Frequently Asked Questions: Mobile app card services

You can now see your pending credit card transactions in real time, so you’re always right up to date and your available credit limit is as you would expect. Pending means the transaction has begun but it is still processing. You will see pending transactions under card transactions within your HSBC UAE app and they will be shown with a pending label. 

For a pending transaction, you will see the merchant name / description, transaction date and the original currency in which the transaction was made. Once the transaction is settled, the pending label will no longer show. 

Primary card holders can view the pending transactions for both primary and supplementary cards.

The pending transaction will show in the original currency that the transaction was made in.

After settlement, foreign currency transactions will show in the local currency equivalent (AED). This will include any fees and charges that apply according to the Schedule of Services and Tariffs, which is available at www.hsbc.ae/help/download-centre/#schedule.

For example, if you make a purchase for 100.00 USD, it will show in your pending card transactions as 100.00 USD. After settlement, the transaction amount is shown in the equivalent AED amount. Any fees and charges that apply are included in the transaction amount shown. 

Please note, in line with the applicable Schedule of Services and Tariffs, foreign currency transactions that are not in your billing currency will be converted into your billing currency by the card scheme (Visa or MasterCard) or HSBC using their applicable exchange rates on the day conversion is made. This may involve a conversion to US dollars first. 

If you opt to pay in your billing currency (AED) and not the foreign currency applicable in the country, the merchant and their financial institutions’ applicable exchange rate applies. In addition, a processing fee set by Visa / MasterCard of up to 1.21% (inclusive of VAT) may also apply on foreign currency transactions where the currency used is non-AED. This also applies to international transactions where you opt to pay in your billing currency (AED).

For further information, please refer to the Credit Card Agreement Terms at www.hsbc.ae/terms.

Yes. All purchase transactions, along with any refund or reversal transactions will show as a debit or credit respectively and will have the label pending. Credit transactions appear in green.

This could be a recurring transaction on your card. For example, the payment of a bill, standing instruction, or a transaction made by a supplementary cardholder. If you still don't recognise the pending transaction, please call us on the number shown on the back of your card so that we can help you.

If you can’t find your credit card but don’t think it’s been permanently lost or stolen, you can use the HSBC UAE mobile banking app to temporarily block your card.

To put a temporarily block on a credit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the credit card you want to temporarily block.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. On the ‘Manage cards’ screen, select the card you are temporarily blocking.
5. Slide the toggle button next to ‘Temporarily block this card’.
6. The ‘Important Information’ screen with useful information will appear – please read this carefully, then select ‘OK’.

If you can’t find your debit card but don’t think it’s been permanently lost or stolen, you can use the HSBC UAE mobile banking app to temporarily block your card..

To put a temporarily block on your debit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the account linked to the card you want to temporarily block.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. On the ‘Manage cards’ screen, select the card you are temporarily blocking.
5. Slide the toggle button next to the ‘Temporarily block this card’ option.
6. The ‘Important Information’ screen with useful information will appear – please read this carefully, then select ‘OK’.

When your credit card is temporarily blocked, your point of sale, contactless, device wallet, online and ATM transactions won’t go through.

Some transactions will go through while your card is blocked:

• credit transactions made into your card, like refunds and reversals
• payments made into your credit card
• fees applicable under our Schedule of Services and Tariffs, for example an annual subscription fee or interest and finance charges
• if there is an outstanding amount on your credit card, you’ll still be able to make the minimum payment by the due date, as you normally would

To permanently block your card if it has been lost or stolen, please call us or visit your nearest branch. Find out more at www.hsbc.ae/help/contact/

When your debit card is temporarily blocked, your point of sale, contactless, device wallet, online and ATM transactions won’t go through.

The block is only applied to your debit card - any transactions to the bank account linked to your debit card will continue to be processed as normal.

To permanently block your card if it has been lost or stolen, please call us or visit your nearest branch. Find out more at www.hsbc.ae/help/contact/

To unblock your credit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the card you want to unblock.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. On the ‘Manage cards’ screen, select the card you are unblocking.
5. Slide the toggle button next to ‘Temporarily block this card’.

To unblock your debit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the account linked to the card you want to unblock.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. On the ‘Manage cards’ screen, select the card you are unblocking.
5. Slide the toggle button next to ‘Temporarily block this card’.

To report your lost or stolen card or any unauthorised transactions, please immediately call us.

Monthly spend limit is designed to help you stay in control of your spending. You can easily set it up within the HSBC UAE mobile banking app for your primary or your supplementary card(s) and limit how much you spend on your credit and debit card(s) each month.

To set a spend limit on your credit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen select the card you want to set the spend limit on.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. Select the card you’re setting the spend limit on.
5. Enter the desired amount and select ‘Set limit’.

