BigPay¹ is a popular e-wallet provider, offering online and offline payments through the BigPay card.
This guide covers all you need to know about how to get the BigPay card, the features and fees you should know about and the BigPay card currency rate for international transactions. To help you decide if BigPay is right for you, we’ll also compare it with the Wise international debit card, looking at the costs, convenience and more.
| Table of contents |
|---|
BigPay is a digital wallet which lets users manage their money on the go through a smartphone app. You can get your BigPay Card with your BigPay account, to make it easier to make payments on and offline.
Features of the BigPay account include:
BigPay accounts can hold up to 10,000 MYR at any one time². If you try to top up a higher amount than this, you’ll find your transaction is cancelled. BigPay may freeze or terminate your account if you break the applicable limits.
When you spend in a different currency using your BigPay card, your transaction will be converted to MYR at the live BigPay exchange rate. This may include a markup on the mid-market exchange rate. That’s an extra percentage fee which can push up the costs of sending and spending money overseas.
BigPay offers some neat account features - but it’s not necessarily the right choice for everyone. Finding the right e-wallet for your needs will require a little research - comparing a few options is a good place to start.
If you’re likely to want to send or receive international payments from your account, or you’ll be spending and making withdrawals overseas, you might be better off with the Wise multi-currency account and international debit card. Let’s get an overview of how BigPay vs Wise compare:
| Feature | BigPay Card | Wise |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Malaysian citizen or resident | Wise accounts are available in many regions globally |
| Account service fee | 2.50 MYR/month for inactive accounts - fee waived at time of research³ | No fee |
| Currencies available | MYR | 40+ currencies including MYR |
| Exchange rate | Visa or Mastercard network charges + markup | Mid-market exchange rate |
| Send international bank payments to | China, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal | 80+ countries around the world |
| International bank payments - fees | 5 MYR - 23 MYR depending on market | Low, transparent fee based on destination |
| Local account details to get paid into account from abroad | No | Yes - bank details to get paid fee free locally from 30+ countries in 10 currencies |
| ATM withdrawal charges | 6 MYR in Malaysia; 10 MYR overseas (or 2% of the withdrawn amount, whichever is higher) | Up to 1,000 MYR/month fee free; after that 5 MYR per transaction 1.75% per transaction if over 1,000 MYR withdrawn in one month. |
| Foreign transaction fee | 1% + network charges - percentage fee waived at time of research | No foreign transaction fee |
Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.
Check the full comparison between BigPay vs Wise here.
Wise offers a multi-currency account which is convenient to manage from your smartphone or laptop, with a linked debit card for easy spending and withdrawals. Where Wise differs from BigPay is when it comes to anything international.
Wise is a currency specialist - and on a mission to drive down the costs of currency conversion and international payments. Because of this you’ll always get the real mid-market exchange rate with Wise, and low, transparent fees for the services you need. There’s no monthly fee, and no minimum balance to worry about. Just open your account online and for free, and add funds to get started sending and spending money all over the world.
If you love to travel or shop online with international retailers, see how much you can save with the Wise multi-currency account and international debit card.
Let’s move on to look at how you can get your BigPay account and card up and running. Here’s a step by step guide⁴:
To keep your money and account safe, BigPay asks customers to complete a verification step by uploading an image of ID documents. You'll be guided through this process when you apply for your account - and verification is usually completed within 1 working day.
Once you’ve completed verification, your BigPay card will be sent to your registered address, arriving within 5 to 7 working days in most cases.
When you get your BigPay card the first thing you need to do is activate it.
Once you have your card you can start spending. However, to make contactless payments, it’s good to know you’ll first need to make a purchase using Chip & PIN.
Your BigPay card acts like a debit card, which means you’ll need to top up your BigPay account with funds before you can use it. Here’s how:
You can top up your account with credit or debit card, or use a bank transfer. Your card issuer may charge a fee for this service. This is especially likely if you’re using a credit card as the payment may be treated as a cash advance. Check your card’s terms and conditions before you get started.
There’s a monthly limit of 1,000 MYR for credit card top ups - and American Express cards can’t be used. You’ll need to use a Visa or Mastercard card to add funds to your BigPay account instead.
Don’t worry if your BigPay card is going to expire. The BigPay team will be in touch, and will handle all the processing to make sure you’re issued a new card seamlessly. You can expect to see an email from BigPay around a month before your card expires. And if you have any question you’ll always be able to talk to the team using the in-app chat function.
You can use your BigPay card with 40+ million merchants, all around the world. Just look for the Visa or Mastercard logo. You can’t currently use your BigPay card in Israel.
The BigPay card works like a debit card - which means you can’t accidentally go over your budget, as you’ll only ever be able to spend the funds in your BigPay account. It’s issued on either Visa or Mastercard networks - both of which are very widely used globally.
You can cancel your BigPay card at any time by making your cancellation request in writing to BigPay. Get the contact details you need on the BigPay website, or by logging into the app⁵.
BigPay accounts come with some great features which can make life that little bit easier. Manage your money on the go from your phone, send payments, and shop in person and online - all with no worries about overspending and incurring overdraft charges. However, if you’re spending overseas, or if you plan to travel, you could cut your costs and get a better exchange rate with the Wise multi-currency account and international debit card.
Check out Wise today for an account which lets you manage dozens of currencies, spend around the world with your linked card, and get the real exchange rate and low, transparent fees every time.
Start saving money with Wise 🚀
Sources:
Sources checked on 27.04.2022
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
Here are the best credit cards in Malaysia that have free airport lounge access. More on benefits, fees, and requirements to decide which card is for you.
Learn more about the Enrich Money Visa Card including steps to sign up, how to use the card, Enrich Money Card benefits, and how it compares with the Wise card.
Wondering how to start trading and investing in Malaysia? Find out how to buy stocks in Malaysia and what the best trading platforms are.
Learn more about the Touch n’ Go Visa Card including steps to sign up, how to use the TnG prepaid Visa Card and key differences with the TnG card.
Here are the best credit cards in Malaysia that have free airport lounge access. More on benefits, fees, and requirements to decide which is the card for you.
Travelling to China soon and wondering if Touch ‘n Go works with AliPay QR codes? Find out how to use the TnG app for AliPay payments in China.
