How to use YouTrip Virtual card - How does it differ from the physical card?

YouTrip¹ customers in Singapore can access a YouTrip virtual card to use for spending online, in apps and in person. Virtual cards offer convenience and security, making them great for spending at home and abroad. This guide covers how to use a YouTrip virtual card, including how to pay using a YouTrip virtual card in person and online. Plus, we'll touch briefly on an alternative for comparison - the Wise virtual card. Wise customers can generate 3 virtual cards at a time to make multi-currency spending easier than ever. More on that later.

What is a YouTrip Virtual card?

Once you have a YouTrip account you can generate a virtual card instantly, to start spending before your physical card arrives in the post². Your virtual card can be used for many transaction types, including shopping online and in apps. If you want to make in person payments you can also add your YouTrip virtual card to Google Pay or pair your YouTrip virtual card with Apple Pay. Then simply tap to pay with your smartphone anywhere contactless payments are supported.

Virtual cards work in the same way that a physical card does, but exist solely digitally. That means you can't lose it, and there's less risk of the card being stolen. Your virtual card has different card details to your physical card - but when you spend with your virtual card, the balance is deducted from your YouTrip wallet balance just like it is with your physical card. Pretty much the only downside with a virtual card is that you can't make ATM withdrawals - but for many other types of in person and digital transactions it's a handy tool.

YouTrip Virtual card vs physical card

So what's the difference between the YouTrip physical vs virtual card? Here's a quick head to head comparison:

How to get a YouTrip Virtual card?

To get your YouTrip virtual card you'll need to register a YouTrip account, which can be done easily with just your phone:

1. Download the YouTrip app and tap Sign up
2. Enter your phone number and email address
3. Use Singpass to populate the required information and get verified - if you don't have an active Singpass account you can complete this step manually
4. Once your account is approved, tap the Card button
5. Tap View my virtual card

Your virtual card will now be available in the card tab and your physical card will be dispatched in around a week.

How to use YouTrip Virtual card?

You can use your YouTrip virtual card for contactless payments in the same way as you would a physical card - just tap your phone on the merchant's payment terminal instead of pulling out your plastic card. You'll need to add your virtual card to a wallet like Apple Pay to get started, but you can then pay easily at home and abroad. Here's what you need to do:

How to use YouTrip Virtual card overseas

YouTrip has some great international features - but can I use the YouTrip Virtual card overseas?

The good news is that you can use your YouTrip virtual card overseas easily once you've added it to a wallet like Apple Pay. This allows you to access the same features as you get with the physical card, including spending overseas from one of your foreign currency balances. YouTrip lets you hold 12 currencies, so if you spend in one of the supported currencies, your balance will simply be deducted from that currency balance with no extra fee to pay. Let's take a look at how to use your YouTrip virtual card overseas.

YouTrip Virtual card Google Pay

Here's how to add your card to Google Pay:

1. Open Google Pay
2. Tap the option to add a new card
3. Either scan your card or enter the details manually
4. You may be prompted to complete a verification step

YouTrip Virtual card Apple Pay

You can also add your card to your Apple Wallet on your iPhone:

1. Open your Apple Wallet
2. Either scan your card or enter the details manually
3. Verify the card with an SMS code

How to use YouTrip Virtual card online

Your YouTrip virtual card has its own card details including card number, CVV and expiry date, which are different to the details on your physical card. You can simply use the virtual card details at the checkout when you shop online, and then freeze or delete the card after transacting if you have any security concerns.

This can be particularly helpful if you're using a shared device, or if you're on an unsecure wifi network. Because your virtual card is separate from your physical card, you can freeze the virtual card without it affecting the plastic card - just continue using your physical card for spending and in ATMs as usual.

Multi-currency virtual card alternative: Wise digital card

If you're specifically interested in a virtual card for foreign currency spending it's worth comparing YouTrip's virtual card option against the Wise virtual card.

You can hold up to 3 virtual cards at a time with Wise, to spend in 150+ countries. Wise accounts can support 40+ currencies for holding and exchange, so you can either convert your money to the currency you need in advance, or simply let the card do the conversion when you pay. Either way you get the mid-market rate and low fees from 0.26%.

Use your 3 virtual cards to make payments wherever you happen to be, and make budgeting easier by using different cards for different types of spending - plus you can manage, freeze and unfreeze all of your Wise cards instantly in the Wise app.

Here's a quick head to head comparison of the YouTrip virtual card vs the Wise virtual card:

The Wise card is a simple and cheap way to make online payments in 40+ currencies. All you need to do is to sign up for a free Wise account and top-up in SGD to get started. You'll be able to order up to 3 free virtual Wise cards with unique card details, so you can make convenient and secure online payments whenever you need. Manage, freeze, and delete your virtual cards using the handy Wise app.

Choose to spend directly in SGD, and let Wise's auto conversion do the trick, or convert to your desired currency in advance. Either way, you’ll get the mid-market rate, with low, transparent fees from 0.26%.

[💳 Get your Wise card today]