How to change MCCs to earn more credit card rewards: Not eligible for rewards due to MCC? Not included in the bonus whitelist? Don’t lose hope. Here are some strategies for altering the MCC to a more favorable category.
The cornerstone of the credit card rewards system revolves around the Merchant Category Code (MCC), a crucial four-digit identifier used by banks to categorize transactions. A favorable MCC could lead to substantial rewards, while an unfavorable one might leave you without any rewards at all.
Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could modify the MCC as needed?
There are two scenarios where this capability would be beneficial:
- When the MCC is ineligible for earning rewards (e.g., education, insurance, charitable donations).
- When the MCC isn’t excluded but isn’t listed on your whitelist of cards.
In this piece, I’ll explore strategies for altering a transaction’s MCC to make it more conducive to earning rewards. The primary objective is to:
- Transform a MCC that doesn’t qualify for rewards into one that does.
- Convert a MCC not included in your whitelist to one that is, thereby preserving the limits on your blacklist cards.
click here –American Express Gold Card Review 2024
Precursor: Find the MCC!
I favor using the Instarem app, as it offers a harmonious blend of reliability and convenience.
Should the MCC not align with your preferences, you can employ the methods outlined below to convert it to a more suitable category.
Atome
Atome functions as a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service, collaborating with numerous online and offline merchants across Singapore. Transactions made through Atome are categorized under MCC 5999 Misc. & Speciality Stores.
MCC 5999 is included in the whitelist of cards like the HSBC Revolution and KrisFlyer UOB Cards. Consequently, if a merchant transaction would have been coded as a non-whitelisted MCC, utilizing Atome can help preserve the more flexible caps on cards like the Citi Rewards and DBS Woman’s World Card.
Moreover, what’s particularly noteworthy is the opportunity to earn credit card rewards on educational expenses. Atome features an extensive array of education and enrichment providers, presenting an exciting avenue for reward accumulation.
If you were to make direct payments to these merchants, it’s highly probable that these transactions would fall within the MCC range associated with educational expenses, a category typically excluded from earning rewards by most cards. Using Atome for payment offers a straightforward means to bypass this restriction.
💳Here’s a summary of the best cards to use for Atome.
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
| Citi Rewards | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per s. month |
| DBS Woman’s World Card | 4 mpd | Max S$1.5K per c. month |
| HSBC Revolution | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per c. month |
| UOB Pref. Plat. Visa* | 4 mpd | Max S$1.1K per c. month |
| KrisFlyer UOB | 3 mpd | Min S$800 spend on SIA Group in a membership year required |
Wogi
Wogi operates as a gift card retailer, with transactions being categorized under MCC 5947 Card, Gift Novelty, or Souvenir Shops.
Similar to MCC 5999, MCC 5947 is included in the whitelist of cards such as the HSBC Revolution, UOB Preferred Platinum Visa, and KrisFlyer UOB Cards. Consequently, it presents another opportunity to preserve the more flexible caps on cards like the Citi Rewards and DBS Woman’s World Card.
Additionally, Wogi offers a unique selling proposition (USP) by enabling donations to various charities such as the Children’s Aid Society, Singapore Cancer Society, and Food from the Heart.
If you were to make donations through Giving.sg or the websites of respective organizations, they would typically be categorized as MCC 8398 Charities and wouldn’t qualify for rewards with most cards. By donating through Wogi, this issue is resolved, and you can still avail of tax deductions through Giving.sg!
Furthermore, Wogi offers eCapitaVouchers, which, if directly purchased via the CapitaStar app, would be coded as MCC 6540 POI Funding Transactions, rendering them ineligible for rewards.
Here’s a summary of the best cards to use for Wogi (it’s basically the same as Atome):
| 💳 Best Cards for Wogi (MCC 5947) | ||
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
| Citi Rewards | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per s. month |
| DBS Woman’s World Card | 4 mpd | Max S$1.5K per c. month |
| HSBC Revolution | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per c. month |
| UOB Pref. Plat. Visa | 4 mpd | Max S$1.1K per c. month |
| KrisFlyer UOB | 3 mpd | Min S$800 spend on SIA Group in a membership year |
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HeyMax
The MCC lookup tool HeyMax offers a range of gift cards, all coded as MCC 5311 Department Stores. While several merchants listed here already feature rewards-eligible, whitelisted MCCs, there’s still a (albeit niche) scenario applicable to furniture purchases.
