Code-switching: How to change MCCs to earn more credit card rewards

The entire credit card rewards game revolves around the Merchant Category Code (MCC), a four-digit number that banks use to classify transactions. The right MCC can earn you big rewards; the wrong MCC can leave you empty-handed.

But wouldn’t it be nice if you could change the MCC at will? 

This may sound too good to be true, but so-called “MCC transformers” do exist — tools that can convert one MCC into another. This enables you to:

1. Turn a rewards-ineligible MCC (e.g. charitable donations, education, insurance) into a rewards-eligible MCC
2. Turn a non-whitelisted MCC into a whitelisted MCC, thereby conserving the caps on your blacklist cards

In this post, we’ll explore some popular MCC transformers, and how they can help you maximise your miles.

Precursor: Find the MCC!

Before we do anything else, we need to first confirm the MCC we’re dealing with. There are three ways of doing so without making an actual purchase:

If the MCC isn’t favourable to your situation, you can transform it to something else through the methods below.

Atome

Get S$10 off first Atome purchase

All purchases code as MCC 5999

Atome is a BNPL platform which partners with more than 5,000 online and offline merchants in Singapore. All Atome transactions code as MCC 5999 Misc. & Speciality Stores.

MCC 5999 is whitelisted for bonuses by the HSBC Revolution and KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, so consider using these before touching the more flexible bonus caps on blacklist cards. 

But that’s not all. Atome partners with many education and enrichment providers, who if paid directly, would likely fall under the education MCC range which is excluded from earning rewards. Paying via Atome is a simple way to circumvent this restriction.

What cards to use with Atome?

💳 Best Cards for Atome (MCC 5999)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month  Review
HSBC Revolution Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month Review
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	3 mpd^	Min. SIA Group spend required*. No cap Review
C. month = Calendar month | S. month = Statement month
^Reduced to 2.4 mpd from 1 Jun 2025 *Min. SIA Group spend of S$1,000 per membership year for cardholders approved or renewing from 1 December 2024, S$800 otherwise Note: While MCC 5999 is whitelisted by the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa, it has a mixed record of earning bonuses for Atome. Proceed with caution

Refer to the article below for more details.

What’s the best card to use for Atome?

Gift card merchants

Giftano

All purchases code as MCC 5999

All Giftano purchases code as MCC 5999 Misc. & Speciality Stores, and options include:

MCC 5999 is whitelisted for bonuses by the HSBC Revolution and KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, so consider using these before touching the more flexible bonus caps on blacklist cards. 

I know the mention of eCapitaVouchers in the table above will get everyone excited, but there’s a catch. For eCapitaVouchers specifically, Giftano charges an admin fee of S$5 per S$100. A 5% admin fee will eat into whatever rewards you can earn, so it might not be worth it unless you’re using the eCapitaVouchers for merchants that don’t accept credit cards, or who have rewards-ineligible MCCs.

What cards to use with Giftano?

💳 Best Cards for Giftano (MCC 5999)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month  Review
HSBC Revolution Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month Review
UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.1K per c. month Review
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	3 mpd^	Min. SIA Group spend required*. No cap Review
C. month = Calendar month | S. month = Statement month
^Reduced to 2.4 mpd from 1 Jun 2025 *Min. SIA Group spend of S$1,000 per membership year for cardholders approved or renewing from 1 December 2024, S$800 otherwise

HeyMax

👍 250 Max Miles joining bonus

Sign up for a HeyMax account and get up to 250 Max Miles as a welcome bonus

250 bonus Max Miles

All purchases code as MCC 5311

All HeyMax gift card purchases code as MCC 5311 Department Stores, and options include:

While most of these merchants already have rewards-eligible, whitelisted MCCs, the fact that HeyMax gift cards code as MCC 5311 allows you to shift spending to cards with relatively-restricted bonus whitelists, such as the HSBC Revolution and OCBC Rewards Card.

Also, it may surprise you to know that MCC 5712 Furniture, Home Furnishings — used by Courts and IKEA, among others — is not whitelisted by any specialised spending card. Transforming the MCC to 5311 via HeyMax allows you to earn 4 mpd without touching the bonus caps for blacklist cards.

