Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 15th May 2023.
Everyone is looking for the best credit cards list so is a complete article on the best credit cards for digital wallet loads. Only a handful of such cards exist nowadays since most banks are tightening their noose on rental payments and wallet loads using credit cards.
This well-researched article is dedicated to all the members of the TechnoFino Community now since we completed 5,000 members last week and this was the most requested article by users. If you have not joined this community then you are missing a lot since many of the sections are private and only available to selected active members.
I have tried my best to collect all the relevant information but if there are any additions or discrepancies then your valuable suggestions are most welcome as always.
So let’s check out the list!
Credit Cards for Digital Wallet Loads
AMEX Gold Charge
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: Upto 10%
- Joining Fee: ₹1,000+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹4,500+GST (Generally waived off on request as per spending done)
- Milestone Benefits: None
AMEX gives huge rewards for completing its monthly targets and redeeming then on Gold Collection. This card can be on your wishlist as on completing its monthly target you get to earn reward rates equal to approx 10%.
AMEX Membership Rewards
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: Upto 10%
- Joining Fee: ₹1000+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹4500+GST (Generally waived off on request as per spending done)
- Milestone Benefits: None
Another stunner from AMEX.
BOB Eterna
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 3.75%
- Joining Fee: ₹2499+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹2499+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹2.5L).
- Milestone Benefits: 20,000 Reward Points on spending ₹5,00,000 in a year.
With the milestone benefit, this card can help you get 1% extra on online spending. This card is a gem if you can get a hold of it!
Standard Chartered Ultimate
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 3.3%
- Joining Fee: ₹5000+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹5000+GST (5000 Reward Points on renewal fee payment)
- Milestone Benefits: None
The ultimate winner for all your rental payments and wallet loads!
AU LIT
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: Up to 2.5% (With 10X Reward Plan subscription charged at 299+GST/Quarter)
- Joining Fee: None
- Annual Fee: LTF
- Milestone Benefits: None.
A very versatile credit card that offers extremely good reward rates and is worth exploring.
SBI Vistara Prime
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 2%
- Joining Fee: ₹2999+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹2999+GST (1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the renewal fee)
- Milestone Benefits:
| Spending Amount | Milestone Reward |
| ₹1.5L | 1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket |
| ₹3L | 1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket |
| ₹4.5L | 1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket |
| ₹8L | 1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket & 1 Hotel E-Voucher from Yatra worth ₹10,000 |
Quite a lucrative card that rewards fuel and wallet spends and if you can reach all those milestones then you get to earn a whopping 8.5% Reward Rate! Click on the banner below to apply for this card and get a voucher worth ₹500 on making your first transaction of ₹500 and above.
Standard Chartered Smart
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 2%
- Joining Fee: ₹499+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹499+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹1.2L)
- Milestone Benefits: None
Another straightforward credit card from Standard Chartered offers a flat cashback on online spending including digital wallet loads.
TechnoFino Tip – Apply for supplementary cards if you are regularly crossing the monthly cashback threshold.
IndusInd Iconia AMEX
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 1.5% on Weekends
- Joining Fee: ₹5,000+GST
- Annual Fee: LTF
- Milestone Benefits: None
I am holding this card for a long and it has always been my go-to card for wallet loads before the devaluation happened. Generally, rewards on wallet loads for IndusInd Cards are a hit or miss since sometimes they get captured under reduced reward rate categories but with the Iconia AMEX version, I have never faced this issue.
IDFC Wealth
- Full Review
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: Upto 1.5%
- Joining Fee: LTF
- Annual Fee: LTF
- Milestone Benefits: None
If you have a wealth card then the base reward rate can get you 1.5% but if you cross the monthly threshold then it can go up to 2.5%. Apply for an LTF IDFC Wealth by clicking on the banner below.
AU Zenith
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 1.25%
- Joining Fee: ₹7999+GST
- Annual Fee: ₹7999+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹5L).
- Milestone Benefits: 1) Shopping vouchers worth Rs. 1,000 from top brands on retail spends of Rs. 2 lacs quarterly.
2) Complimentary Taj Epicure membership on retail spends of Rs. 8 lacs in a year.
