RBI Policy & Regulatory Updates Feed

28 Sept 2026Axis Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Air India Maharaja Club (Flying Returns) 2026 Audit: Domestic Sweet Spots & Post-Vistara Math

An insider guide to Air India's revamped Maharaja Club loyalty program post-Vistara merger. Discover high-yield domestic redemptions (Leh, Port Blair, Srinagar), Star Alliance partner awards, taxes, and credit card transfer ratios.

Cards affected:Axis Atlas Credit Card Hdfc Infinia

Consider instead:Axis Atlas Credit Card Hdfc Infinia

28 Sept 2026Axis Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Axis Bank Home Loan & Shubh Aarambh Review (2026): The 12-EMI Waiver Catch Decoded

An unvarnished review of Axis Bank Home Loans and the Shubh Aarambh 12-EMI waiver scheme. Learn the 4-year milestone rules, zero-default disqualification traps, rate spread math, and hidden charges.

28 Sept 2026Bank of Barodamenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Bank of Baroda Home Loan Advantage Review (2026): The Zero-Markup Overdraft King

An insider review of Bank of Baroda's Home Loan Advantage overdraft facility. Discover why BoB beats SBI MaxGain with zero rate spread markup, daily interest savings math, processing fee waivers, and fine print.

28 Sept 2026HDFC Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

HDFC Bank Home Loan Review (2026): Post-Merger Reality, RPLR Switch & Hidden Fees

An insider review of HDFC Bank Home Loans post the HDFC Ltd mega-merger. Understand the EBLR vs legacy RPLR spread transition, processing fee negotiation, bundled insurance traps, and fine-print charges.

28 Sept 2026ICICI Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

ICICI Bank Home Loan & Money Saver OD Review (2026): CIBIL Tier Penalties & Overdraft Reality

An unvarnished review of ICICI Bank Home Loans and the Money Saver Overdraft product. Uncover CIBIL score spread jumps, salary account discounts, digital OD liquidity on iMobile, and processing fee negotiations.

28 Sept 2026Axis Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Marriott Bonvoy India Strategy Guide (2026): Amex Transfers, 5th Night Free & Sweet Spots

The definitive playbook for maximizing Marriott Bonvoy points in India. Master the Amex 1:1 transfer route with annual 30% bonus windows, the 5th-night-free booking hack, and top luxury domestic redemptions.

Cards affected:Axis Atlas Credit Card Hdfc Infinia

Consider instead:Axis Atlas Credit Card Hdfc Infinia

28 Sept 2026SBI Cardmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

SBI Regular vs SBI MaxGain Home Loan Review (2026): The Overdraft Math Decoded

An exhaustive comparison of State Bank of India's Regular Home Loan vs SBI MaxGain Overdraft. Learn the 25 bps rate markup economics, daily interest offset math, tax Section 24(b) impact, and when to avoid MaxGain.

24 Sept 2026IDFC FIRST Banktrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Club Vistara IDFC Card Sunsets: Free Diamond Reserve Upgrade & Comparison (2026)

IDFC FIRST Bank terminates the Club Vistara Credit Card on 30 September 2026. Cardholders receive a Lifetime Free Diamond Reserve upgrade with 0% forex. Full comparison, milestone math & top alternatives.

Cards affected:Club Vistara Idfc First Bank Idfc Diamond Reserve

Consider instead:Idfc Diamond Reserve Hsbc Travelone Credit Card Axis Atlas Credit Card Sbi Cashback

20 September 2026American Expressfact_checkPolicy Update

Fee Hikeannual charge

American Express India Discontinues Reward Multiplier Select-Brand Portal (Effective 30 Sep 2026); ShopWise E-Voucher Acceleration Continues

Effective 30 September 2026, American Express India is discontinuing the Reward Multiplier select-brand portal that offered accelerated Membership Rewards points on purchases with select brands. Accelerated MR earning on ShopWise — the independent e-voucher platform offering e-vouchers from 200+ brands across shopping, dining, and travel — continues unchanged. Cardmembers retain up to 5X MR acceleration on ShopWise e-vouchers as the recommended replacement path. No change to MR transfer ratios, base earn rates, or fee waiver structure.

Cardmembers lose integrated select-brand portal acceleration on the Reward Multiplier page (Apple, Tanishq, MakeMyTrip, Nykaa, Myntra, Ajio, Lenovo, etc.) effective 30 September 2026. ShopWise e-voucher acceleration (up to 5X MR on 200+ brands) continues independently — equivalent reward value is accessible by buying ShopWise e-vouchers for the same merchants before checkout. No change to base earn rates, transfer ratios, or fee waivers.

