Back in 2015, Citibank signed an expanded 10-year agreement with Mastercard, under which it would progressively migrate the majority of its credit and debit card portfolios to the Mastercard network.
It took a while to get going, but in March 2020, the Citi Cash Back Card, Citi PremierMiles Card and Citi Rewards Card all made the switch to Mastercard, leaving the co-brand Citi SMRT Card, Citi M1 Card and Citi Lazada Card (since discontinued) as the only remaining Visas in the personal card portfolio.
Initially, this change only affected new card issuances. Existing Visa cardholders could continue using their cards, and even received replacement cards upon expiry.
But not anymore. Citi has begun the final steps of phasing out its remaining Visa cards, and while the switch to Mastercard should go largely unnoticed by most customers, it’s going to be especially painful for Citi Rewards Visa cardholders…
Citi announces plans to phase out existing Visa card
Last month, Citi PremierMiles Visa cardholders were notified that their existing card would soon be replaced by a Mastercard version.
Thank you for being a Citi PremierMiles Cardmember. With the growth of our partnership with Mastercard, we are progressively converting the Citi PremierMiles Visa Card to the Citi PremierMiles Mastercard. In line with this move, your Citi PremierMiles Visa Card will be discontinued on 30-01-2026.
-Citibank
Cardholders have been instructed to activate their new Mastercard as soon as possible, upon which their Visa will be automatically cancelled. Any existing Citi Miles, Citi PayAll transactions, and Citi instalment loans will be transferred to the Mastercard upon activation.
If they fail to do so by 30 January 2026, their Visa card will be automatically cancelled anyway, and all the Citi Miles associated with it forfeited. One way or another, the Citi PremierMiles Visa will cease to exist from 30 January 2026!
While Citi has only sent out notifications to PremierMiles cardholders so far, the ones who are really nervous are those with the Citi Rewards Visa. For most people, switching between a Citi PremierMiles Visa and a Citi PremierMiles Mastercard is a non-event. But when it comes to the Citi Rewards Card, it’s a different story altogether.Â
The Citi Rewards Card earns 4 mpd on all online transactions (except travel and in-app mobile wallet payments), capped at S$1,000 per statement month.
Crucially, both the Visa and Mastercard have their own bonus cap. Therefore, by holding both, you can earn up to 96,000 miles a year (S$1,000 x 4 mpd x 12 months x 2 cards).Â
Unfortunately, Citi has confirmed that the Citi Rewards Visa isn’t long for this world either.
| Â |
We appreciate the interest in our ongoing card conversion initiative and can confirm that it will include the Citi Rewards Visa credit card. This is part of our broader strategic alignment with Mastercard across our consumer credit card portfolio, which began in 2015. Â To ensure a smooth transition and experience, we will provide eligible cardmembers with their new Citi Mastercard credit card which they can consent to by way of activation. We will also provide reasonable notice before discontinuing the Visa version of the card. In addition, any credit card balances, installment loans and available rewards balance will also be transferred to their new Citi Reward Mastercard credit card post activation. Citi Rewards cardmembers can look forward to Mastercard priceless specials, featuring programs like Loyalty Status Match that grant complimentary or fast-tracked status across a variety of partners such as GHA DISCOVERY, Wyndham Rewards, and Brilliant by Langham. -Citi spokesperson |
While the actual date has yet to be announced, at some point in the future, the Citi Rewards Visa will no longer exist. This will mean a further loss of S$1,000 of 4 mpd capacity, and goodness knows we’ve had enough of that this year already!
What happens now?
Nothing has changed yet. Your Citi Rewards Visa remains valid, so keep transacting and enjoying its bonus caps while you can.
But based on the playbook we’ve seen with the PremierMiles, we can expect the following to happen when the end-of-life date is announced:
- If you have a Citi Rewards Visa, but do not have a Citi Rewards Mastercard, you will receive the latter in the mail. Activating it will cancel your existing Visa, as well as transfer your ThankYou points over to the Mastercard
- If you have a Citi Rewards Visa and a Citi Rewards Mastercard, the ThankYou points on your Visa will be combined with the Mastercard on the end-of-life date
Basically, there’s only so many months left to leverage double bonus caps across two cards, so make hay while you can.
Conclusion
Citibank has started the final steps of sunsetting its remaining non-cobrand Visa cards, and Citi PremierMiles Visa cardholders have already been put on notice.
Citi Rewards Visa cardholders have yet to receive any official communication, though a spokesperson has confirmed that replacement plans are in the pipeline too. Dual-wielding the Citi Rewards Mastercard and Visa was awesome while it lasted, but once the Mastercard deal was signed, that arrangement was always living on borrowed time.Â
And to think, the Citi Rewards Mastercard used to be the weirder sibling!
I got both rewards visa and master card, Heng the points will be pool together or else orphan points.
But soon you would lose S$1,000 of 4 mpd capacity. Not heng this part.
Just receive the mastercard today, so would it be best if I hold on activating the mastercard until the visa EOL?
We just received our new premiermiles card as it’s due to expire and it’s a Visa card. Wonder why it’s not Mastercard? Also not received any notification on the change too.