How to use the Wise card in Malaysia 2023
If you have a Wise account in Malaysia you may be considering ordering a Wise card to make spending and cash withdrawals simple. You’ll be pleased to know you can use your Wise card at home in Malaysia, or when you travel, safely and conveniently.
This guide walks through how to use the Wise card in Malaysia, including the fees and limits.
Is it possible to use my Wise card in Malaysia?
Yes. You can spend and make withdrawals conveniently in ringgit with your Wise card. Plus, you can use your Wise card more or less anywhere the card’s network (Visa or Mastercard) is accepted, around the world.
The only exception is in a small number of countries where services are limited due to sanctions or practical constraints - these countries do change from time to time but you can find a full list on the Wise website.
About the Wise card
The Wise card is an international debit card which is linked to a multi-currency account that lets you hold and exchange 40+ currencies. Once you’ve opened a Wise account online or in the Wise app, you'll be able to order your Wise card for a low one time fee, to make payments and withdrawals in Malaysia and 150+ countries around the world.
Wise accounts are free to open, with no ongoing charges or minimum balance requirements.
How does the Wise card work?
You’ll be able to use your Wise card in the same way as you’d use any other debit or credit card. The big difference is that your Wise card comes with a multi-currency account so you can conveniently hold 40+ currencies and spend currencies you hold for free. That means it’s great to use in Malaysia - but also when you travel or shop online with international retailers.
Your Wise account isn’t linked to your bank, which is good for security - so you’ll need to add money in advance of spending, in ringgit, or around 20 other supported currencies.
Read also: Wise debit card review
Fees and costs when using the Wise card in Malaysia
You’ll pay a low one time fee to get your Wise card in the first place, and can then use it globally with no ongoing maintenance charges.
It’s free to spend from the funds in your Wise account balances. If you’re overseas, or shopping online with a merchant abroad, and don’t have a balance in the currency you need, there’s no problem. In this case, Wise uses smart conversion technology to convert from the currency balance you hold which incurs the lowest charge, using the mid-market exchange rate.
Here are some of the key costs you need to know about when using the Wise card in Malaysia. We’ll cover the costs of ATM cash withdrawals a little later on.
| Service | Wise card fee |
|---|---|
| Order a Wise card | 13.7 MYR |
| Spend a currency you hold | Free |
| Spend in a currency you don’t hold | Currency conversion fees from 0.43% |
| Order a replacement card | No fee to replace an expiring card 13.7 MYR for a replacement at any other time |
Fees correct at time of writing - 6th October 2023.
How to withdraw money in Malaysia with Wise card
You can make cash withdrawals from ATMs in Malaysia as easily as you would with any other debit card:
Find a convenient ATM which supports the network your Wise card is issued on (Visa or MasterCard)
Insert your card and select the option to make a withdrawal
Enter the amount you want to withdraw
Enter your PIN for security
Your money will be dispensed and your card will be returned
Wise ATM withdrawal limits
The Wise card has a daily and monthly ATM withdrawal limit for security reasons. For Malaysian card holders, this is set at 23,000 MYR (or the foreign currency equivalent) per month. This is the total amount you can withdraw in a month, in MYR or if you’re abroad and withdrawing foreign currencies. The limit resets on the first day of the month.
As a default, your daily ATM withdrawal limit will be set at the same amount as your monthly limit - but you can change this in the app if you’d rather have a lower limit on your daily withdrawals.
To view and change your Wise card ATM withdrawal limits in the Wise app:
Log in on the Wise app and select the Cards tab
Tap Account limits and the type of transaction - ATM withdrawals
Select the button to change the limit within the Wise maximum available limit range
Wise card ATM withdrawal fees
Wise offers some fee free ATM withdrawals every month, with low fees after that:
| Service | Wise card fee |
|---|---|
| ATM withdrawals | Up to 2 withdrawals, to the value of 1,000 MYR per month free Then 5 MYR + 1.75% |
Fees correct at time of writing - 6th October 2023.
How to get a Wise card: step by step
You can order a Wise debit card once you have a verified and active Wise account. Generally all you need for this is a valid email address, a working smartphone, and a valid ID document. The ID document you need will depend on your nationality. If you’re Malaysian you can usually use your passport, Mykad or driving licence. If you’re a foreign resident in Malaysia you’ll need your passport and visa.
Here’s how to order a Wise card online or in the Wise app:
On the app
Here’s how to get your Wise debit card on the Wise app:
Download the Wise app and tap Sign up
Open a Wise account by following the prompts to enter your personal information
Top up your Wise account in the currency of your choice
Order your Wise card for a one time 13.7 MYR fee
Complete the verification step, uploading an image of your ID document and taking a selfie
Your card will arrive in the mail
On the site
Open the Wise desktop site and select Register
Open a Wise account by following the prompts to enter your personal information
Top up your Wise account in the currency of your choice
Order your Wise card for a one time 13.7 MYR fee
Complete the verification step, uploading an image of your ID document and taking a selfie
Your card will arrive in the mail
How do I activate my Wise card?
