Review: DCS Imperium Card

It’s not often you see a fire sale on an ultra-premium credit card, but that’s exactly what the DCS Imperium Card delivered on Labour Day, when it slashed its annual fee from S$3,583.92 to a mere S$1,294.92. Finally, a win for the workers of the world!

After all, what is that if not an absolute steal for a card which warrants such breathless prose?

Indulge in the epitome of luxury with the DCS Imperium World Elite Card, a pinnacle of refined luxury crafted exclusively for those who quietly enjoy the finer things in life. Imperium, a name embodying absolute power, while the Chinese name 御 embodies royalty, speaks of how you too can enjoy the experiences reserved for a very select few.

Experience a world where luxury seamlessly intertwines with your inherent desire to remain humble. Explore the exclusive rewards that await you, as you wield the Imperium card, which helps you subtly live a life fit for sovereignty.

-DCS

As someone who craves absolute power, yet has an inherent desire to remain humble, I understand the struggle completely. I mean, just look at this guy.

Imagine how different things could have been if he only had a DCS Imperium Card.

DCS Imperium Card
🦁 MileLion Verdict
☐ Take It ☐ Take It Or Leave It ☑ Leave It
What do these ratings mean?
With a meagre list of benefits (no, personalised card numbers don’t count), even a 65% price cut can’t save the DCS Imperium Card from mediocrity.
👍 The good	👎 The bad
Uncapped 4 mpd on FCY spend with a min. spend of S$4,000 per month	Way too expensive, even with its annual fee cut Only six airport lounge visits Only one transfer partner You could enjoy most of its benefits with a generic World Elite Mastercard
Full List of Credit Card Reviews

Overview: DCS Imperium Card

Let’s start this review by looking at the key features of the DCS Imperium Card

DCS Imperium Card
Apply
Income Req.	By invitation only	Points Validity	No expiry
Annual Fee	S$1,294.92	Min. Transfer	Unknown
Miles with Annual Fee	40,000	Transfer Partners	1
FCY Fee	3.25%	Transfer Fee	Unknown
Local Earn	1.6 mpd	Points Pool?	N/A
FCY Earn	Up to 4 mpd	Lounge Access?	Yes
Special Earn	N/A	Airport Limo?	Yes
Cardholder Terms and Conditions (#1, #2)

As you’d expect from a credit card at this price point, the DCS Imperium Card comes in metal cardstock. We won’t know exactly how heavy it is until someone sends the obligatory kitchen scale photo, but hopefully it’s towards the heavier end of the spectrum.

This card also supports contactless payments. You could digitise it into your Apple and Google Pay wallet, but what’s the point of having a metal card if you can’t plonk it down on the counter with a testosterone-reinforcing clunk?

How much must I earn to qualify for a DCS Imperium Card?

The DCS Imperium Card is strictly by invitation only, but given its annual fee and positioning, my guess is that it’s trying to compete with the AMEX Platinum Charge and StanChart Beyond Cards.

This would suggest a minimum income of S$200,000 (yes, I know the AMEX Platinum Charge doesn’t really enforce a requirement anymore, but that’s where they first started), but only DCS knows for sure.

How much is the DCS Imperium Card’s annual fee?

The DCS Imperium Card initially launched with an eye-watering annual fee of S$3,583.92, but barely a year later, slashed it by almost 65% to S$1,294.92.

The first supplementary card is free for life, and the second and subsequent supplementary cards have an annual fee of S$215.82. All supplementary cards are issued in plastic, effective 1 May 2025 (prior to this, the first supplementary card was issued in metal cardstock).

Annual fees are strictly non-waivable, but you will receive 40,000 miles each year the annual fee is paid. I’d value these at around S$600, based on a 1.5 cents per mile valuation.

What welcome gifts are available?

In addition to the 40,000 miles received for each year of membership, the first 50 successful applicants for the DCS Imperium card will receive a bottle of Tomatin 3388 Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Introducing Tomatin 3388 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in the auspicious Year of the Dragon, 1988. Aged for 33 years in Pedro Ximinez Sherry Cask #39691, it was bottled on 24 January 2022, embodying three decades of craftsmanship and tradition.

-DCS

DCS claims this is worth S$2,388, and I’ll have to take their word for it because I know close to nothing about whisky (other than some people get really triggered when you don’t spell it “whiskey”).

How many miles do I earn?

SGD/FCY Spending

DCS Imperium Cardholders earn:

• 4 Imperium Points for every S$1 spent in Singapore Dollars (1.6 mpd)
• 6 Imperium Points for every S$1 spent in FCY (2.4 mpd)
• 10 Imperium Points for every S$1 spent in FCY (4 mpd) with a minimum spend of S$4,000 in FCY per statement month

For the avoidance of doubt, if you spend at least S$4,000 in FCY during a statement month, you will earn 4 mpd from the very first S$1 of spend. This earn rate is uncapped, and could be potentially lucrative for those who spend big overseas.

