PSA: UOB cardholders now earn UNI$ at UOB$ merchants

From 1 November 2024, UOB cardholders earn both UOB$ cashback and UNI$ points at UOB$ merchants, reversing a longstanding either-or policy.

For the longest time, UOB cardholders have had to be vigilant about UOB$ merchants (formerly known as SMART$ merchants), where UOB$ cashback would be awarded in lieu of UNI$ points.

Despite the similar-sounding names, UOB$ and UNI$ are worlds apart. UOB$ is a form of return cashback that can be spent on the next bill with the same merchant. UNI$ is UOB’s points currency, which can be converted into airline miles. And with a median UOB$ rebate of just 3.5%, you would almost always be worse off earning UOB$, compared to up to 4 mpd through UNI$.

So imagine my shock when I learned last month that UOB would finally be ending this policy, and allowing cardholders earn both UNI$ and UOB$ cashback at UOB$ merchants. That day is finally here, and changes the game completely, making UOB$ merchants something to look forward to rather than avoid!

UOB$ merchants now earn UNI$ too

Earn UNI$ and UOB$ at Toast Box and other UOB$ merchants

From 1 November 2024, UOB cardholders can double dip on both UOB$ and UNI$ on their transactions at UOB$ merchants, a reversal of the previous one-or-the-other policy.

For example, previously if I spent S$10 at Toast Box with my UOB Preferred Platinum Visa, I would earn S$0.30 worth of UOB$ (S$0.60 on Fridays) and no miles. Going forward, I will earn both the UOB$ and 20 UNI$ (equivalent to 40 miles), assuming payment via mobile contactless.

๐Ÿž Illustration: S$10 spent at Toast Box with UOB Pref. Plat. Visa
  Till 31 Oct 24 From 1 Nov 24
UOB$ S$0.30
(S$0.60 on Fridays)
UNI$ 20 UNI$
(equivalent to 40 miles)

The UOB Rewards terms and conditions have been updated to reflect this change.

 

UNI$ will not be awarded for:

20.5 any transactions at UOB$ merchants where UOB$ are issued (up and until 31 Oct 2024);

-UOB Rewards T&Cs

How have earn rates at UOB$ merchants changed?

With the revised policy, here’s how the earn rates at UOB$ merchants have changed for some popular UOB miles-earning cards.

๐Ÿ’ณ Earn Rates at UOB$ Merchants
Card Till 31 Oct 24 From 1 Nov 24
UOB Lady’s Card
Apply
3.6 mpd 4 mpd^
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
Apply
3.6 mpd 4 mpd^
UOB Visa Signature 
Apply
3.6 mpd 4 mpd*
UOB Pref. Plat. Visa
Apply
No miles 4 mpd*
UOB Reserve
By invite only
No miles 1.6 mpd
UOB PRVI Miles AMEX
Apply
1.4 mpd#
1.4 mpd#
UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard
Apply
No miles 1.4 mpd
UOB PRVI Miles Visa
Apply
No miles 1.4 mpd
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card
Apply
No miles 1.4 mpd
KrisFlyer UOB Card
Apply
No miles 1.2 mpd
^Provided the MCC falls under your quarterly bonus category
*Provided you use mobile contactless payments (UOB Preferred Platinum Visa) or contactless payment (UOB Visa Signature)
#The UOB PRVI Miles AMEX does not participate in the UOB$ programme

In short, you’ll be earning more miles than before, together with extra UOB$ cashback. It really is a win-win situation, and flips your thought process 180 degrees. Instead of avoiding UOB cards at UOB$ merchants, you’ll now want to use them here!

Full list of UOB$ merchants

If there’s one fly in the ointment, it’s that this development coincides with several big names such as Cold Storage, Giant, Guardian, Starbucks and Sushiro leaving the UOB$ programme. This would normally have been a cause for celebration, but for the policy change!

As a reminder, here’s the current list of UOB$ merchants.

