Westpac Global Currency Card Review
Learn about the Westpac Global Currency Card in this review to help you decide whether this is the card for you.
- Reloadable, prepaid Visa Money Card
- Simple, secure and easy way to spend overseas and online
- Load up to 5 of 11 available currencies
- Preload currency, lock in your exchange rate
- Use card at anywhere ATM with the VISA logo
- Existing Westpac customers only – request card in less that 3 minutes online
Pros and cons of using Westpac Global Currency Card
- Change your PIN online
- App available to Apple and Android
- Up to $3000 emergency cash transfer
- Only open to existing customers
- Can only load AUD and convert
- Only 5 wallets can be active
Benefits of the Westpac Global Currency Card
Security
- Issued with two cards each with a different 16-digit Visa card number
- $3000 AUD emergency cash transfer (fees apply)
Convenience
- Automatically withdraw from other currency wallet if you have insufficient funds at the applicable exchange rate
Savings
- Avoid Westpac’s foreign transaction fees when withdrawing cash from any preloaded currencies
- Pay no ATM withdrawal fees from any Global Alliance ATMs
Manage Your Money
- Load your card instantly through Westpac Live Online Banking
- Use the Westpac Global Currency Card app – available through iTunes or Google
- Transfer funds from currency to currency known as ‘wallets’
- Activate each card independently via the website
Currencies and Countries
Currencies Supported
- Australian dollars (AUD)
- US dollars (USD)
- Euro (EUR)
- Great British pounds (GBP)
- New Zealand dollars (NZD)
- Hong Kong dollars (HKD)
- Canadian dollars (CAD)
- Singapore dollars (SGD)
- Thai baht (THB)
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- South Africa (ZAR)
Load Amounts
- Minimum Load via Debit $100 (initial load), $50 (subsequent reloads)
- Maximum Load via Debit $50,000, $25,000 ( in branch)
- Minimum Load via BPAY $100 (initial load), $50 (subsequent reloads)
- Maximum Load via BPAY $6000
Transaction Limits
- ATM Withdrawal Limit (24 hours) : AUD 2,000 (or currency equivalent)
- POS Transaction Limit (24 hours): AUD 10,000 (or currency equivalent)
Fees
All prices are in AUD
| Card Purchase | Initial Load | Reload Funds |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free** | 1% of amount loaded |
| Foreign Currency Conversion* | Inactivity Fee | Card Termination |
|---|---|---|
| 3% | Nil | Free |
| Negative Balance | Replacement Card |
|---|---|
| Rates determined by Westpac | Free |
*Foreign currency conversion is charged when you spend in a currency that is not loaded or supported on the card
* *When load is made through WestpacOnline or Mobile Banking via Bpay or Transfer Funds
| ATM Transaction and Balance Enquiry Fees |
|---|
| AUD 2.00
GBP 1.50 NZD 3.00 CAD 2.50 THB 75.00 ZAR 20.00 |
USD 2.00
EUR 2.00 HKD 15.00 SGD 3.00 JPY 200 |
Case Study
Mandy is Australian and banks with Westpac. Her father is South African and as a family they fly to South Africa at least once a year.
Now Mandy isn’t so little, her parents have stopped funding her whilst she is abroad. Mandy didn’t want to be charged for using her usual Debit card while over there, so decided to enquire with her bank about alternative options.
She was told that Westpac has a reloadable prepaid card that Mandy can preload at a time when there is a favourable exchange rate. This would then be locked and she would be able to budget her spending while abroad.
She could also load her card instantly online, or transfer funds into her South African ‘wallet’ if she ever got low.
What’s more, she got to see her parents surprised and impressed expressions too!
Online Tools
Save time and let our online tools crunch the numbers for you.
Currency converter
Burning to know what the exchange rate is? Check today’s exchange rate on any amount.
Travel money comparison tool
Heading overseas? Find the best rates for exchanging currency online or find a store near you.
Knowledge centre
Learn the ins and outs of currency
Money transfer comparison tool
Finding the best deal can be nightmare. We bring together all your options by highlighting the fees and rates.