A decent reward rate for wallet loads but the card comes with a hefty annual fee. You can get it LTF basis your workplace. This information is exclusively available in TechnoFino Community. Not providing the link since the hunt is worth the reward. 😉
IndusInd Pinnacle/Legend
- Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 0.52% to 2.5% (Pinnacle)/ 0.52% to 1.5% (Legend)
- Joining Fee: ₹15,000+GST (Pinnacle)/ ₹5,000+GST (Legend)
- Annual Fee: LTF
- Milestone Benefits: None
The reward rates using these cards are a hit or miss since IndusInd Bank has put categories like rental payments. utility bill payments and Insurance out of the standard reward rates. Sometimes the wallet loads get counted in the categories mentioned and you don’t get what you are aiming at.
Rewards Summary
| Credit Card | Annual Fees | Core Reward Rate* | Reward Rate with Milestone | Ideal For Maximum Monthly Wallet Loads | |
| AMEX Gold Charge | ₹5000 +GST | Up to 10%(MR Points) | NA | Up to ₹6K | |
| AMEX MRCC | ₹5000 +GST | Up to 10%(MR Points) | NA | Up to ₹20K | |
| BOB Eterna | ₹2499+GST | 3.75%(Cashback) | 4.75% | Up to ₹42K | |
| Standard Chartered Ultimate | ₹5000 +GST | 3.33% (Gift Vouchers) | NA | Unlimited | |
| AU LIT | LTF (10X Subscription costs ₹299+GST/Quarter) | Up to 2.5%(Cashback) | NA | Unlimited | |
| SBI Vistara Prime | ₹2999 +GST | 2% (CV Points) | Upto 8.5% | Unlimited | |
| Standard Chartered Smart | ₹499 + GST | 2% (Cashback) | NA | Up to ₹50K | |
| IndusInd Iconia AMEX | LTF | Up to 1.5% (Cashback) | NA | Unlimited | |
| IDFC Wealth | LTF | Up to 1.5% (Cashback) | NA | Unlimited | |
| AU Zenith | ₹7999 +GST | 1.25% (Reward Points) | 1.75% | Unlimited | |
| Indusind Pinnacle/Legend | LTF | 0.5% – 2.5% | NA | Unlimited |
- *Reward rate is exclusive of milestone benefits.
Other than the above cards other cards worth exploring are IDFC Select, HDFC Millennia, and ICICI Amazon Pay.
TechnoFino Recommends
With such a diverse list of the best credit cards for digital wallet loads and limited avenues to do so, one thing is for sure, it doesn’t make any sense to get a card primarily for this purpose. So if you already have a card from the above list then reap its benefits to the core. If you don’t need a card for any specific purpose but only wallet spends then getting a Standard Chartered Smart makes a lot of sense with such a low annual fee and easy to achieve spends based waiver.
Else if you are already planning to get a premium card like BOB Eterna or Standard Chartered Ultimate then you can use them without any fuss even on rental payments and don’t need to bother getting any card listed down that list. If you are one of those who are eagerly waiting for AMEX onboarding to start then look nowhere since they will give you the best bang for your money. Also since AMEX has an offline acceptance issue so it would be better to use them aggressively on wallet loads.
Which card do you use to load your digital payments wallets? Share your strategy in the comments below. For more such insightful content follow me on Twitter.
Chief Editor, TechnoFino.
Personal finance nerd! Physics enthusiast and trainer. When not into Physics, he is minting points and hunting for the next best credit card for himself.
You missed out on the best CB CC which is HDFC Millennia. Offers 1% CB on wallet reload, EMI transactions and rent payments. Also, is a LTF CC for most customers.
Mentioned in the article at the bottom. Reward rate is poor hence not among our selected cards.
But loading into wallet like paytm, phonepe using credit card they charge extra 1-3%.
There are many other wallets like PayZapp, Phonepe, Ola Money, Icici Pockets.
Can these wallets be used for credit card bill payment?
No.
It’s not possible to load amount via cc in these wallets. How to load into these wallets via cc?
For AU LIT CC, since nothing is specifically mentioned regarding wallet loads, are you sure they qualify for reward points? Like Paytm etc.
Yes as per T&C it will give you.
It gives reward points as well as cashback tried after reading this article. Thanks for article
Nice list. You couldve also included SBI Simplyclick which offers 1.25% direct reward rate with low fees (499/-) reversed at 1 Lac spends. Rewards can be redeemed for Amazon Gift Cards. Also 2k Cleartrip vouchers on 1L & 2L milestone spends which takes the reward rate to 3.25% on 2L annual spends.
Simply Click doesnt give reward points on wallet loads.
My bad…but it does give reward points on rent payment