Courts and IKEA transactions are categorized under MCC 5712 Furniture, Home Furnishings, surprisingly not falling under any specialized spending card’s whitelisted MCC. Instead of exhausting your flexible caps here, whether in-store with the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa/UOB Visa Signature or online with the Citi Rewards Card/DBS Woman’s World Card, purchasing a gift card under MCC 5311 presents a more versatile option.
HeyMax gift card purchases are processed through FavePay. Here’s a summary of the best cards to use (excluding the DBS Woman’s World Card, as it excludes FavePay transactions).
| 💳 Best Cards for HeyMax gift cards (MCC 5311) | ||
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
| UOB Lady’s Card | 6 mpd | Max S$1K per c. month, must choose Fashion as bonus category |
| UOB Lady’s Solitaire | 6 mpd | Max S$3K per c. month^, must choose Fashion as bonus category |
| Citi Rewards | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per s. month |
| HSBC Revolution | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per c. month |
| UOB Pref. Plat. Visa | 4 mpd | Max S$1.1K per c. month |
| OCBC Rewards | 4 mpd | Max S$1.1K per c. month |
| KrisFlyer UOB | 3 mpd | Min S$800 spend on SIA Group in a membership year required |
| *Reduced to 4 mpd from 1 Apr 2024 ^Reduced to S$2K per c. month from 1 Apr 2024 | ||
XNAP
XNAP merchants typically consist of smaller mom-and-pop establishments that may not accept credit cards initially. Nevertheless, all XNAP payments are categorized as MCC 5814 Fast Food Restaurants, irrespective of the merchant’s actual business operations.
XNAP exclusively accommodates payments via Apple or Google Pay. You can link cards that offer dining bonuses (e.g., HSBC Revolution, UOB Preferred Platinum Visa) to earn 4 miles per dollar (mpd).
| 💳 Best Cards for XNAP (MCC 5814) | ||
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
| UOB Lady’s Card | 6 mpd* | Max S$1K per c. month, must choose Dining as bonus category |
| UOB Lady’s Solitaire | 6 mpd* | Max S$3K per c. month^, must choose Dining as bonus category |
| Citi Rewards + Amaze | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per s. month |
| DBS Woman’s World Card | 4 mpd | Max S$1.5K per c. month |
| HSBC Revolution | 4 mpd | Max S$1K per c. month |
| UOB Pref. Plat. Visa | 4 mpd | Max S$1.1K per c. month |
| S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month Reduced to 4 mpd from 1 Apr 2024 Reduced to S$2K per c. month from 1 Apr 2024 | ||
Klook
Purchasing travel insurance directly from insurers typically falls under MCC 6300 Insurance Sales, a category generally ineligible for rewards.
However, opting for Klook Protect results in the transaction being coded under MCC 4722 Travel Agencies and Tour Operators instead.
| 💳 Best Cards for Klook (MCC 4722) | ||
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
| UOB Lady’s Card | 6 mpd* | Max S$1K per c. month, must choose Travel as bonus category |
| UOB Lady’s Solitaire | 6 mpd* | Max S$3K per c. month^, must choose Travel as bonus category |
| DBS Woman’s World Card | 4 mpd | Max S$1.5K per c. month |
| S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month *Reduced to 4 mpd from 1 Apr 2024 ^Reduced to S$2K per c. month from 1 Apr 2024 | ||
Conclusion
If you encounter an MCC that doesn’t qualify for rewards or could potentially exhaust the valuable caps on your blacklist cards, don’t lose hope.
In specific situations, there might be an opportunity to modify the MCC to a more advantageous category for rewards. This enables you to either transform a non-reward-earning MCC into one that does earn rewards or upgrade an MCC eligible for 1.2-1.6 mpd with general spending cards to one that earns 4-6 mpd with specialized spending cards.
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