Cards affected:American Express Membership Rewards American Express Platinum Travel American Express Gold American Express Platinum American Express Platinum Reserve American Express Smartearn

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Hdfc Regalia Gold Axis Atlas Credit Card

19 Sept 2026American Expresstrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Amex India Reward Multiplier Select-Brand Portal Discontinues 30 Sep 2026; ShopWise E-Vouchers Continue

Amex India retires the Reward Multiplier select-brand portal on 30 September 2026; ShopWise e-voucher acceleration (up to 5X on 200+ brands) continues unchanged.

Cards affected:American Express Membership Rewards American Express Platinum Travel American Express Gold American Express Platinum American Express Platinum Reserve

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Hdfc Regalia Gold Axis Atlas Credit Card

13 Sept 2026IDFC FIRST Banktrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

IDFC FIRST Bank Cancels October 26 Rewards Sunset: Confirms Permanent 0% Forex Markup AND Continuous Reward Points Across All Cards

In a dramatic policy reversal, IDFC FIRST Bank has officially cancelled the October 26 international rewards sunset. Cardholders across all variants—including lifetime-free Classic, Millennia, Select, and Wealth—now enjoy permanent 0% Zero Forex Markup PLUS full ongoing reward points.

Cards affected:Idfc First Classic Idfc First Millennia Idfc First Bank Select Idfc First Wealth Idfc Ashva Idfc Wow Idfc Diamond Reserve

Consider instead:Idfc Wow Au Ixigo Sbi Cashback

9 Sept 2026Jupiter (CSB)trending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Jupiter CSB Edge+ October 10 Devaluation: ₹15,000 Spend Hurdle Kills 50% Jewels

CSB Bank and Jupiter enforce a strict ₹15,000 monthly spending hurdle on Edge+ RuPay Credit Card effective October 10, 2026. Failing the gate drops shopping rewards from 50% Jewels to 5% Jewels (~0.70% cash return).

Cards affected:Jupiter Edge Plus

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Au Ixigo

24 Aug 2026American Expresstrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

AmEx India Slashes Airline Transfer Ratios to 2:1 — What It Means for Platinum Cardholders

American Express India cuts airline transfer ratios to 2:1 on Singapore KrisFlyer, British Airways Avios, and Cathay Asia Miles, hitting Platinum Charge and Platinum Travel cardholders.

Cards affected:American Express Platinum American Express Platinum Travel

Consider instead:Hdfc Infinia Axis Atlas Credit Card Au Ixigo

15 Aug 2026HDFC Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Learn the Mechanics: Five Terms That Decide If a Credit Card Is Worth Its Fee

Master the 5 fundamental mechanics of Indian credit cards: fee waiver thresholds, monthly reward caps, effective return ROI, excluded MCC categories, and devaluation cycles.

Cards affected:Hdfc Infinia Axis Atlas Credit Card Sbi Cashback Hdfc Swiggy Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Au Ixigo Idfc Wow

August 8, 2026 (effective 15 November 2026)Axis Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Axis Olympus/Select — Complimentary Memberships Auto-Renewal Now Opt-In (Effective 15 Nov 2026)

Axis reversed default auto-renewal on complimentary Olympus and Select memberships effective 15 November 2026: members must give explicit consent to renew.

For users who never use the complimentary memberships: saves ₹5,000–₹15,000/year in unutilised auto-renewal charges. For active users: must actively opt-in.

Cards affected:Axis Select Credit Card

24 Jul 2026RBI Noticemenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Complete CIBIL Score Masterclass (2026 RBI Weekly Reporting Rules)

Master the 5 pillars of CIBIL score calculation under the new RBI 7-day reporting regime. Learn how credit utilization ratio spikes, DPD tags, and bureau dispute mechanisms impact your loan interest rates.

Cards affected:Idfc Wow

Consider instead:Idfc Wow Sbi Cashback

24 Jul 2026AU Small Finance Bankmenu_bookAnalysis & Guide

Guidestrategic breakdown

Airport Lounge Access Rules 2026: Spend Hurdles & Bank Limits

2026 bank guide to credit card lounge access rules: quarterly spend hurdles, excluded MCC categories, and un-gated bypass cards like AU Ixigo.

Cards affected:Au Ixigo Hdfc Regalia Gold

Consider instead:Au Ixigo Sbi Cashback

July 1, 2026SBI Cardfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

PhonePe SBI Card Reward Points Programme Revised

Reward points earning and redemption structure revised for PhonePe SBI Credit Card PURPLE and SELECT BLACK effective July 1.

