My 2026 Credit Card Strategy: The 6 Cards I Am Keeping in My (Digital) Wallet

As we settle into 2026, my pockets feel lighter, but my points balance is hopefully getting heavier. I have made the conscious decision to slim down my physical carry to the bare minimum. The days of fumbling through a stack of plastic at the checkout counter are over; if it doesn't work with Apple Pay or an online checkout, I probably don't want to buy it. The landscape of travel hacking in Singapore has evolved to support this. With caps tightening and benefits restructuring, the set it and forget it strategy is gone, replaced by a precision-based digital approach. While I have pruned my portfolio significantly - farewell, physical American Express Platinum Card - I have consolidated my spend onto six core cards that live rent-free in my phone.

Photo Credit: UOB

1. UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card

The UOB Preferred Platinum Visa is the original digital native of the miles game. This card earn 4 miles per dollar on up to S$1,200 each month, but this is further divided into two sub-caps (S$600 each):

• Mobile Contactless Transactions

• Selected Online Transactions

Even though the cap on mobile contactless transactions is now S$600 per month, this is still my default card for the physical world. If the terminal beeps, this card earns. Since the bonus requires mobile usage anyway, there is literally no reason to carry the physical card. I just have to be mindful to switch cards in my digital wallet once I hit that S$600 ceiling.

Apply here: UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card

Photo Credit: DBS

2. DBS Woman’s World Card

The DBS Woman’s World Card continues to be the undisputed queen of the internet. It offers 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 spent online each month. This card is dedicated almost exclusively to recurring online subscriptions, flight bookings, and Grab/Gojek expenses until the cap is reached. It acts as the perfect digital complement to the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa - covering the online realm while UOB handles the offline contactless.

Apply here: DBS Woman’s World Card

Photo Credit: UOB

3. UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card

The UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card has seen some changes, but it remains a powerhouse for targeted spending. I currently have my categories set to Dining and Travel, which covers the bulk of my social and holiday spend. We now have to work with a S$750 monthly cap per category - do note that the categories can change based on what you select. I try to use this card for dining expenses (if I know the MCC is correct), or when I am dining at a hotel (since restaurants within hotels typically have a non-dining MCC). Additionally, when booking Luxury Travel Advisor rates for additional benefits, you will typically need to make payment at time of checkout. This card is perfect for that as it will allow you to earn 4 mpd on such expenses - just take note of the low S$750 monthly cap.

If you have the UOB Lady’s Savings Account, you will also be able to unlock up to 6 additional miles per dollar on eligible spend when you maintain a balance of up to S$100,000.

Apply here: UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card

Photo Credit: HSBC Singapore

4. HSBC Premier Mastercard

My favourite card of the lot has got to be the HSBC Premier Mastercard right now. It functions as my best all-rounder card when there is no opportunity to earn 4 mpd on the aforementioned cards. The base earn rate of 1.68 and 2.76 miles per dollar on local- and foreign-currency spend is also pretty impressive, but the other standout benefit here is the complimentary airport limousine transfers. By spending S$12,000 per quarter, I unlock two free limousine rides to or from the airport. As an HSBC Premier customer, it is free to hold, making it a very low-maintenance addition to the digital lineup.

Apply here: HSBC Premier Mastercard

Photo Credit: Citi Singapore

5. Citi Prestige Card

I am keeping the Citi Prestige Card primarily for two specific benefits: the Citi PayAll promotions and the 4th Night Free benefit. This is a card that does its best work in the background. I use it to buy miles cheaply via Citi PayAll for my tax and insurance bills - these points also convert into a lot more frequency flyer programs that extend beyond just KrisFlyer and Asia Miles. Crucially, the spend on Citi PayAll (provided you pay the 2.6% admin fee) counts towards the S$12,000 spend requirement needed to unlock two complimentary airport limo rides.

The 4th Night Free benefit is still a great way to save on luxury hotel stays via the Citi concierge or portal. While stricter now (requiring fully-prepaid rates), when the stars align, the savings can be substantial.

Apply here: Citi Prestige Card

Photo Credit: American Express

6. The American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card

With my heavy metal American Express Platinum Card cancelled, The American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card has become my digital gateway to the American Express ecosystem. This card grants me access to Amex Offers, which can be pretty attractive (even though the frequency of these offers has been reduced to a miserable rate over the years). I managed to get the annual fee of the card waived (even though that means I do not get the ALL Accor+ Explorer membership for free) so I am going to keep it purely for the offers.

2026 is shaping up to be a year of efficiency over excess. By digitising my strategy, I ensure that I am always using the right card for the right transaction without the physical bulk. With the UOB trio (counting the Savings Account), DBS for online, and HSBC/Citi handling the heavy lifting, my digital wallet is fully optimised for the year ahead.

Apply here: The American Express Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card