Dining

Dining
Merchant Rebate Remarks
8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro 5%
  • 37 Teck Chye Terrace
  • 20 Foch Rd
A&A Bistro & Cafรฉ 3%
  •  2 Havelock Rd
Aburi-EN 3%
  • Isetan Scotts
  • Paragon
  • Nex
  • Northpoint City 
Bee Cheng Hiang 2%
  • Except Takashimaya , Jewel, Changi Airport
Bonchon 5%  
BreadTalk 3%
  • 6% every Friday 
Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza 5%
  • 369 Sembawang Rd
  • 533 Choa Chu Kang St 51
  • 557 Jurong West St 42
Canteen by Trapeze Rec. Club 3%
  • 5% rebate for UOB reserve
Carl’s Jr 3%
  • 6% every Friday 
Cellarbration 3%  
Cinnabon 5%  
Co Chung 10%
  • Plaza Singapura
Crystal Jade Group 3%
  • Except Changi Airport
  • 6% every Friday 
Famous Kitchen 5%
  • 10% every Friday 
Famous Palace 5%
  • 10% every Friday 
Famous Treasure 5%
  • 10% every Friday  
Feng Tian Xiao Chu 5%
  • 582 Geylang Rd
Francesca’s 5%
  • 313 @ Sommerset 
Hang Heung 5%
  • ION Orchard
Hard Rock Cafe 3%  
Hei Sushi 3%  
House of Seafood 3%
(cap S$60)
  • The Riverwalk
House of White Beehoon 3%
  • The Punggol Settlement 
I.N.U Cafe and Boutique 5%
  • 530 Balestier Rd
Ivins 3%
(cap S$50)
 
Jia He Xing 3%  
Kinara Contemporary Indian Cuisine 10%
  • 164 Upper East Coast Rd 
Kinara North West 10%
  • 55 Boat Quay 
Kyojo Dining 5%
  • Claymore Connect 
La Coffee 3%  
Little Italy 10%
  • 20% every Friday
  • 297 Tanjong Katong Rd
  • 160 Changi Rd 
MOA Restrobar 3%
(min. S$40)
  • 61 Robinson Rd
Mr Biryani 3%
  • 11 Chander Rd
  • 32 Norris Rd 
Mr. Coconut 2%
  • 4% every Friday
  • Except Jewel 
Mun Zuk 5%
  • Velocity
Nanbantei Japanese Restaurant 5%
  • Far East Plaza
  • Chinatown Point
Nong Geng Ji 5%
  •  VivioCity
Orchid Live Seafood 3%
(cap S$30)
  • HomeTeamNS
OSO Ristorante 5%
  • Oasia Hotel Downtown 
Patisserie G 5%
  • Downtown Gallery
  • Millennia Walk 
Pearl Hill Garden Restaurant 5%
  • 175A Chin Swee Rd 
Polar Puffs and Cakes 2%
  •  4% every Friday
Potato Corner 3%  
Sakae Sushi 3%  
Salmon Samurai 3%
  • Except 100AM Mall 
Secret Mermaid 3%  
Standing Sushi Bar 3%  
Swatow Seafood Restaurant 5%
  • 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh 
Tangmen Restaurant 5%
  • Orchard Plaza
Tanuki Raw 3%  
Tarte by Cheryl Koh 5%  
Taste of India 5%
(cap S$8)
  • 77 Rangoon Rd
Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant 5%
  • 10% every Friday
  • Marina Square 
Tian Tian You Yu 10%
  • 111 Sommerset 
Toast Box 3%
  •  6% every Friday
Yole 10%
  • United Square
  • West Mall 

Gourmet Dining

Gourmet Dining
Merchant Rebate Remarks
Kappou Miyako 5%
(cap S$100)
  • International Building

Lux Retail

Lux Retail
Merchant Rebate Remarks
CDG 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Club21 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
DKNY 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Jil Sander 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Mulberry 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Paul Smith 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
PLAY CDG 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Sacai 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Stella McCartney 5%
(min. S$1K)
 
Thom Browne 5%
(min. S$1K)
 

Do note that the earn rate for all of the above merchants will be increased to 10% from 1 January to 25 April 2025, with a minimum spend of S$1,500. 

