Is This the End of the Amaze x CRMC Pairing?
- MilesWise
- Feb 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 6
Amaze has dropped a bombshell: Starting 10 March 2025, a 1% fee will apply to all Singapore Dollar (SGD) transactions. Coupled with yet another devaluation of its InstaPoints rewards system, users are left wondering: is this the end of Amaze x CRMC pairing?
Recap: What does Amaze card do, and how does it help?
Linking a card to Amaze means that instead of directly charging your transaction to your credit card, you first add (or "link") that card to the Amaze app. When you make a payment with the Amaze card, it automatically routes the charge to one of your linked Mastercard cards. This allows you to unlock extra benefits, such as:
FCY Savings – Overseas transactions are converted to SGD with an implict ~2% foreign currency transaction (FCY) fees added to Amaze’s FX spread.
Category Retention – The transaction's Merchant Category Code (MCC) remains unchanged, which helps preserve category-based rewards on your linked card.
Online Spend Classification – All Amaze transactions are coded as online, even if they were made in-store. This means you could dine at a restaurant or shop at a physical store, pay with the Amaze card linked to a Citi Rewards Mastercard (CRMC), and still earn 4 mpd on your spending!
Essentially, linking a card allows you to use Amaze as an intermediary that enhances the way your transactions are processed while still earning rewards from your underlying credit card!
Amaze's 1% fee for all SGD transactions
From 10 March 2025, this 1% fee will apply to all card-linked SGD transactions. For example, if you spend S$1,000 on Amaze x CRMC, you will be paying an addition S$10 to earn 4,000 miles. Given that cards like UOB PPV or UOB VS already handle contactless and in-person spending without additional fees, there’s little reason to use Amaze for contactless transactions unless you’ve maxed out the monthly caps on those cards.
No more InstaPoints for card-linked transactions
I dont think anyone is really weeping over this, given that InstaPoints, Amaze’s rewards system, has already been nerfed multiple times. In June 2024, a monthly cap of 500 points was introduced. Now, from 10 March 2025, InstaPoints will no longer be awarded for card-linked transactions. Instead, users will earn 0.5 InstaPoints per S$1 spent on both SGD and foreign currency (FCY) transactions funded through the Amaze wallet. While the monthly earning cap will be removed, this change significantly reduces the rewards potential for most users.
InstaPoints can be converted to KrisFlyer miles
I don't expect many miles chaser to be weeping over this change as well, because no more InstaPoints will be rewarded for card-linked transactions. Amaze will be removing cashback redemption options, and InstaPoints can only be converted to KrisFlyer miles at a rate of 1,200 points = 400 miles. Given the valuation of 1.5 cents per mile, an InstaPoint will be worth 0.5 cents, resulting in an rebate of only 0.25% on wallet-funded transactions.
Who should still use Amaze x CRMC pairing?
Those Who Max Out their Cap on UOB PPV or UOB VS – If you've alread hit the monthly caps of your contactless cards, pairing CRMC with Amaze will can allow you to continue earning bonus miles (at a cost of S$10/month)
Frequent Flyer Program Diversifiers – If you prefer accumulating miles across other airline partners rather than just KrisFlyer, Citi ThankYou points offers more transfer partners as compared to UOB or DBS.
Foreign currency (FCY) spending – The 1% fee only affects SGD transactions and does not apply to FCY spending. For overseas spend, you’ll still be effectively buying miles at ~2%/4 = ~0.5 cents per mile, which is well below the personal valuation of 1.5 cents per mile. This makes Amaze x CRMC still a viable option for travelers looking to maximize miles on FCY.
Conclusion: Is the Amaze x CRMC Pairing Still Worth It?
With the introduction of a 1% fee, the Amaze x CRMC pairing has lost much of its appeal for SGD spending. While it may still be useful for niche cases and overseas usage, the golden era of this pairing seems to be over. For most users, it’s time to explore other options to maximise their miles.
What’s your take on Amaze x CRMC Pairing? Let me know in the comments/poll!
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Poll: Amaze x CRMC after March 2025
Will you still be using Amaze x CRMC after March 2025?
0%Yay
0%Nay
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