If you’re here, that means one of three things: you need a new black card, you’re looking for your first one, or you want to figure out the world of the rich through their use of these cards.
You see, these black cards immediately separate you from those around you anytime you’re paying for something because they are premium credit cards so you want to make sure you have the right one in hand. To help you make sure of that, we put together this list of the most prestigious credit cards in Malaysia and everything you need to know about them!
The Most Prestigious Credit Cards in Malaysia
Let’s see that list of the most prestigious credit cards in Malaysia now, yeah?
1. UOB Visa Infinite Card
| MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT | Principal Cardholder: 21 years old Supplementary Cardholder: 18 years old |
| NATIONALITY | Any |
| YEARLY INCOME REQUIREMENT | RM120,000 |
| ANNUAL FEE | Free* |
| CASHBACK | None |
| INTEREST RATE | 15% p.a. |
| EASY PAYMENT PLAN | From 0% p.a. |
| INTEREST-FREE | 20 days |
UOB Visa Infinite Card is loaded with rewards and rebates from UNIRinggit especially when spent overseas. We find this prestigious card perfect for anyone who loves to travel, shop, and dine abroad.
This premium credit card helps you earn 8x UNIRinggit when spent overseas and 5X when dining out. When users meet the minimum purchase requirement on a quarterly basis using the UOB Visa Infinite Card, they are entitled to double up their UNIRinggit Points.
As mentioned, this is perfect for the people who love to travel because your points are convertible into air miles through AirAsia Big Points, KrisFlyer Miles, and Asia Miles—all are exclusive to Visa Infinite Cardmembers only.
Not only that, but you can also enjoy complimentary limousine services, double your air miles redemption on your birthday month, and earn 5 UNIRinggit per RM1 spent abroad! We also love that UNIRinggit Rewards Points are valid for up to 3 years making you enjoy the perks more.
This card can only be availed through invitation by those aged 21 years and over as long as they make a minimum of RM120,000 a year.
Pros
- High mileage redemption rate exclusive to the cardmembers
- Waived annual fee for both main and supplementary card
- Complimentary access to numerous Priority Pass™
Cons
- Exclusive membership through invitation only
- Relatively high upfront handling fee
2. OCBC World MasterCard
| MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT | Principal Cardholder: 21 years old Supplementary Cardholder: 18 years old |
| NATIONALITY | Any |
| YEARLY INCOME REQUIREMENT | RM100,000 |
| ANNUAL FEE | Free* |
| CASHBACK | Up to 1.2% |
| INTEREST RATE | 15% p.a. |
| EASY PAYMENT PLAN | From 0% p.a. |
| INTEREST-FREE | 20 days |
OCBC Bank markets their OCBC World MasterCard as the card for business go-getters.
There are only two basic requirements for you to be eligible to avail of this prestigious credit card and those are you should be 21 years old and above as well as have a minimum salary of RM100,000 per year.
Charging your full airfare to your OCBC World card grants you access to complimentary travel insurance of RM2 million. Additionally, having this card gives you 2x complimentary access per year to the Premium Lounge at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport so you can rest and relax in luxury before your flights.
On your first RM1,000 that you charge to this card, you get a 1.2% cashback and the rest after this, you get an unlimited 0.6% cashback. That sounds like a pretty good deal to us, especially since this restarts monthly.
Finally, they don’t charge you any annual fees for the first 3 years of you having this card as long as you are a first-time client of OCBC bank. After this, principal cards will be charged RM388 per year whilst supplementary cards will be charged RM188 per year.
Pros
- 2x yearly complimentary access to KLIA Premium Lounge
- High cashback rates
- No upfront handling fee
- No annual fee for the first 3 years
Cons
- No benefits at overseas airport lounges
- No benefits for guests during overseas travels
3. Affinbank World MasterCard
| MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT | Principal Cardholder: 21 years old Supplementary Cardholder: 18 years old |
| NATIONALITY | Any |
| YEARLY INCOME REQUIREMENT | RM120,000 |
| ANNUAL FEE | Free* |
| CASHBACK | None |
| INTEREST RATE | 15% p.a. |
| EASY PAYMENT PLAN | From 0% p.a. |
| INTEREST-FREE | 20 days |
If you’re one of the many who enjoys the finer things in life like golfing, shopping, and dining out, take a good long look at the Affinbank World MasterCard.
For those who enjoy the pleasures of shopping, you’ll be happy to know that for every purchase you make with this credit card, you’ll be receiving a 0.8% cashback. You’ll also earn 1X AFFIN Rewards Points for every Ringgit that you spend on retail purchases locally but if it’s overseas, then it’s going to be 3X AFFIN points.
As long as you’ve charged RM2,000 in the latest month or RM24,000 annually then you get to enjoy the benefit of their 6x complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounge Malaysia. If you haven’t spent that much, you can stay get the benefit of a 25% discount at the Malaysian branch of this lounge and a 20% for overseas branches.
You also get to be protected by RM1 million worth of insurance if you charge your travel ticket fully to your Affinbank World card. They also offer personal accident insurance of up to RM 100,000 to protect you in case of any unforeseen events such as disabilities, injuries, or sudden death.
The annual fees for both the primary and supplementary cards are waived for the first year. For the second year and onwards, the primary card will be charged RM 530 a year while the supplementary card will be charged RM 424 a year.
