopped unless they also qualify through income/business earning criteria set by bank.

I hope all banks do this with their premium/super premium credit cards & keep perks offered intact.

This is already done sir, they stopped issuing only on spend based.

 

[Aniket Sharma]

Very good move by HDFC without devaluation of perks offered.

HNI/UHNI cards should be for HNI/UHNI customers only. Such cards are launched mostly by keeping expected spends by such high end customers.

Generally speaking , Now even those who don't even have decent bank balance in saving/salary account or don't have required ITR criteria still gets such card through spend criteria.

Spend based upgrade should be stopped unless they also qualify through income/business earning criteria set by bank.

I hope all banks do this with their premium/super premium credit cards & keep perks offered intact.

You are saying of decent balance, they even don't have minimum balance in there account but carrying infinia.

 

[goodfoodeater]

Is this only for Infinia, or is Infinia Metal also included?

 

[Nishan11]

You are saying of decent balance, they even don't have minimum balance in there account but carrying infinia.

That's what I meant to say. Why go for the super premium cards if one can't afford a decent bank balance or have good income from salary/business.

 

[Aniket Sharma]

That's what I meant to say. Why go for the super premium cards if one can't afford a decent bank balance or have good income from salary/business.

Now they woke up and checking these things but earlier they distributed to anyone.

 

[Aniket Sharma]

Is this only for Infinia, or is Infinia Metal also included?

Every infinia card, even the ltf ones