Using your HSBC Australia debit card abroad. The lowdown

If you’re excitedly preparing to head abroad in the near future, you’ve likely spent some time considering how to access or spend your money while away. While many banks will permit you to use your debit card while travelling, this may not necessarily be as cost-effective or secure as some alternatives.

In this article, we’ll take a look at HSBC’s (HSBC) debit card available with their Day to Day Account. We’ll cover whether it can be used abroad, its fees, limits, and other key details so you can make an informed choice for your travel needs.

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Can you use your HSBC debit card overseas?

Yes, the Visa debit card issued with HSBC’s Day to Day, everyday account can be used to withdraw money from overseas ATMs or make card payments.¹

However, as with most bank-issued debit cards, fees and charges for using it overseas will apply. We’ll cover these in detail further on.

What to do before you travel abroad with your HSBC debit card

HSBC advises that due to updates in their security measures, you are no longer required to advise them of your travel plans before departing.²

To help avoid alerts from suspected fraud while using your card overseas, it is often beneficial to make a transaction at the airport once you’re checked in. This indicates to HSBC that you are travelling and may therefore be using your card differently than usual.

Regardless, as stated on their website, HSBC will continue monitoring your card for unusual activity and may contact you to confirm transactions if fraud is suspected.²

What are the fees to use your HSBC debit card abroad

The following table outlines the fees you can expect when using the HSBC debit card overseas when linked to their Day to Day, everyday transaction account.

As seen on 03 September 2024

What is the exchange rate HSBC uses for your overseas foreign currency payments?

HSBC advises that one of two different exchange rates will be applied based on the type of transaction being made using their Visa Debit card. The exchange rate used will be either the Visa exchange rate or the HSBC Daily Exchange Rate.³

To see how this may affect your transaction and how much of a margin is applied, we’ve prepared the below comparison between the rates using a 1000 AUD to GBP conversion.

As seen on 03 September 2024

Based on the above, we can see that the exchange rates applied by HSBC, whether they utilise their daily rate or the Visa rate, can make quite a difference in how much you receive. Both rates may also include a margin in addition to their standard transaction fees.³ ⁴

What are the card spending limits with the HSBC debit card?

The standard daily withdrawal limit for your HSBC debit card is set at AUD$2000 for ATM withdrawals and AUD$10,000 for other transaction types. These limits are not timed from when you make a transaction. They apply from 12 am each day till just before 12 am the following day AEST/AEDT.³

HSBC advises that you are permitted to request a change to these limits, however, the maximum you can raise these limits to are AUD$5000 and AUD$20,000 respectively.³

Dedicated foreign currency travel cards from HSBC

HSBC also offers a dedicated travel option as an alternative to their Day to Day debit card account product. While still a debit card, it is linked to an Everyday Global account.

This option allows you to transfer and use up to 10 currencies per card while also offering fewer associated overseas transaction fees than the Day to Day account. ⁶

Keep in mind before your travel

Before deciding whether HSBC’s Day to Day debit card is suited to your needs while travelling, we recommend considering the following:

• While HSBC supports the use of digital wallets, many destinations globally may not be able to facilitate payments without a physical card, so it is wise to travel with both.
• Daily limits are in AUD and as such limits while travelling will differ based on the currency and applicable exchange at the time of the transaction.
• The fees applicable to overseas transactions and the variable exchange rate conditions may make it harder to keep track of your budget or estimate your spending.
• HSBC does not currently offer 24/7 support for their customers either by phone or online chat service.

Blocking your HSBC card if your card gets lost or stolen abroad

Should your HSBC debit card become lost or be stolen while overseas, you should take the following steps⁷:

1. Log into your account using the HSBC mobile banking app
2. Navigate to ‘Manage Account’ followed by ‘Manage Cards’
3. Select your card and then click on ‘block card’

You can unblock your card using the same steps if needed. Where preferred you can also phone HSBC’s Customer Service Hotline on the contact details provided below.

Contacting HSBC from overseas

To speak with HSBC while travelling regarding the use of your card or in an emergency, you can contact them at:

• +61 2 9005 8220

To speak with them before travel, you can do so via:

• 1300 308 008

Phone lines are open between 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively, HSBC advises you to access support through their online banking service or mobile app.

Travel with Wise

With a Wise Account you can hold money in 40+ currencies and spend it in 150+ countries. You can also order local account details in popular world currencies like AUD, NZD, USD, EUR, GBP to receive local and/or international payments like a local.

Whenever you exchange currencies it’s done using the mid-market rate with a conversion fee shown upfront.

To make everyday spending easier you can order a Wise Debit card for your Wise Account and generate virtual cards as needed. If you have the local currency in your Wise Account the Wise card will use it. If you don’t have local currency converted, it uses smart technology to auto-convert your money at the mid-market rate, for a conversion fee.

The Wise card may suit you better if you’re to spend money that you’ve stored in different currencies within an existing Wise Account, and benefit from 2 or less free cash withdrawals under $350 AU, or foreign equivalent, per month (keep in mind that ATM providers may charge their own fees). You can see our full fee breakdown for ATM withdrawals here.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

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