Chalk this up as unconfirmed, but it seems very likely that GrabPay topups no longer receive 10X points (4 mpd) with the DBS Woman’s World Mastercard.
Milelion community members started reporting this a few days ago, after the bonus 9X points for December 2018 were credited on 16 January 2019. Based on data points provided so far,ย here’s the preliminary conclusion:
- Grab top ups made before 24 December still earn 10X points
- Grab top ups made on or after 24 December do not earn 10X points
- Ad-hoc Grab payments for rides or food still continue to earn 10X points
This matches my personal experience for the month of December. The DBS CSO told me that all my Grab transactions had earned 10X, but it just so happened that my top ups were done before 24 December.
You could argue that this isn’t a new exclusion by DBS per se, just the enforcement of an existing one. The September 2018 version of the WWMC’s T&Cs excludes top ups to prepaid accounts, which one would assume GrabPay falls under.
Still, it’s going to sting for those who have been faithfully using their WWMC for GrabPay topups from 24 December (me included). These transactions will earn you only the 1X base points, or 0.4 mpd.
What cards continue to earn 10X on GrabPay topups?
Fortunately, there are other ways to continue earning bonus points on GrabPay topups.
Both the Citibank Rewards Visa and Citibank Rewards Mastercard still earn 10X points on GrabPay topups, subject to the usual $1,000 cap per month.
The KrisFlyer cobrand AMEX cards will earn a bonus 2 mpd on the first $200 of Grab transactions each month, including GrabPay top ups. This means you’ll earn a total of:
- 3.1 mpd with the KrisFlyer Credit Card (Blue)
- 3.2 mpd with the KrisFlyer Ascend
- 3.3 mpd with the KrisFlyer PPS/Solitaire PPS
If you don’t have one of these cards yet, you can get up to $200 of Grab/NTUC/Taka vouchers or $150 of cash by applying through the SingSaver January sign up offers. You can also win $888 of cash by taking part in the ongoing Air Miles vs Cashback competition- more details about that here.
Get $150 cash when you sign up for the KrisFlyer Blueย
Get $150 cash when you sign up for the KrisFlyer Ascendย
Get up to $200 vouchers when you sign up for the Citibank Rewards Visaย
Conclusion
The increasing adoption of GrabPay means that it’s a potential route to 10X everywhere– top up your balance with a 10X earning card, and use your credits at merchants which would normally only attract regular general spending rates.
DBS’s move will put a dent in some people’s strategies, but it’s worth noting that there are (for the moment) other ways to skin a cat.
Do CIMB Visa Signature and Citi CashBack card earn 10% /8% CashBack (worth more than 4mpd) for Grab top up?
Go to a cashback blog
I don’t understand why a 10% cashback card can’t stand a position here. You can just use your $1200 cashback to buy 60k miles instead of 40k miles by spending 12K
All cashback cards are capped. Miles cards arenโt.
Agreed but I’m saying to use 10% cash back card first until the cap amount for example $1k with CIMB Visa Signature, then the rest still with other 4mpd card of course
Not true. You’ll don’t even have to go far to find counter examples – all of the miles cards featured in this article have caps.
Not true *that miles cards don’t have caps
Thanks Aaron for consolidating something we were all discussing in the telegram group
How to have an adhoc Grabfood transaction? I usually have to topup the grab wallet and then pay grabfood using GrabPay.. this would have been topup, not adhoc like taking a grab ride right?
Just have to change the default payment mode in your grab app to something other grab wallet.
If the giving of bonus points for the WWMC is dependent on the merchant (Grabpay wallet) MCC at time of transaction, can “we” (led by milelion) collectively “ask” the merchant to change the MCC similar to adhoc payments when we topup grabpay wallets?
Citi rewards visa doesnt reward grabtopup. I tried. Only master
When did you try crv?
Any idea why would Citi Rewards MC/Visa reward 10x for grab top ups? It doesnโt involve fashion/department stores. Not that itโs not a good thing, just wondering why thereโs this loophole.
Wow i’m equally intrigued. I never knew about this and how does it exactly link up since its not in the respective categories.
Data point: Still getting 10x on CRV for 18 Jan transaction, posted today.
Interesting to get more data points, I tried both citi rewards visa and MC for topping-up grabpay and it gave me 10X for visa and no points for MC. Any way to get 10X with the MC too?
Same for me, I’ve stopped receiving rewards points beginning late Dec 18. I’ve called the CSO to clarify and it appears that they now differentiate between grabpay topup and adhoc payments.
how about using the maybank horizon visa? does the topup count as “taxi”
No
how about UOB PPV?
No 10x for PPV.. i have tried months ago
Hi Sir, may i ask how can figure out the detailed list of the points earned by DBS woman world card by transactions?
By my knowledge there is only points summary can be seen via app and website. Thanks.
how about payment to fave? does it count as ad hoc?
Favepay uses Grab credits. Grab credits are topped up. Top up isn’t adhoc
Thanks Aaron for the article. Itโs very useful as i did various type of topups to the DBS WWMC and BOC EM monthly. I have one question as to will DBS adjust or clawback those points earned from Sep to Dec 2018. This is because BOC has adjusted my reward points downwards from similar topups (adjustments from Oct 2018 to Jan 2019). Any advice which i can get back those points? Thank you!
I doubt there will be clawback on Dbs wwmc. It’s probably a prospective rather than retrospective change. Boc clawback was something else entirely as I understand- people were gaming it by whacking youtrip
Thank you, Aaron. Ya, I lost almost 40K KF miles from the clawback which I deemed it as a bank’s system error. Lol
Hi Aaron, I have emailed BOC previously and confirmed that BOC allows youtrip as a transaction to get the points. May I know what is this clawback referring to?
I spoke to the CSO this morning and they are adjusting points downwards for certain type of topups i.e. Dash, Youtrip etc., whereby no points should be awarded per their TnCs. Not too sure how many cardholders are affected at the moment but just be aware of how they are handling the clawback issues.
Can you share the email screenshot where BOC said its eligible?
Just spoke to a DBS CSO, she confirmed that GrabPay topups still constitute an online transaction and will post for 10x.
Hmm thats odd. Considering how there are multiple cases of people not getting the 10x. We’ll have to see on 16th Feb if its really true or not…
Just spoke with DBS CSO, grabpay top ups are not eligible for 10x points, normal transactions for rides via card payment still qualify though.
Grab topups transaction was coded as Grab******* and no longer “Grab Taxi Pte Ltd”
Received written reply from DBS. Top up GrabPay not eligible for 10x DBS.
hey bro,
mobile wallets are excluded
https://www.citibank.com.sg/global_docs/pdf/Citi_Rewards_Card_10X_Rewards_Promotion_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
it seems nowadays banks are excluding mobile wallets.
your tricks still work ?