Retail and Services

Retail and Services
Merchant Rebate Remarks
Aesthetic Works MediSpa 3%
(min. S$500)
  • Parkway Parade
agnรจs B 5%
  • 10% every Friday
Buff’d Nail Spa 3%  
CASA 3%
  • 15 Kian Teck Crescent
Code Bright Academy 3%  
COSLAB 3%
  • Bukit Panjang Plaza
  • Waterway Point
  • Yew Tee Point
Crocodile 3%
  • 6% every Friday
Delta Dental Surgeons 3%
  • Aperia
Fortune Supermarket 2%  
Gordon Max 3%
  • Wheelock Place
G-Star Raw 5%
  • 10% every Friday
Hall of Fame 6%
  •  VivoCity
Hang Ten 3%
  • 10% every Friday
  • 702 AMK Ave 8
  • KINEX
  • Lot One Shopper
  • Lucky Plaza
  • NEX
  • Northpoint Shopping Centre
HoneyWorld 3%  
iRun 6%
  • 12% every Friday
  • Queensway Shopping Centre
  • Far East Plaza
  • Peninsula Shopping Complex
JD Sports 5%
(min. S$100)
 
Le Coq Sportif 5%
  • 10% every Friday
  • Wisma Atria
LFC 6%
  • Bugis Junction
Limited Edt Underground 6%
  • 12% every Friday
  • Queensway Shopping Centre
  • VivoCity
  • The Shoppes at MBS
  • 313 @ Sommerset
M)phosis 3%
  • 6% every Friday
Maco Nail Spa 3%  
Miniso 4%
  • 8% every Friday
Mr Jeff 5%
  • Lot One
  • IMM
  • Kallang MRT
  • Tampines Mall
  • 78B Telow Blangah St
  • 19 Eng Kong Terrace
New Era 6%  
Nitori 3%
  •  6% every Friday
Optique Paris Miki 2%
  • 4% every Friday
OZARA 3%
  • Bugis Street
Picota Nail Spa 3%  
Pixie Nail Spa 3%  
Qoosh Nail Spa 3%  
Replay 5%
  • 10% every Friday
  • Wisma Atria
Salivan Beauty Clinic 5%
  • Far East Plaza
Sports Fashion 6%
  • 12% every Friday
  • Queensway Shopping Centre
Surferโ€™s Paradise 3%
  • 6% every Friday
  • Bedok Mall
  • Compass one
  • Eastpoint Mall
  • JCube
  • KINEX
  • Tiong Bahru Plaza
  • Thomson Plaza
  • White Sands
The Stretch Clinic 5%
  • 10% every Friday
  • Oxley Tower
Under Armour 6%
  •  Queensway Shopping Centre
Weston Corp 6%
  • 12% every Friday
Winter Time 2%
  • 4% every Friday

Travel and Entertainment

Travel and Entertainment
Merchant Rebate Remarks
Cathay Cineplexes 2%  
City Tours 10%
  • Marina Square 

Conclusion

UOB cardholders can now earn both UOB$ cashback and UNI$ points on transactions at UOB$ merchants, a reversal of the longstanding either-or policy. 

This means that you should actively seek to use UOB cards at UOB$ merchants wherever possible, as the extra UOB$ cashback, no matter how measly or restricted, is still something above and beyond the miles (of course, this assumes you haven’t busted the 4 mpd bonus caps on your UOB cards).

Future generations won’t know the paranoia we had with avoiding the dreaded UOB$, but we should be thankful for that. 

Aaron Wong
Aaron Wong
Aaron founded The Milelion to help people travel better for less and impress chiobu. He was 50% successful.

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Kel

Is the uob$ offset automatic? Meaning if i have uob$1 earned rebate and when pay for a toast box bill of $10, I end up with a $9 bill?

Avios2

UOB can further enhance the attractiveness of its cards by offering more transfer partners but its numerous tie ups with SIA probably means itโ€™s tough.