And no, there are no individual category caps to worry about this time.
That’s right, Singapore finally has a credit card that makes it so much easier for us to earn these miles or cashback! Thanks to Maybank’s design, this now makes the Maybank XL Cards the credit cards with one of the widest number of spending categories for rewards in Singapore, and this perk is specially tailored for those who are currently between 21 – 39 years old (anyone 40 or older will not be eligible to apply for the card).
If this is Maybank’s way of grabbing attention from a younger crowd, they’ve certainly got mine.
Depending on whether you prefer to earn 5% cashback or 4 air miles per dollar on your spending – or both – Maybank has a card for each camp that will surely fit into most people’s credit cards stack…including mine.
| Maybank XL Cashback Card | Maybank XL Rewards Card | |
| Earn rate | 5% cashback | 4 air miles per dollar (credited as 10X TREATS Points) |
| Max cap | $80 per month (i.e. $1,600 spend) | 10,000 TREATS Points ($1,000 spend) |
That’s right, I’ve already signed up for the Maybank XL Rewards Card, and this is why I see it as the must-have credit card of 2025 for all miles chasers.
Earn 5% cashback or 4 air miles per dollar on (almost) everything
It has been a long time since I’ve come across a card that gives its members a high earn rate on so many categories all at once.
Credit card benefits are given based on Merchant Category Code (MCCs). Here’s the list of MCCs that are eligible for the Maybank XL Cards.
Here’s what and where you can use the card:
| Bonus Categories | Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) | Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) Description | Examples (non-exhaustive) |
| Dine | 5811, 5812, 5814 and 5462 | Caterers, Restaurant Dining, Fast Food Eateries, Bakeries, Food Deliveries locally | McDonalds, Deliveroo, foodpanda, GrabFood, Breadtalk, Four Leaves |
| Shop | 5262, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5621, 5631, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699 and 5941 | Apparels, Departmental Store, Sports/Riding Apparels Stores, Sporting Goods Stores | Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, Isetan, Love Bonito |
| Travel | 3000 – 3299, 3300 – 3308, 4511, 4722, 7011 | Airlines, Lodging, Travel Agencies locally | Scoot, Singapore Airlines, Trip.com, Agoda, Klook, Pelago, KKday, Booking.com, Airbnb |
| Play | 4899, 5813, 5815, 7832, 7993 and 7994 | Bars, Drinking Places, Cable Television Service, Cinemas, Motion Picture Theatres, Video Amusement Game, Video Game Arcade locally, Paid Television, Cable and Radio Services locally | Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, HaveFun Karaoke, Harry’s, The Inn Livehouse, Marquee, ZOUK, Shaw Cinemas, Golden Village, Timezone |
| Foreign Spend | Transactions spend overseas or online in foreign currencies (including card-not-present transactions in foreign currencies like e-commerce transactions) successfully charged on to the Card |
As you can see from the table above, the cards covers pretty much almost everything I’m already spending on – with the exception of groceries, petrol and transport.
This limitation isn’t too difficult to get around either, considering how I’m already buying vouchers on HeyMax – which codes as MCC 5311 (Department Stores) – to get my 4 mpd. There’s Shell, NTUC Fairprice, Grab and TADA vouchers there that I’ve been buying and earning 4 mpd on.
Another unique use for the Maybank XL Cards is that you can earn these upsized rates even when you pay for any overseas education or hospital bills in foreign currency. Yes, this now means paying for your child’s studies abroad or getting your cosmetic surgeries done in Bangkok or Korea can now earn you 4 mpd or 5% cashback too!
Just don’t forget that like the other local banks, spending in foreign currencies will incur a 3.25% FX fee. So we might as well make sure we get the highest mileage on your overseas spend, which makes the Maybank XL Rewards Card a great 4 mpd addition to our travel wallet.
See the T&Cs for the Maybank XL Rewards Card here.
See the T&Cs for the Maybank Cashback Card here.
Why I’m a fan of the Maybank XL Rewards Card
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you would know that I usually use my 4 mpd credit cards for the majority of my regular expenses so that I can maximise the air miles I earn.
However, it is no secret that most of the 4 mpd cards I own in my wallet come with restricted categories. I use one for all my online shopping and subscriptions, another one for my travel bookings, and I tap a completely different card whenever I dine out.
With the recent bank nerfs that took place this year, I’ve been struggling to earn 4 mpd on my travel expenses as I usually pay for my entire family’s tickets and accommodation together.
So when I saw that Maybank launched a card that would reward me across Dine, Shop, Travel, Play and Foreign Spend – I knew I had to add it to my stack.
And I’m declaring this card as the newest 2025’s must-get card because when you combine that with the ease of earning across multiple categories without having to worry about category caps…this card is a winner.
How do TREATS Points work?
If you’re new to Maybank, your air miles will be credited in the form of reward points known as TREATS Points.
The Maybank XL Rewards Card will award the 1X base and 9X bonus TREATS Points together, which will be credited to your account on the 11th of the following calendar month in one lump sum.
TREATS Points from the Maybank XL Rewards Card expire 1 year^ from the quarterly period in which you earned them in, and can be pooled across your different Maybank cards before you transfer them to your preferred frequent flyer programme.
