BigPay Singapore review
Benefit from interbank exchange rate and earn BIG points when you shop with BigPay.
BigPay, AirAsia’s FinTech venture includes a digital wallet app and prepaid Visa card that allows users to pay at over 53 million merchants worldwide without markups on foreign exchange. Users can also access AirAsia travel privileges and withdraw cash from ATMs globally.
This review covers all of BigPay’s e-wallet and card features in detail.
S$0
Monthly fee
1%
Currency conversion fee
Details
| Product Name | BigPay |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | S$0 |
| Card delivery | 5-7 business days |
| Supported Currencies | SGD |
| More Info |
How does BigPay work?
BigPay is a digital banking platform that includes an e-wallet app and physical Visa card, allowing you to spend globally at minimal cost and keep track of all your transactions. You can transact in over 150 supported currencies without incurring any currency conversion fees when you opt to pay in local currency.
In addition, BigPay offers 1 AirAsia BIG point for every S$5 you spent with your BigPay card. The BIG points can then be used to redeem a wide array of rewards such as discounted flights, cabin purchases, seat upgrades and more.
Key features
- Make overseas payments. Spend in 150 supported currencies without any transaction fees at Visa’s wholesale exchange rate when you pay in local currency.
- Free to use. There are no card fees and no minimum balance required to maintain your account. However, you’ll need to make at least one transaction per month to avoid being charged an inactivity fee.
- International ATM withdrawals. You can withdraw up to S$2,500 daily from all overseas Visa, Maestro or Cirrus ATMs (amount includes ATM withdrawal fee).
- Overseas bank transfer. Send money to bank accounts in Australia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Nepal at low fees and interbank rates.
- Integrated expense manager Using analytics, you can keep track of your spending as transactions will be categorised by type of transaction, by merchant or by country.
- Manage your card and account. The BigPay app allows you to view your balance, check your transactions and freeze or replace your card anytime.
- Contactless payment. You can make contactless payments with your card for up to S$100 per transaction. Any payment after that will require you to input a PIN.
- AirAsia privileges. Enjoy a host of AirAsia benefits such as processing fee waiver when you purchase AirAsia flights, discounts on pre-booked check-in luggage and meals, exclusive access to AirAsia sales and more.
- AirAsia BIG points rewards. Accrue 1 BIG point for every S$5 spent on BigPay. The BIG Points may then be used to redeem discounted flights and other rewards on AirAsia. Do note that bank transfers and money transfers to other BigPay accounts will not be eligible for reward points.
- Referral rewards. Earn $5 for every person who sign up for BigPay with your unique referral code. Both you and your friend will also receive a S$10 cash reward once they have successfully activated their BigPay card.
- Convenient top-up. Reload your value anytime with your local credit or debit card.
- Instant notifications. You’ll receive mobile notifications instantly each time a transaction is made.
Fees and limits
The costs and account limits you should be aware of:
- Bank transfer fees. You’ll incur a nominal bank transfer fee starting from S$1, depending on where you’re sending to.
- Overseas cash withdrawal fee. Your first withdrawal from an overseas ATM is free of charge, but subsequent withdrawals will cost S$10 per transaction or 2% of withdrawal amount, whichever is higher of the withdrawn amount.
- Card replacement fee. You’ll be charged a S$10 fee for every replacement card you request.
- Transfer limits. It depends on where you’re sending to. For local bank transfers, Singapore users can only transfer up to S$1.000 daily and not more than S$5,000 monthly. Overseas transfers are capped at S$5,000 per day and up to S$10,000 per month.
- Account balance cap. Users are only allowed to hold up to a maximum of S$5,000 in their account at any one time.
- Limited cross-border payment regions. You can only transfer money from your BigPay account to banks in the following countries: Australia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
The verdict
BigPay is a useful account with minimal fees and good benefits. You can use it here and overseas easily thanks to its low-cost currency transfers and you can manage your account and money easily with tools like spending analytics and card locks. The reward benefits with AirAsia are also a nice bonus.
However, there are a few limits for the account, including an account balance cap of $5,000 and limitations on which countries you can transfer money to. Consider these limitations and account fees to see if the account would still be useful to you before signing up.
How to sign up
If you’re a Singapore citizen or resident aged 18 or above, you can sign up for BigPay within minutes.
- Download the BigPay app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Launch the app.
- Fill up your personal details (name, age, address and identity number).
- Take a photo of your government-issued ID or passport.
- Take a selfie.
- Submit all supporting documents.
- Allow time for verification (up to 1 working day).
- Once verified, reload at least S$20 to your BigPay account.
- Request for a physical or virtual card on the app.
- The BigPayCard will be mailed to your preferred address within 5-7 business days.
- Tap on ‘I have received my card’.
- Enter the 3-digit CVC located on the back of your card.
- Set your card PIN to activate your card.