TBD — awaiting official SBI Card notice for specific impact numbers.

Cards affected:Sbi Phonepe Credit Card PurpleSbi Phonepe Credit Card Select Black

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Axis Ace

1 Jul 2026HDFC Banktrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

HDFC SmartBuy Devaluation 2026: Flight Caps, Voucher Limits & What It Costs You

HDFC Bank put a ₹1.5 lakh monthly ceiling on SmartBuy flight and hotel redemptions and a 70% cap on Apple and Tanishq vouchers. For a high-spend Infinia holder, that is an annual value loss of roughly ₹48,000.

Cards affected:Hdfc Infinia Hdfc Infinia Metal Edition Hdfc Diners Black Hdfc Regalia Gold

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Au Ixigo

15 June 2026State Bank of Indiafact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

State Bank of India Realigns External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) Spread for Retail Loans

State Bank of India revised its External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) spread structure, establishing benchmark spreads of 1.90% to 2.15% across retail home and auto financing portfolios.

Borrowers with floating EBLR contracts experience transparent quarterly rate resets aligned directly with RBI policy transmissions without discretionary lender markup.

June 15, 2026Yes Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Forex Hikemarkup up

Yes Bank Fee Hikes — Cash Advance 2.5%, Auto-Debit Failure 2.5%, Reissuance ₹199, Forex 2-3.5%

Yes Bank revised multiple card charges effective 15 June 2026. Cash advance, auto-debit failure, reissuance fees all hiked. Forex markup now tiered (2.0% to 3.5%) by card variant.

Cash advance fee hike: ~₹100–200 extra per cash withdrawal. Forex markup hike (2.0%→3.5% on mass cards): ~₹1,500 extra per ₹1L of international spend. Reissuance fee ₹199 added (previously free on most variants).

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Hdfc Millennia

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card: Deep Dive & ROI Analysis

An analytical breakdown of the Axis Bank ACE Credit Card's 5% Google Pay utility rebate, 1.5% base yield, fine-print caps, and net rupee math.

Cards affected:Axis Ace

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Au Ixigo

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card: Deep Dive, 2026 Caps & ROI Math

A data-driven breakdown of the Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card. Discover its 25% telecom cashback, 10% utility rebate, stripped food perks, and net rupee yield.

Cards affected:Axis Airtel Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Ace Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Horizon Credit Card: EDGE Miles Transfer Ratios & Fees

Current Axis Horizon earn rates, partner-dependent EDGE Miles transfer ratios, card fees and network-specific lounge allowances, checked against Axis Bank terms.

Cards affected:Axis Horizon Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Magnus Credit Card Au Ixigo

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card: A Post-Devaluation Analysis & ROI Math

An analytical deep dive into the Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card post-devaluation: 5:2 vs 5:4 Burgundy transfer ratios, ₹12,500 fee math, and Priority Pass guest access.

Cards affected:Axis Magnus Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Horizon Credit Card Hdfc Infinia

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank My Zone Credit Card: Deep Dive & ROI Analysis

An analytical breakdown of the Axis Bank My Zone Credit Card: SonyLIV subscription, ₹240/mo Swiggy discounts, Paytm Movies BOGO, and net rupee math.

Cards affected:Axis Myzone

Consider instead:Axis Ace Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank MY Zone Easy Credit Card Review: FD-Backed Credit Builder

A data-driven breakdown of the FD-backed Axis Bank MY Zone Easy Credit Card: guaranteed approval, 25% movie discounts, and effective CIBIL score rehabilitation math.

Cards affected:Axis Myzone

Consider instead:Idfc Wow Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank Privilege Credit Card Review: Is it Worth the ₹1,500 Fee?

A deep dive into the Axis Bank Privilege Credit Card: 8 domestic lounge visits, 10 EDGE points per ₹200, ₹2.5L fee waiver hurdle, and real net rupee math.

Cards affected:Axis Privilege Easy Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Horizon Credit Card Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card Deep Dive: Milestone Engine & ROI Math

An analytical breakdown of the Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card: ₹30,000 monthly milestone bonuses, 10X apparel points, ₹1,000 fee waiver, and net rupee yield.

Cards affected:Axis Rewards Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Axis Ace

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank Select Credit Card Deep Dive: Lifestyle Perks & ROI Math

An analytical breakdown of the Axis Bank Select Credit Card: ₹500 BigBasket discounts, Swiggy/BMS perks, Priority Pass international visits, and real net rupee ROI.

