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HSBC stretches its zero-forex window to 31 October

HSBC's zero forex mark-up promotion did not stop on 15 September. Its terms now run from 15 August to 31 October 2026, on every HSBC credit card held by Indian residents and NRIs. That is worth ₹990 per ₹1 lakh on Premier and ₹3,500 on TravelOne.

What changed

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Fee change · HSBC

Before

No foreign-currency mark-up on merchant point-of-sale or online foreign-currency transactions on HSBC credit cards from 15 August to 15 September 2026, both dates inclusive.

After

The same waiver runs from 15 August to 31 October 2026, both dates inclusive, on all valid HSBC credit cards held by existing Indian residents and NRIs; corporate cards excluded. ATM withdrawals and disputed transactions still do not qualify, and GST, the network's cross-border fee and other regulatory charges still apply.

See it with every other change

Cards this affects

HSBC India announced its zero forex mark-up promotion as a 32-day window, from 15 August to 15 September 2026. It did not end on 15 September. HSBC’s own terms for the offer now read 15 August 2026 to 31 October 2026, both dates inclusive. That adds 46 days, for 78 in all, and the window never had a gap.

The scope also got a little wider. The original announcement named five cards. The terms now cover all valid HSBC credit cards held by existing Indian residents and NRIs. Corporate cards are still excluded.

The money is the same as it was in August. Premier’s standing mark-up is 0.99%, so the waiver saves ₹990 per ₹1 lakh of international spend. TravelOne’s MITC rate is 3.5%, so it saves ₹3,500 per ₹1 lakh. Point-of-sale and online foreign-currency transactions both qualify, and add-on cards count.

The fine print has not changed either:

  • It waives the mark-up only. GST, the card network’s cross-border fee and other regulatory charges still apply.
  • ATM withdrawals and disputed transactions do not qualify.
  • HSBC judges eligibility on the posting date. A purchase made on 31 October that settles on 1 November may fall outside the window. Put anything large on the card by the last week of October.
  • It cannot be combined with any other HSBC forex promotion.

TapNow’s community thread calls this the offer “extended again”, so HSBC may have moved the end date more than once. We have not found a source for any end date between 15 September and 31 October, so we are not reporting one. Either way, the window has run without a break since 15 August.

Comparisons this changes

HSBC Premier (Metal) vs HSBC TravelOne

Same points, same ~20 partners, one bank — TravelOne wins up to ₹50k a month; above that the ₹50L-relationship metal's 3 points per ₹100 mostly takes over.

HSBC Premier (Metal) vs HDFC Infinia Metal

Infinia leads below ₹75k a month; Premier out-earns it from ₹75k a month, its 3 points per ₹100 priced at our ₹2 Accor-door mark. Infinia still opens nearly every lounge door we track, where Premier opens a few dozen. Premier's answer: British Airways and Qatar Avios at 1:1 where Infinia pays 2:1 (its only 1:1 Avios door is Finnair's), and a renewal fee HSBC waives for Premier clients.

HSBC Premier (Metal) vs Axis Magnus for Burgundy

Two cards for the already-rich: 3 points per ₹100 flat and effectively free vs 4.8% behind a ₹30,000 fee — Burgundy out-earns it only from ₹2.5 lakh a month, and Premier's case is the fee.

More on this story

  1. HSBC points now ₹2, Bonvoy ₹0.50, Maharaja ₹1 — what our re-mark did to your card

  2. HSBC extends the RuPay Cashback card's 0% forex and ₹500 welcome to 31 December 2026

  3. HSBC zeroes the forex mark-up on every card it sells — for 32 days

  4. HSBC TravelOne guts its welcome offer for new applicants

  5. HSBC TravelOne arrives — a 20-partner airmiles card

  6. HSBC Premier Credit Card returns as a metal card

HSBC transfer partners

Sources

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