However, there are other cards out there which also offer competitive uncapped FCY earn rates, some of which have much lower annual fees. 

💳 FCY Earn Rates by Card (For cards with uncapped earn rates only)
Card	AF	Earn Rate	Remarks
StanChart Beyond  (PP) Apply	S$1,635	4 mpd	No min. spend
DCS Imperium Card Apply	S$1,295	4 mpd	Min. S$4K FCY spend per c. month
StanChart Beyond  (PB) Apply	S$1,635	3.5 mpd	No min. spend
Maybank World Mastercard Apply	S$262 (1 yr. free)	3.2 mpd	Min. S$4K spend per c. month. 2.8 mpd with min. S$800 spend per c. month
Maybank Visa Infinite Apply	S$654	3.2 mpd	Min. S$4K spend per c. month
StanChart Beyond  (Regular) Apply	S$1,635	3 mpd	No min. spend
StanChart Visa Infinite Apply	S$600	3 mpd	Min. S$2K spend per s. month
Maybank Horizon Apply	S$196 (3 yr. free)	2.8 mpd	Min. S$800 spend per c. month
All other options less than 2.8 mpd
C. month = Calendar month | S. month= Statement month

In addition to this, you can also can earn 4 mpd on FCY spending with the UOB Visa Signature, as well as other specialised spending cards. However, these earn rates will be capped, or only apply to specific MCCs. Read the article below for more information.

2025 Edition: Best Cards for Overseas Spending

A 3.25% fee applies to all FCY transactions, which is in line with the rest of the market.

Bonus Spending

The DCS Imperium Card does not have any bonus spending categories.

When are Imperium points credited?

I don’t have any official information at this point as to when Imperium Points are credited.

However, it seems logical to me that you’ll receive the regular earn rates (1.6 mpd for local, 2.4 mpd for FCY) when the transaction initially posts, and an additional bonus (1.6 mpd for FCY) at the end of the statement month, if you meet the minimum monthly spend.

How are Imperium Points calculated?

I don’t have any information at this point as to how Imperium Points are calculated.

However, it’s important to highlight that a cardmember is capped at holding a maximum of 2 million Imperium points (800,000 miles) at any time, so if you’re spending more than S$200,000 in FCY (hey, it happens), be sure to break up your transaction and transfer out your points as necessary.

For what it’s worth, DCS isn’t the only card issuer with a strange rule like this; Maybank also limits its cardholders to accumulating a maximum of 5 million TREATS points (2 million miles) at any time. I often wonder if these restrictions are due to system limitations more than anything else.

For the full list of formulas that banks use to calculate credit card points, do refer to these articles:

• General Spending Cards
• Specialised Spending Cards

As with all credit cards, it’s important to periodically check your points and make sure they’re crediting properly. Refer to the article below for more details.

How to check credit card points breakdowns

What transactions aren’t eligible for Imperium Points?

Imperium Points will not be earned for the following transactions:

• Amaze
• Charitable donations
• Education
• Government services
• Hospitals
• Insurance premiums
• Prepaid account top-ups (e.g. GrabPay, YouTrip)
• Utilities

For the full list of exclusions, refer to point 9 of the T&Cs.

What do I need to know about Imperium Points?

Expiry

Imperium Points do not expire so long as the card remains valid.

Pooling

Imperium Points are only earned by the DCS Imperium Card, and cannot be combined with any other DCS rewards points. 

Partners and Transfer Fee

DCS only has a single transfer partner: Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Imperium Points can be converted to miles at a ratio of 2.5 to 1.

Frequent Flyer Programme	Conversion Ratio (Imperium Points: Miles)
	25,000 : 10,000

There is currently no information as to how much transfers cost.

Transfer Times

There are currently no data points as to how long transfers take to process. 

Other benefits

6x airport lounge visits

There’s a sponsored post by DCS which lists the world’s most exclusive airport lounges, including The Private Room at Changi, the Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha, and the La Premiere Lounge in Paris, and how a DCS Imperium Card “puts these coveted sanctuaries well within reach”.

Um, no.

You won’t be visiting any of those lounges with the DCS Imperium Card. What you will be visiting are DragonPass lounges, capped at — wait for it — six complimentary visits per calendar year, for the principal cardholder only.

Just tell me what’s wrong with this picture.

💳 Airport Lounge Benefits
Card	Annual Fee	Free Visits (Per Year)
		Main	Supp.
DCS Imperium Card Apply	S$1,294.92	6	N/A
HSBC Visa Infinite Apply	S$662.15	∞	∞ Up to 5 supp. cards
UOB VI Metal Card Apply	S$654	∞ + 1 guest	N/A
Citi Prestige Apply	S$545	∞ + 1 guest*	N/A
OCBC VOYAGE Apply	S$498	∞	2
*Will be cut to 12 visits from 1 July 2025

5x airport limo transfers

Principal DCS Imperium Cardholders enjoy 5x complimentary airport limo transfers, with no minimum spend necessary.