Cards affected:Axis Select Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Horizon Credit Card Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card Review: 5% Unlimited Cashback & ROI Analysis

A deep dive into the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card: 5% unlimited cashback on Flipkart, 4% on Cleartrip/Swiggy, ₹3.5L fee waiver hurdle, and real net rupee yield.

Cards affected:Axis Flipkart Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Au Ixigo

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis IndianOil Credit Card Deep Dive: Fuel Savings and Hidden Traps

An analytical deep dive into the Axis IndianOil Credit Card: 4% fuel value back at IOCL pumps, ₹5,000 monthly spend cap, ₹50,000 fee waiver, and net rupee savings.

Cards affected:Axis Indianoil Easy Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Ace Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Bank Neo Credit Card (Lifetime Free): Worth the Hype?

A data-driven breakdown of the Axis Neo Credit Card LTF variant: 40% Zomato discounts, Amazon Pay utility rebates, 0.1% base rate trap, and net rupee math.

Cards affected:Axis Neo Credit Card

Consider instead:Axis Ace Sbi Cashback

15 Jun 2026Axis BanksearchCard Deep Dive

Deep Diveunit economics math

Axis Privilege Easy Credit Card Review: Premium Perks on a Fixed Deposit

A data-driven breakdown of the Axis Privilege Easy Credit Card: FD-backed guaranteed approval, 8 domestic lounge visits, 2X travel points, and net rupee math.

Cards affected:Axis Privilege Easy Credit Card

Consider instead:Idfc Wow Sbi Cashback

Cards affected:Sbi Cashback Axis Airtel Credit Card Axis Magnus Credit Card Hdfc Regalia Gold American Express Platinum Travel Amazon Pay Icici Bank Hdfc Infinia Idfc First Bank Select Idfc Mayura Axis Reserve Icici Emerald Credit Card Icici Platinum Chip Credit Card Icici Rubyx Credit Card Scapia Credit Card Sbi Bpcl Sbi Simplysave

15 Jun 2026SBI Cardtrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Indian Credit Card Devaluation Tracker 2026 — Full Timeline with Official Sources

Every reward cut, fee hike, and lounge access change across HDFC, SBI, Axis, ICICI, IDFC, and more — January to June 2026. Sourced to official bank notices.

1 Jun 2026Jupiter (CSB)trending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Jupiter CSB Edge+ Devaluation: 30% Cash Cut, ₹200 Caps & What It Costs You

CSB Bank and Jupiter slashed Jewel direct statement cash conversion from ₹0.20 to ₹0.14, instituted ₹200 transaction caps, and barred grocery and utilities from accelerated rewards.

Cards affected:Jupiter Edge Plus

Consider instead:Au Ixigo Sbi Cashback

20 May 2026SBI Cardtrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

SBI Cashback Card Cap Restructure 2026: The ₹4,000 Split Ceiling & Net Loss

SBI Card restructured the Cashback Card's monthly ₹5,000 cap into a ₹4,000 ceiling. For online shoppers spending >₹1 Lakh/month, here is the exact annual loss and alternative playbook.

Cards affected:Sbi Cashback

Consider instead:Au Ixigo Idfc Wow

May 15, 2026HDFC Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

-6%yield cut

Regalia Gold Base Rate Devalued 6.25% — Effective From May 15

Reward earn rate changed from 4 RP/₹150 to 5 RP/₹200. DCC markup revised to 1.75%. Card re-issuance fee set at ₹199.

On ₹20,000/month general spend: monthly rewards drop from 533 RPs to 500 RPs — a 6% reduction. Annual reward loss: ~400 RPs.

Cards affected:Hdfc Regalia Gold

Consider instead:Axis Select Credit Card

15 May 2026HDFC Banktrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

HDFC Regalia Gold & Diners Privilege Devaluation 2026: Lounge Gates & Reward Caps

HDFC doubled the Regalia Gold lounge spend gate to ₹30,000/quarter and cut Diners Club Privilege base earn to 2.0% while gating lounge visits at ₹60,000/quarter. Full financial impact breakdown.

Cards affected:Hdfc Regalia Gold Hdfc Diners Privilege Credit Card

Consider instead:Au Ixigo Sbi Cashback

May 1, 2026 (announced April 2026)SBI Cardfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

BPCL Octane Fuel Accelerated Reward Cap Reduced ₹10K → ₹7K

Monthly fuel spend cap for 25× accelerated rewards reduced from ₹10,000 to ₹7,000. Effective fuel cashback ceiling drops from ₹625 to ₹437.50/month.