Pros
- 0.8% cashback for retail purchases
- 6X complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounge Malaysia
- Rewards points for every retail purchase
- Personal accident insurance of up to RM100,000
- Travel insurance of up to RM 1 million
Cons
- Requires RM2,000 a month to enjoy free access to Plaza Premium Lounge
- No benefits for guests during overseas travels
4. Ambank Visa Signature
| MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT | Principal Cardholder: 21 years old Supplementary Cardholder: 18 years old |
| NATIONALITY | Any |
| YEARLY INCOME REQUIREMENT | RM80,000 |
| ANNUAL FEE | Free* |
| CASHBACK | None |
| INTEREST RATE | 15% p.a. |
| EASY PAYMENT PLAN | From 0% p.a. |
| INTEREST-FREE | 20 days |
If you’re big on travelling, the AmBank Visa Signature Card is one of our top recommendations.
Sticking with this credit card protects both you and your family with a travel insurance coverage of up to RM1 million as long as all your tickets are charged to this specific card. After booking your flights, you can rest easy knowing you have 5x complimentary access to the airport lounge.
After the first 5 times, you and your guest get a 25% discount on all lounges in Malaysia and a 20% discount on up to 50 overseas lounges.
For all overseas transactions, you’ll be earning 3X AmBonus Points per ringgit spent. However, take note that online purchases don’t count regardless of the country you purchase them in.
You can also convert your AmBonus Points to Air Miles for free flights with over 50 airlines including Asia Miles, AirAsia BIG, Singapore Airlines, and Enrich.
If you’re someone who frequents Hilton hotels, you’ll be happy to know that you can get up to 50% off on buffets and dining at these hotels. If it’s a birthday celebration, you’ll even be gifted with a complimentary birthday cake.
Pros
- Low minimum for annual income compared to others
- No annual fee
- Discounts at airport lounges in 50 countries
- 3X AmBonus Points for overseas purchases
- Benefits at Hilton hotels
Cons
- Only 1X AmBonus point for every RM1 on local retail spending
- All online purchases only get 1X AmBonus Points per RM spent regardless of location
5. Citi Prestige MasterCard
| MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT | Principal Cardholder: 21 years old Supplementary Cardholder: 18 years old |
| NATIONALITY | Any |
| MONTHLY INCOME REQUIREMENT | RM16,000 |
| ANNUAL FEE | RM1,000 |
| CASHBACK | None |
| INTEREST RATE | 15% p.a. |
| EASY PAYMENT PLAN | From 0% p.a. |
From all the cards on this list, this has got to be the most costly one but the benefits the Citi Prestige Mastercard gives you are pretty worth it.
This card grants you up to 12x complimentary access to airport lounges as well as a free limo ride home from the airport. Their travel insurance provides you with coverage of up to RM2 million.
If you choose to stay at any international hotel or resort, you get one night free. You also get tons of other perks like access to the Citi Prestige Priority Line, Citi Prestige Concierge, and access to exclusive events by invitation.
You can apply for this card online and the best thing about it is that you can activate it with the temporary CV they send you as soon as you get approved. This means you don’t have to wait for your physical card to arrive before you can start using it.
For every RM you spend locally, you get 1 Citi Rewards point and you get 2 Citi Rewards point for every RM spent overseas. A great plus here is that if you spend RM240,000 or above, you get RM250,000 bonus points.
Pros
- Access to exclusive Citi Prestige perks
- Virtual card can be used if you haven’t received physical card yet
- Bonus points for loyalty
- Up to 12x complimentary access to airport lounges
Cons
- High annual fee
- No cashback
- Highest annual income requirement compared to others
Things to Consider When Getting One of the Most Prestigious Credit Cards in Malaysia
1. Purpose of Getting A Credit Card
If your purpose in getting a credit card is mainly to build your credit score, then you are in the right mindset to own one. Most people think that getting a credit card is a bad idea but if used for the right reasons, it could actually build your financial status for your future plans.
Keep in mind that it is still borrowed money and should only be spent wisely by looking only into what you can afford and pay on time.
2. Rewards & Cashbacks
As a cherry on top, prestigious credit cards let you enjoy premium rewards through points on every purchase. Some of these benefits include hotel accommodations, air miles, and even groceries.
In most scenarios, you can choose between rewards or cashbacks that each work best in different situations. You are also eligible for discounts and cashbacks—depending on the type of card you use.
3. Your Qualifications
Your bank will need to review your qualifications before granting you a prestigious credit card. This is for them to evaluate your financial capacities and eligibility.
There are types of credit cards that are only issued to existing cardholders, which commonly have higher credit limits. If you’re about to get your first card, however, you can ask your bank to recommend the best fit for you.
4. Fees & Charges
Getting a prestigious credit card might sound exciting because of the benefits and rewards waiting for. Still, it is borrowed money so carefully checking the interest rate, fees, and other hidden charges will help you use this privilege wisely.
To avoid the accumulation of interest, financial experts advise their clients to pay them on time and in full.
FAQs about the Most Prestigious Credit Cards in Malaysia
Now that you know the top prestigious credit cards you can get in Malaysia, we wish you tons of good luck in your financial journey! We hope that you found this helpful in choosing the right credit card for you.
We know there’s still a lot of prestigious credit cards with amazing rewards and benefits out there. If you have one in mind, we’d love to hear how you enjoyed your perks!
Feeling unstoppable in your financial upgrades? Check out our article on the best digital banks in Malaysia, they work best if you are a prestigious credit card holder!