Australians have caught the post pandemic travel bug, with more than 1.5 million overseas departures in June 2023, almost double from the year before. For travel agents, forex businesses and travel tech providers, the travel boom is an opportunity to cut through the competition by offering their own branded multi-currency card tailored to their suite of products. A branded multi-currency card allows their customers to buy and store multiple currencies, make purchases and withdraw cash in local currencies, all with a single card that they can take all over the world.

Who is it for?

Multi-currency cards are the ideal form of Payment for workers, tourists, students studying abroad and just about anyone who passes the KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements. They come in handy when paying for goods and services in restaurants and supermarkets, shopping online, or withdrawing money from Visa ATMs anywhere in the world.

What to look out for in a multi-currency card

To get the most out of multi-currency cards, consider the following

1. Choose one that supports the currencies that you need for travel, or one that works with a large number of foreign currencies. 

2. Consider the type of currencies the card supports. Whereas some cards permit you only to hold your native country’s currency, others allow you to hold and spend in various countries. This implies you can change your money to the destination currency beforehand and manage your budget more closely.

3. Consider which cards are most widely used at your destination. While Visa and Mastercard are globally accepted, it’s important to note that in China and parts of Asia that a UnionPay International card may be more widely accepted.

Another factor to consider is if the card has an intuitive app you can use when traveling. It’s also prudent to check out customer reviews and the kind of service offered to ensure you can easily get assistance if you have queries. Don’t forget to note the fees charged when you make ATM withdrawals abroad. This is to avoid DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) and incurring unnecessary costs.

Advantages of multi-currency cards

Here are the benefits you stand to enjoy by using multi-currency cards:

Convenient all over the world

One of the greatest things about multi-currency cards is that you can use them anywhere in the world, eliminating the need for cash and multiple cards.

They make it possible for you to receive payment as a local, as well as collect and send payments to different countries seamlessly. Therefore, you don’t have to carry multiple currencies in your wallet when traveling across borders and engage in mental gymnastics each time you pay for things. A multi-currency card makes payment more straightforward and hassle-free. Just swipe or tap like a debit or credit card and pay.

Cost-effective

Multi-currency cards are designed for online and global use, which enables fast and automatic currency exchanges and streamlines your spending experience. In any case, exchanges occur at POS (Point of Sale) terminals at an internal rate the card vendors have set that usually doesn’t integrate commissions and markups from third parties. This makes using multi-currency cards cost-efficient and eliminates unnecessary fees when making payments online and overseas.

Safe

Let’s face it. If you lose cash, it’s highly unlikely you will get it back. Carrying cash around is less secure than carrying a card, especially if you have a sizable amount in your wallet or bag. A multi-currency card has been designed with your security in mind. It comes with various security features that protect you from financial losses. Novatti’s partnership with Visa allows us to tap into Visa’s multi-layer protection with its anti-fraud detection system and advanced security features. Any Visa multi-currency card is protected by its Zero Liability policy, which means you’re covered if your card is ever lost, stolen or fraudulently used. You can also deactivate your card in-app immediately in case you misplace or lose your card temporarily.

Why choose Novatti

If your business is looking to launch its own Travel or Multi-currency card, these are the reasons that make Novatti a perfect choice for you:

Multiple payment platforms

Novatti has partnered with various companies, including Visa, Apple Pay and Google Pay, allowing you to access state-of-the-art technology for making payments. That’s not all. Novatti’s payment ecosystem supports cross-border payments, data analytics, fraud prevention solutions, etc., all of which make your transactions hassle-free and safe.

Experience

We have been in this market for two decades, so we have more than enough experience in creating effective digital transaction solutions. We know what works and what doesn’t. Even better, our team of experts works around the clock to develop innovative products and services to meet our customers’ growing and evolving needs. 

Focuses on your success

Our expert teams do all the heavy lifting for you, which leaves you to continue focussing on what is most important – your customers, and your business.  By choosing us, you will be able to transact faster, more safely, and thanks to our continuous new payment integrations, you have a variety of payment solutions to pick from. 

Looking to issue multi-currency cards?

The use cases for multi-currency cards are not limited to travel. If you are a global business with customers, employees or contractors across multiple countries, then multi-currency cards can be a convenient, cost-effective and trusted way for them to pay in and out in Australian dollars, New Zealand Dollars, Euro, US Dollar etc.

Want to know more? Contact [email protected] and one of our payment experts will be in touch and offer a consultation for your business.