Annual fuel value loss for ₹7,000+/month fuel spenders: up to ₹2,250/year.

Cards affected:Sbi Bpcl

Consider instead:Hdfc Indian Oil Credit Card

18 Apr 2026RBI Noticefact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Understanding the New RBI Weekly Credit Reporting Guidelines (April 2026)

The Reserve Bank of India has mandated weekly reporting of credit card balances to CIBIL and Experian. Learn how this affects your credit utilization ratio and CIBIL score.

Consider instead:Idfc Wow Sbi Cashback

April 10, 2026AU Small Finance Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

AU Zenith Transport 5× Rewards Capped at ₹1,000/month

AU Small Finance Bank introduced a monthly cap of ₹1,000 on transport-category 5× accelerated rewards on Zenith, effective 1 May 2026.

For heavy ride-hailing users (>₹10K/month), ₹50–100/month reward loss. Moderate annual loss: ~₹600–₹1,200.

Cards affected:Au Zenith Credit Card

Consider instead:Amazon Pay Icici Bank Axis Magnus Credit Card Hdfc Millennia

1 Apr 2026HDFC Banktrending_downDevaluation Alert

Terms Revisedschedule updated

HDFC Infinia Retention Audit: ₹18 Lakh Spend Gate, ₹50L RLV & Downgrade Risk

HDFC Bank strictly enforces retention criteria on Infinia and Infinia Metal cardholders: ₹18 Lakhs retail spend or ₹50 Lakhs relationship value, or face forced downgrade to Diners Black Metal.

Cards affected:Hdfc Infinia Hdfc Infinia Metal Edition

Consider instead:Hdfc Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card Axis Atlas Credit Card

1 March 2026Punjab National Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

PSU Lenders Canara Bank and PNB Peg Floor Housing Rate to RLLR 8.00%

Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank adjusted their Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR) floors to 8.00%, offering competitive retail mortgage rates starting from 7.15% to 8.10%.

Significant interest savings for high-credit borrowers switching from MCLR or non-bank HFC regimes.

February 15, 2026Kotak Mahindra Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Fee Hikeannual charge

Kotak Revised Cardholder Agreement — Late-Payment Fee Caps Hiked Across Tiers

Kotak Mahindra Bank revised its Cardholder Agreement effective Feb 15 2026 (effective 1 Apr 2026): late-payment fee slab ceilings increased from ₹1,200 to ₹1,300 across most mass-market and mid-tier cards; reward rate structures unchanged for now. The cascade also touches fuel transactions and rent payments where Kotak slips in new exclusions.

Late-payment fee ceiling up by ₹100 in top slab (~₹800/year extra for repeat offenders). Reward structures untouched on most cards.

Cards affected:Kotak White Reserve Credit Card Kotak Zenith Credit Card Kotak 811 Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Hdfc Millennia Axis Atlas Credit Card

February 2026Federal Bank / Scapiafact_checkPolicy Update

Lounge Gatespend hurdle

Lounge Spend Threshold Doubled to ₹20,000/Month

Monthly spend needed for complimentary lounge access doubled from ₹10,000–₹15,000 to ₹20,000. Utility and insurance spends removed from reward calculation.

Users spending ₹10,000–15,000/month on utilities/insurance previously qualified for lounge; now they need ₹20,000 in general retail spend.

Cards affected:Scapia Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Air India

January 15, 2026ICICI Bankfact_checkPolicy Update

Terms Revisedschedule updated

Wallet Loads, Gaming & Transport Surcharges Added

1% surcharge on wallet loads ≥₹5,000, 2% on online gaming, 1% on transport >₹50K/month.

Wallet load surcharge hits users who pay bills via credit card load — a common optimization method now costs 1% extra.

Cards affected:Amazon Pay Icici Bank Icici Platinum Chip Credit Card Icici Emerald Credit Card Icici Rubyx Credit Card

Consider instead:Sbi Cashback Hdfc Regalia Gold

January 10, 2026SBI Cardfact_checkPolicy Update

-₹300/yrannual loss

Domestic Lounge Visits Halved: 8 → 4 Per Year

Complimentary domestic airport lounge visits reduced from 8 to 4 per year on select SBI cards.

Each lounge visit is worth ₹300–₹500 in access fees. Losing 4 visits = ₹1,200–₹2,000 in annual value lost.

Cards affected:Sbi SimplysaveSbi Card Sbi Feature 5x Credit CardSbi Card Sbi Cliq Credit Card

Consider instead:Hdfc Regalia Gold Axis Select Credit Card