^One way to extend your TREATS Points expiry infinitely is to get on Maybank’s Rewards Infinite Membership Programme. You can qualify by accumulating a minimum spend of S$24,000 on selected Maybank Credit Cards (not just limited to the Maybank XL Rewards Card) within 12 months. Read more here.
| Frequent flyer programme | Conversion Ratio (TREATS Points:Partner) |
| Krisflyer | 25,000 : 10,000 |
| Asia Miles | 12,500 : 5,000 |
| Enrich (Malaysia Airlines) | 12,500 : 5,000 |
| AirAsia Rewards | 4,000 : 2,000 |
P.S. I would recommend converting your TREATS Points to Krisflyer or Asia Miles instead as it offers more value for money.
Don’t forget that all conversions come with the usual admin fees of S$27.25.
Maybank XL Cardmember perks
FOMO Fridays eVouchers: up to 50% off
If that isn’t generous enough, Maybank has upped the ante by adding FOMO Fridays eVouchers, where Maybank XL Cardmembers can get up to 50% off and 1-for-1 offers from Singaporean’s favourite brands such as HaiDiLao, Sephora, TADA, KOI, JD Sports, HaveFun Karaoke and more! These unbeatable deals drop every other Friday via Maybank TREATS SG app, so you’d want to add a reminder to your calendar to snag these offers.
Free Trip XpLorer Protect (insurance)
The first 15,000 Maybank XL Cardmembers (whether you choose the rewards or cashback card) will also receive a complimentary 1-year Etiqa Trip XpLorer Protect insurance policy to supplement their trips. So if you have the habit of making short day trips to Malaysia or Batam without buying insurance, this can come in handy. What’s more, the plan covers you for up to S$5,000 for accidental injuries and illness overseas even if it’s from doing YOLO activities like sky diving or bungee jumping.
Etiqa Trip XpLorer Protect is a 1-year travel insurance policy and you’ll receive an email notification with the policy details after your Maybank XL Card is approved.
Terms apply. This policy is underwritten by Etiqa Insurance Pte. Ltd. (Company Reg. No. 201331905K), a member of Maybank Group. This content is for reference only and is not a contract of insurance. Full details of the policy terms and conditions can be found in the policy contract. Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.
Note: Etiqa Trip XpLorer offers coverage for “adventurous activities” such as abseiling, bungee jumping, sky diving, hot air ballooning, rock climbing and skiing – which some other policies do not always cover for. However, you should not be using this as a replacement for your usual comprehensive travel insurance plan, as it does not cover for delayed flights, lost luggage, personal liability, accidental death or permanent disability. You may consider upgrading to their Tiq Travel Insurance with your Maybank XL Card to enjoy comprehensive coverage and Maybank TREATS Points at the same time. Maybank Cardmembers can use promo code <TIQMBB> here to purchase.
Sign-up offers
- If you’re a new to Maybank Credit Card customer, get S$10 cashback after your first transaction made with the Maybank XL card
- Get S$10 cashback for referring a friend who signs up.
- Receive a free XL sticker pack to personalise your card.
Limited-time offers
Get tickets to Dear Evan Hansen musical at 50% off with the Maybank XL Cards when you book here from now until 16 November 2025.
Who is the card best for?
We all know that there’s no best credit card, but rather, finding the card that is best for you.
The Maybank XL Cards cover such a generous range of categories that it is hard to think of someone who doesn’t spend on any of them and wouldn’t benefit from having the card(s) in their wallet.
In fact, it might be easier to think who the card might not be suitable for:
- Anyone aged 40 or older
- Someone who spends less than $500 a month
So if you’re young enough and Xperiencing Life to the fullest, Maybank XL Cards might just be for you.
Conclusion
It isn’t every day that we get to earn 4 mpd or 5% cashback on this many categories — especially with a card that costs nothing for 2 years and gives you the flexibility to pool points with other Maybank Cards.
You can choose one card like I did, or even apply for both if your expenses are generally higher. This will translate into:
- $1,000 on the Maybank XL Rewards Card – to max out 4 mpd
- $1,600 on the Maybank XL Cashback Card – to max out the 5% cashback
| Why I applied for the Maybank XL Rewards Card | Things to note |
| ✅ 4 air miles per dollar on dining, shopping, entertainment, online travel, & FCY spend ✅ Just spend $500/month to unlock the high earn rate ✅ Bonus capped at spending of $1,000/month (very decent for most people) ✅ Free for 2 years; the $87.20 annual fee will be waived thereafter if you hit at least $6,000 spend annually ✅ Can pool points with other Maybank Cards ✅ Can be paired with Amaze for overseas use | ❌ You must be under 40 to apply. Once you’re past that, too bad. ❌ Points expire in 12–15 months, so don’t sit on them too long. ❌ 3.25% FX fee applies — but if you use Amaze, you can reduce this to zero. |
Some of you might have seen me tweak a CNA host’s credit card strategy to help her earn more miles on a recent episode of Talking Point here. Although the cards I recommended to her in that episode were not shared on national TV, I can let you guys in on the secret: a key card in the stack I designed for her is the Maybank XL Rewards Card.
After all, there is no other card in Singapore that gives you 4 mpd for online and offline spending when you dine, shop, travel, play and spend overseas.
Seasoned miles hackers know a good credit card when we spot one, which is why I daresay the Maybank XL Rewards Card is the best miles card that has been launched in 2025 till date. With less than 3 months to go before the year ends, I doubt there’ll be another better card launch that stands a chance to dethrone this.
So if you’ve been looking for a single catch-all credit card, this is the card you’d want to check out.
My Take: Worth It?
Honestly? 100% yes, if you qualify.
So if you’re under 40 and haven’t signed up yet… what are you waiting for? Get the Maybank XL Card before the doors close on you for good.
I’ve already gotten mine, have you?
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are that of my own.
