Best Hong Leong Credit Cards in Malaysia

Hong Leong Bank — a tech-forward Malaysian bank with roots going back to 1905 — offers a compact but versatile range of credit cards with global acceptance and credit limits that scale with your income. Whether you want strong weekend cashback on dining and petrol, generous reward points on online and grocery spend, movie perks, or air miles, there is an HLB card built for that lifestyle. This guide is verified June 2026; rates, caps and fees change often, so always confirm the final terms with Hong Leong Bank before you apply.

Quick Answer: Best Hong Leong Credit Card by Need (2026)

Best Hong Leong Bank Credit Cards Annual Fee Comparison

Annual fees attract an RM25 government service tax per principal and per supplementary card on activation and each anniversary. Sutera Platinum’s annual fee was revised upward in the latest card refresh — verify the exact figure with HLB before applying.

Top Hong Leong Bank Credit Cards

1. I’m Card

Features & Benefits

• 0% foreign-currency conversion markup — one of the few local cards with zero FX fees, ideal for overseas and online shopping in foreign currency.
• Annual fee waived for life on both principal and supplementary cards.
• Customisable card design and a strong fit for frequent travellers who want to avoid the typical ~1% FX markup. Pair it with a multi-currency travel card for the best results — see our Wise Travel Card review.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM24,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee waived for principal and supplementary cards.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of the outstanding balance, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% of outstanding balance (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% of the amount or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a. (see interest section below).

2. Wise Card

The Wise Card (previously marketed as Wise Gold) is HLB’s headline cashback card and was revised effective 1 January 2025. It now front-loads its rewards onto weekends, which makes it one of the better weekend dining cards in Malaysia. See how it stacks up in our roundup of the best cashback credit cards in Malaysia.

Features & Benefits

• 15% cashback on weekend dining (Saturday & Sunday).
• 10% cashback on weekend petrol, groceries & essentials, and online spend at selected merchants.
• 0.5% cashback on those same categories on weekdays.
• 0.2% unlimited cashback on everything else.
• Minimum RM1,000 in retail spend per month to unlock the bonus tiers; below that you still earn 0.2% (capped at RM2/month).

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM24,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee: RM98 (principal) / RM48 (supplementary) — note there is no spend-based waiver, so factor this into your cashback maths.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

Cash Back Rates (revised 2026)

Total bonus cashback is capped at roughly RM65/month across the four categories. To break even on the RM98 fee plus RM25 service tax you need only about RM130 of cashback a year — very achievable if you dine out on weekends.

3. Sutera Platinum Credit Card

Features & Benefits

• Up to 8X HLB Reward Points for every RM1 on popular online merchants, groceries, pharmacies & essentials, dining and overseas spend.
• 1X reward point per RM1 on all other retail spend.
• Travel insurance coverage up to RM1.7 million when you charge your travel fare to the card.
• Best HLB pick for points collectors who spend heavily online and on groceries.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM36,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee: RM424 (principal) / RM212 (supplementary) following the latest revision — higher than before, so the points value needs to justify it.
• First-year fee waived if you swipe once within 45 days of issuance; subsequent years waived with RM15,000 annual retail spend.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

4. Emirates HLB Platinum Credit Card

Features & Benefits

• 1.5X Skywards Miles for every RM4 spent with Emirates.
• 1.25X Skywards Miles for every RM4 on overseas spend.
• 0.5X Skywards Miles for every RM4 on local spend.
• Complimentary golf club access and travel insurance coverage up to RM1.5 million.
• Miles credit directly to your Emirates Skywards account — useful for frequent Emirates flyers.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM60,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee: RM250 (principal) / waived (supplementary).
• Annual fee waived with RM50,000 retail spend in the preceding card-anniversary year.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

5. Essential Credit Card

Features & Benefits

• Up to 1% unlimited cashback on all retail spend (tiered by monthly spend).
• 0.4% cashback on insurance transactions.
• Simple, no-category card for people who don’t want to track weekend vs weekday rules.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM24,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee: RM100 (principal) / RM50 (supplementary).
• Annual fee waived with 12 retail transactions or RM8,000 spend per year.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

Cash Back Rates

6. GSC Platinum Credit Card

Features & Benefits

• 3X reward points per RM1 on GSC, overseas and online spend; 1X on other retail.
• New principal cardholders get 10 free GSC adult movie tickets (via promo code).
• RM6 off movie tickets (all movies and halls except Aurum Theatre) when purchased via the GSC website or app.
• 30% off popcorn, snacks & drinks when bought through the GSC app.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM60,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee: RM300 (principal) / RM150 (supplementary).
• First-year fee waived if you swipe once within 60 days of issuance; subsequent years waived with RM15,000 annual spend.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

7. Visa Infinite Credit Card

Features & Benefits

• 1 Enrich Mile for every RM3.50 on local spend.
• 1 Enrich Mile for every RM2.20 on overseas spend.
• 4 complimentary Plaza Premium Lounge visits.
• Travel insurance coverage up to RM3 million.
• Annual fee free for life — a rare perk for a premium miles card.

Eligibility

• Minimum annual income: RM150,000.
• Principal cardholder: at least 21 years old. Supplementary: at least 18.

Fees & Charges

• Annual fee waived for principal and supplementary cards.
• RM25 service tax per card on activation and each anniversary.
• Minimum monthly payment: RM50 or 5% of outstanding, whichever is higher.
• Late payment charge: 1% (min RM10, max RM100).
• Cash withdrawal fee: 5% or RM20, whichever is higher.
• Tiered retail interest: 15%–18% p.a.