What cards to use with HeyMax?

💳 Best Cards for HeyMax Gift Cards (MCC 5311)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month  Review
HSBC Revolution Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month Review
OCBC Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.1K per c. month Review
UOB Lady’s Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month, must choose Fashion as bonus category Review
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply	4 mpd	Max S$2K per c. month, must choose Fashion as bonus category Review
UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.1K per c. month Review
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	3 mpd^	Min. SIA Group spend required*. No cap Review
C. month = Calendar month | S. month = Statement month
^Reduced to 2.4 mpd from 1 Jun 2025 *Min. SIA Group spend of S$1,000 per membership year for cardholders approved or renewing from 1 December 2024, S$800 otherwise

Wogi

All purchases code as MCC 5947

All Wogi purchases code as MCC 5947 Card, Gift Novelty or Souvenir Shops, and options include:

MCC 5947 is whitelisted for bonuses by the HSBC Revolution and KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, so consider using these before touching the more flexible bonus caps on blacklist cards. 

Wogi was even more useful in the past, when it offered eCapitaVouchers (coded as MCC 6540 when purchased via the CapitaStar app, and ineligible for rewards) and allowed donations (coded as MCC 8398 when made directly, also ineligible for rewards). Although these options are currently unavailable, I’m keeping this note here in case they return in the future.

What cards to use with Wogi?

💳 Best Cards for Wogi (MCC 5947)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month Review
HSBC Revolution Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month Review
UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.1K per c. month Review
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	3 mpd^	Min. SIA Group spend required*. No cap Review
C. month = Calendar month | S. month = Statement month
^Reduced to 2.4 mpd from 1 Jun 2025 *Min. SIA Group spend of S$1,000 per membership year for cardholders approved or renewing from 1 December 2024, S$800 otherwise

Frasers Experience

All purchases code as MCC 5965

*Note: Pending transactions will initially show as MCC 6513, but upon posting will change to MCC 5965

Frasers Property operates a total of 13 shopping malls across Singapore.

Merchants within these malls will code under a wide variety of MCCs (if they accept credit cards at all), but if you buy FRx gift cards via the FRx app, you can standardise it to MCC 5965 Direct Marketing: Combination Catalog and Retail Merchants.

This would then allow you to earn 4 mpd at any FRx-accepting merchant, including clinics, tuition/enrichment centres, and other places that might not otherwise be eligible for bonuses.

What cards to use with FRx?

💳 Best Cards for FRx Gift Cards (MCC 5965)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month  Review

HealthHub, Health Buddy, OneNUHS

All purchases code as MCC 8099

Hospital transactions have long been excluded from rewards by most banks, but if you make payment through the HealthHub, Health Buddy or OneNUHS app, the transaction codes as MCC 8099 Medical Services and Health Practitioners Not Elsewhere Classified.

This is a rewards-eligible MCC, and while it’s not on the whitelist of any specialised spending card, you can earn 4 mpd by virtue of the fact that it’s processed online.

What cards to use with HealthHub, Health Buddy, OneNUHS?

💳 Best Cards for HealthHub, Health Buddy, OneNUHS (MCC 5999)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
Citi Rewards Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per s. month Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month  Review

Klook

Klook Protect

Travel insurance purchased directly from insurers codes as MCC 6300 Insurance Sales, which is generally ineligible for rewards.

But if you buy Klook Protect, it codes under MCC 4722 Travel Agencies and Tour Operators instead.

What cards to use with Klook?

💳 Best Cards for Klook (MCC 4722)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
UOB Lady’s Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1K per c. month, must choose Travel as bonus category Review
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply	4 mpd	Max S$2K per c. month, must choose Travel as bonus category Review
DBS Woman’s World Card Apply	4 mpd	Max S$1.5K per c. month Review
S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month

Conclusion

If you’re dealing with an MCC that’s ineligible for rewards, or isn’t eligible for bonuses with your specialised spending cards, don’t give up. In certain situations, it may be possible to change an MCC into something more rewards-friendly.

What other MCC transformers do you know of?