Before you can use your Wise card for contactless payments you’ll need to activate it. All you have to do is use your card PIN for a transaction - this could be buying something in a store, making a cash withdrawal or checking your balance at an ATM.
How do I add money on the Wise card?
In Malaysia you can top up your Wise account by bank transfer or FPX. You’ll need to add money to your account before you can spend with your Wise card - fees may apply to your top up, depending on the method you prefer to use, but these are clearly shown in the Wise app.
Here’s how to add money to Wise for spending with your Wise card:
Log into your Wise account online or in the Wise app
Select the currency balance you want to top up
Tap Add
Confirm the currency you want to pay with
Enter the amount you want to top up and select a payment method
Check everything over, confirm and follow the prompts to complete the payment
Is it safe to use the Wise card in Malaysia?
The Wise card is safe to use, and regulated in Malaysia by Bank Negara Malaysia.
The Wise card also comes with its own safety features built in, like instant transaction notifications, and simple ways to freeze or unfreeze your card in the app, with just a couple of taps.
Learn more: Is Wise safe to use?
Use Google Pay or Apple Pay with Wise card to spend with your phone
When you order your Wise physical card, you’ll also get the option to create a virtual card which you can use right away with an e-wallet like Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Link your virtual card to your preferred wallet and you can instantly start to make mobile payments with your phone, and to shop online. That means there’s no need to carry your physical card when you leave home - just pick up your smartphone and you’re good to go.
Plan on using your Wise card for international online shopping? Watch out for DCC
This guide focuses on using your Wise Malaysia card at home - but you can also use your Wise card to spend and make withdrawals more or less globally, and for shopping online with retailers based overseas.
Wise cards have a linked multi-currency account, allowing you to top up in ringgit and either convert to the foreign currency you need in advance, or let the card do the exchange at the point of payment. This means you’ll always be able to pay in the local currency, helping to avoid extra costs associated with dynamic currency conversion (DCC).
You may not have heard of DCC, but it can be an expensive issue for travellers globally - and you can also run into it when shopping online and paying in a foreign currency.
If you’re ever asked by a merchant, or when you’re at the ATM, if you’d prefer to pay in your home currency instead of the currency of the country you’re in, that’s DCC. It sounds pretty harmless - and it does let you instantly see what your purchase is costing in MYR. However, it also means the merchant or ATM operator picks the exchange rate and can bundle in extra fees, too - which pushes up costs significantly. Learn more about DCC here.
Advantages of using the Wise card in Malaysia
You can use the Wise card to spend in Malaysia in ringgit and also for seamless spending in foreign currencies, online and in person. Here are some tips to make the most of your Wise card:
If you’re planning on spending in a foreign currency, top up in ringgit and switch over to the currency you need in advance if you spot a good exchange rate
Or leave your money in MYR for local spending - if you’re overseas, the card can still convert for you with the mid-market rate when you pay
Remember to always pay in the local currency when you’re away or shopping online and paying in a foreign currency, to avoid DCC costs
Conclusion: is it worth using your Wise card in Malaysia?
The Wise card has been designed to offer convenient and safe ways to spend in Malaysia, and cheap currency conversion if you’re shopping online and paying in foreign currencies - or if you travel.
It’s easy to add money to your Wise card using nothing more than your phone, and you can then spend in ringgit online, in person and using your favourite e-wallet. If you want to spend in a foreign currency you can convert to the currency you need with the mid-market exchange rate - either in advance or at the point of payment. Fees for currency conversion are low - from 0.43% depending on the currencies involved - and it’s free to spend any currency you hold in your account already.
That means that with Wise you’ll get easy cash withdrawals and payments , with low fees, and the mid-market exchange rate, in Malaysia and beyond.
Learn more: How to use Wise card abroad
How to use a Wise card in Malaysia: FAQ
How can I use my Wise card in Malaysia?
You’ll be able to use your Wise card in Malaysia to spend and make withdrawals in MYR. Top up in MYR using FPX or a bank transfer, and spend for free - plus get currency conversion with the mid-market rate and low fees when you pay and make withdrawals in foreign currencies.
Where can I use my Wise card in Malaysia?
Use your Wise card in Malaysia anywhere the card’s network is supported. Just look out for the Mastercard or Visa logo on ATMs or at payment terminals in stores and restaurants.
How can I withdraw money with my Wise card in Malaysia?
Make cash withdrawals in Malaysia, by inserting your card into an ATM that supports your card network, entering your PIN and selecting the amount you want to withdraw. Easy.