You can change your monthly spend limit through the HSBC UAE app at any time.

To set a limit on your debit card:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
   
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen select the account linked to the card you want to set the spend limit on.
   
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. Select the card you’re setting the spend limit on.
5. Enter the desired spend limit and select ‘Set limit’.

Remember you can easily change your monthly spend limit through the HSBC UAE app at any time.

The spend limit is calculated on a calendar month basis. When you set the limit, it will include any previous spends made during that calendar month. For example, if a limit of AED 1000 is set on the 10th of the month and AED 400 has already been spent since the 1st, then only AED 600 will be available to spend for the remainder of that month.

If you haven’t used any of the ‘Card control’ options under ‘Manage cards’ before, spend limit calculations will apply from the date you set the spend limit for the first month, and on a calendar monthly basis after that.

You can set and change your monthly spend limit any time.

You can choose which cards to set a spend limit on. If for example you set a spend limit on your primary card, your supplementary card(s) won’t be affected, if you haven’t set a spend limit on them.

No. Transactions will be declined when you exceed your monthly spend limit. If you wish to change the monthly spend limit you have set, you can do this at any time through the HSBC UAE app.

Your monthly spend limit can never be higher than your credit card limit.

No. Transactions will be declined when you exceed your monthly spend limit. If you wish to change the monthly spend limit you have set, you can do this at any time through the HSBC UAE app.

For debit cards, daily limits apply on your ATM withdrawals and retail purchases (transactions at point of sale, contactless, wallet and online payments). These will continue to apply as usual when you set a monthly spend limit.

Your spend limit can never be higher than the available balance of the account linked to your debit card.

To see how much you’ve spent:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
   
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the account linked to the debit card.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. Select the card you want to view from the carousel.
5. Select ‘Monthly spend limit’ and you’ll see what you’ve spent so far and what is available to spend for the remainder of the month.

To see how much you’ve spent:

1. Log on to your HSBC UAE app.
   
2. From the ‘Accounts’ screen, select the relevant credit card.
3. Select ‘Manage cards’.
4. Select the card you want to view from the carousel.
5. Select ‘Monthly spend limit’ and you’ll see what you’ve spent so far and what is available to spend for the remainder of the month.

Transactions included in the spend limit calculations are:

• retail purchases (transactions at point of sale, contactless, wallet and online payments) and ATM withdrawals
  
• all reversal transactions will be considered and your monthly spend limit will be adjusted accordingly

For more details, refer to the ‘Important Information’ that can be found on the ‘Monthly spend limit’ screen.

Transactions which will not count towards your monthly spend limit:

• recurring transactions (like subscriptions with telecom providers, utility bills etc), standing orders and direct debits
  
• annual fees, interest and finance charges, etc

Please note some transactions with online merchants, subscriptions with service providers or in app purchases, may contribute to your monthly spend limit and subsequently reduce the available amount for the current month.

Remember you can increase, reduce or turn off the monthly spend limit you have set, at any time in the HSBC UAE app. For more details, refer to the 'Important Information' that can be found on the 'Monthly spend limit' screen.

If you're planning to travel outside the UAE and want to use your credit and debit cards, creating a Travel Plan via the HSBC UAE mobile banking app could give you peace of mind.

Once you tell us where you're going and how long for, we'll only approve card transactions in that country (or the UAE) and during the dates you specified. If your itinerary includes stopovers, remember to also create Travel Plans for these destinations.

Yes. If you’re planning to use your cards during your stopover for food, duty free or something else, we recommend creating a separate Travel Plan to make sure your card transactions can be approved in the stopover country.

Only the primary card holder can create a Travel Plan for their primary and supplementary cards.

A separate Travel Plan needs to be created for each primary and supplementary card.

Once you've notified us of your travel arrangements, we will only approve card present transactions that are carried out at your destination country and in the UAE during the dates you have specified.

Online, ecommerce and recurring transactions (like utility bills payments, subscriptions, etc.) will not be impacted by your Travel Plan restrictions and our regular policies will apply as usual.

The maximum is 90 days.

You can create and manage a maximum of 15 current or future Travel Plans in the HSBC UAE app.

In addition to creating and managing up to 15 current or future Travel Plans, you will also be able to view up to 15 of your past plans in the HSBC UAE app. 

No. Travel Plans with overlapping dates for the same country are not allowed.

Overlapping plans are only possible if the countries are different.

Overlap example:

Plan 1- UK

May 8th to May 15th

Plan 2 - Greece

May 15th to May 20th

Yes, any amends to Travel Plans are updated in real time.

Yes. The Travel Plan feature is available for both credit and debit cards.