How to Choose the Right Hong Leong Card

The “best” HLB card depends entirely on how and where you spend. Work through these questions before applying:

• Do you dine out on weekends? The Wise Card’s 15% Saturday/Sunday dining rate is hard to beat — but only if you reliably hit RM1,000 monthly spend and don’t mind the non-waivable RM98 fee.
• Do you spend heavily online and on groceries? Sutera Platinum’s 8X points can out-earn a flat cashback card, provided you’ll actually redeem the points and your spend clears the RM15,000 fee-waiver threshold.
• Are you a frequent flyer? Choose Emirates HLB (Skywards) or Visa Infinite (Enrich) based on the airline programme you already use — miles are only valuable if you can redeem them.
• Do you want zero hassle? The I’m Card (free for life, 0% FX) or Essential Card (flat 1% unlimited) suit people who don’t want to track category rules.

A common pitfall is chasing a high headline rate while ignoring the caps. The Wise Card’s bonus categories cap at roughly RM65/month combined — so a 15% dining rate stops mattering once you’ve hit the RM20 dining cap. For a broader comparison across issuers, see our guide to the best credit cards in Malaysia and our roundup of the best petrol credit cards.

Worked Example: Two-Card Strategy

Say you spend RM800/month on weekend dining and groceries, RM300 on petrol, and RM1,500 on everything else. Using the Wise Card for the bonus categories, you’d likely max the dining (RM20) and grocery (RM15) caps plus part of petrol — roughly RM45/month, or about RM540/year, easily covering the RM98 fee. Route your remaining RM1,500 of general spend through the I’m Card or Essential Card to avoid eroding it at 0.2%. This “category card + flat card” pairing is the most reliable way to maximise rewards without overpaying fees.

Understanding Hong Leong Credit Card Interest & Charges

Like all Malaysian credit cards, HLB cards follow Bank Negara Malaysia’s tiered interest framework on the retail balance you carry forward:

The single best way to “beat” these rates is to pay your statement balance in full every month — then you pay 0% on retail purchases thanks to the interest-free period. A few more things to know:

• RM25 service tax applies per card per year (principal and supplementary), regardless of waivers on the annual fee itself.
• Two-issuer cap: Bank Negara limits cardholders earning RM36,000 or less per year to credit cards from a maximum of two issuers, with a credit limit of up to 2× monthly income per issuer.
• Cash advances are expensive (5% or RM20, whichever is higher, plus interest from day one) — avoid them. If you’re carrying a balance, a balance transfer or easy payment plan (EPP) is usually cheaper.

Minimum Credit Limit of Hong Leong Bank Credit Cards

HLB credit limits typically range from RM2,000 up to RM100,000 or more, depending on the card and your income. For applicants earning RM36,000 a year or less, Bank Negara caps the credit limit at twice your monthly income per issuer. Premium cards such as the Visa Infinite carry much higher limits to match their RM150,000 income requirement, while entry cards like the Essential and Wise Card start at lower limits. Your actual limit is set by HLB based on your income, credit score and repayment history. You can check your credit standing first using our guide on how to check your CTOS score.

Hong Leong Bank Credit Card Promotions & Rewards (2026)

Cashback Rewards

The Wise Card is HLB’s flagship cashback product, now weighted toward weekend dining, petrol, groceries and online spend. The Essential Card offers a simpler flat rebate of up to 1% on all retail. Always check the live promotion terms on the Hong Leong Bank site before applying, as sign-up bonuses and cashback campaigns rotate frequently.

Reward Points

The Sutera Platinum and GSC Platinum cards earn HLB Reward Points (up to 8X and 3X respectively) that can be redeemed for vouchers, electronics, and other items via HLB’s rewards catalogue. Points have an expiry, so redeem them before they lapse.

Travel Benefits

For travellers, the Visa Infinite earns Enrich Miles and includes Plaza Premium Lounge access, while the Emirates HLB Platinum earns Emirates Skywards Miles. Choose based on the airline loyalty programme you actually fly with. (Note: HLB’s older AirAsia BIG Points co-brand cards are no longer part of the current lineup — confirm availability with the bank if you’re seeking an AirAsia card.)

How to Apply for a Hong Leong Bank Credit Card

Once you’ve picked the right card, the application is straightforward. You can apply online via the Hong Leong Bank website, the HLB Connect app, or at a branch.

Eligibility Criteria

Documents You’ll Need

After You Apply: Approval & Receiving Your Card

Application Review: HLB reviews your documents and assesses creditworthiness using your credit score, income and financial history.

Approval or Rejection: If approved, your credit limit is set based on your income and the card applied for (capped at 2× monthly income if you earn RM36,000 or less per year).

Card Issuance & Delivery: Your card is produced and mailed to your registered address.

Activation: Activate via the HLB Connect app, website, or the card hotline before first use.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Card for Your Needs

The right Hong Leong card comes down to matching the card’s strengths to your real spending. Weekend diners should look hard at the Wise Card, points collectors at Sutera Platinum, movie-goers at GSC Platinum, and travellers at the Emirates HLB or Visa Infinite. If you want zero fees and no fuss, the I’m Card and Essential Card are dependable. Whatever you choose, pay in full each month to avoid the 15%–18% interest, and check HLB’s current promotions before applying. For a wider view, compare against other issuers in our guide to the best credit cards in Malaysia.

Figures verified June 2026 against Hong Leong Bank and reputable comparison sources; card terms change frequently, so always confirm the latest rates, caps and fees directly with Hong Leong Bank and review Bank Negara Malaysia guidance before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer

This content is provided by KayaToday for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or legal advice. While we make every effort to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, KayaToday makes no guarantees or representations on the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of any material supplied. Hong Leong Bank credit card terms and conditions, including any incentives, are subject to change at the bank’s discretion. For the most current and personalised guidance, speak directly with Hong Leong Bank or a licensed financial adviser. Any information here is used entirely at your own risk.