• In Singapore: 4x rides per calendar year
• Global: 1x ride per calendar year

The global ride can be used in any supported location, including Singapore if you so wish.

Five free rides without any minimum spend is a good benefit, in and of itself, but it’s worth noting you could get four free rides with the HSBC Visa Infinite Card and a HSBC Premier Banking relationship. 

💳 Airport Limo Benefits (income req.: S$120K)
Card	Qualifying Spend	Cap
HSBC Visa Infinite	S$2K per month for 1 ride*	24 per year
Maybank Visa Infinite	S$3K per month for 1 ride	8 per year
Citi Prestige Card	S$12K per quarter for 2 rides	2 per quarter
OCBC VOYAGE	S$12K per quarter for 2 rides	2 per quarter
*No min. spend required for first 2 (Regular customer) or 4 (HSBC Premier) per year

Crisis24 protection

DCS Imperium Cardholders receive worldwide medical, security and emergency assistance through Crisis24, a risk management platform.

Just for fun, I created an account (which isn’t particularly difficult; all you need to do is register your email and use DCSXXXX for the member ID, where XXXX is any random four digits). This let me access the complimentary Crisis 24 Horizon portal, which provides country-specific risk information and traveller advice. But there’s nothing here you couldn’t find by Googling, or by visiting the respective embassy’s travel advisory page.

Besides, what good is a threat monitoring network that doesn’t have regular alerts on Yishun?

There’s also an “advice” section that feels like it was written by Captain Obvious himself, with mildly-condescending articles on how to wash your hands properly, overcome jetlag, and stay safe on a cruise (actual tip: apply all pool safety measures you’d apply on land). Given the banality, I’m surprised they don’t also remind you to take a few breaths every now and then to stay alive.

And even if you do end up needing emergency medical transportation, ransom support, personal security or that sort of thing, it’s not like you get it for free. Case management fees start from S$4,850 per day per consultant, with a further 10% markup on all expenses incurred.

So I really don’t see the value of this service. My guess is that if you’re the kind of person who needs an armoured car and bodyguards, you’d have them already.

Personalised card number

You know how telcos let you choose a special “Golden Number” for your mobile line? DCS Imperium Cardmembers can do the same — at least the last four digits.

It sounds like a joke, but DCS is dead serious. 

I’ve said that issuers are scraping the bottom of the barrel when they highlight things like “instant digital card” and “flexible credit limit” as perks, but this is a whole new level.

World Elite Mastercard benefits

Principal and supplementary DCS Imperium Cardholders enjoy standard World Elite Mastercard benefits, including:

It’s an excellent list of perks for sure, but you don’t need an expensive DCS Imperium Card to enjoy them. These are generic World Elite privileges, available to any World Elite cardholder. Some World Elite cards even come with a perpetual fee waiver!

Card	Annual Fee	Qualification Req.
Citi Prestige Card	S$545	Min. income S$120K
Citi Private Client Debit Card	N/A	Min. AUM S$1.5M
Citi ULTIMA Card	S$4,238	Min. income S$500K
DCS Imperium Card	S$1,294.92	Unknown
HSBC Premier Mastercard	N/A*	Min. AUM S$200K
HSBC Prive Card	S$5,327.92	Min. AUM US$2M
OCBC PPC World Elite Debit Card	N/A	Min. AUM S$1.5M
OCBC Premier World Elite Debit Card	N/A	Min. AUM S$350K
StanChart Beyond Card	S$1,635	Min. income S$200K^
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Metal Card	S$599	Spend S$45K in 3-month period on UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card
*Waived if min. AUM is maintained, otherwise S$490.50 ^Priority Banking or Priority Private customers can qualify through AUM instead

Terms and Conditions

• DCS Imperium Card Terms and Conditions
• DCS Imperium Card Privileges & Benefits Terms and Conditions

Summary Review: DCS Imperium Card

DCS Imperium Card

Apply

🦁 MileLion Verdict

☐ Take It ☐ Take It Or Leave It ☑ Leave It

The DCS Imperium Card may now be 65% cheaper, but given the paltry benefits on offer, it’s still ridiculously overpriced.

Make no mistake: paying S$1,295 a year for six lounge visits, five airport limo rides, 40,000 miles and generic World Elite Mastercard benefits is insanity, no matter what DCS’s sponsored posts tell you. You’ll find cards at the $120K level which offer the same benefits — or better — at a fraction of the cost. In fact, it’s quite telling that the bulk of the Imperium’s privileges are nothing more than generic Mastercard benefits, almost as if they’re hoping that people don’t know any better. 

So will the DCS Imperium Card keep you humble? It certainly will— when your friends find out you paid so much for so little.

Or maybe that’s a flex; I don’t know.