Topic
Foreign transaction fees on NZ credit cards
Foreign-transaction fees apply when you pay in a currency other than NZD — including online purchases from overseas merchants. A handful of cards waive the fee entirely. Compare the snapshot below; every figure cites a source-tier badge.
Snapshot generated Invalid Date · 38 matching cards · CCCFA-safe (no rankings, no "best for X" claims).
What triggers an FX fee
Any transaction settled in a currency other than NZD attracts an FX fee — even if you're shopping online from NZ on a US-dollar-denominated site. The fee is a percentage of the converted NZD amount and applies in addition to the card network's exchange rate.
Network exchange rate
The exchange rate used is set by the card network (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) on the day the transaction settles — not the day you make the purchase. Networks publish their rates daily; check Visa's or Mastercard's currency-converter page for the rate that will apply.
Cards that waive the FX fee
A subset of NZ-issued cards advertise a 0% FX fee. Sort the table above by foreign-transaction fee ascending to surface them. Even with no FX fee, the card network's exchange rate still applies (it's usually within 0.5% of the mid-market rate).
Frequently asked questions
Is the FX fee charged on top of the exchange rate?
Yes. The issuer first converts the foreign-currency amount to NZD using the network rate, then adds the FX fee as a percentage of the NZD amount. The combined cost is what you're billed.
Do FX fees apply to ATM withdrawals overseas?
Yes, plus the cash-advance fee and cash-advance interest rate (which applies from the day of withdrawal — no interest-free period on cash). Cash advances are the most expensive way to use a credit card overseas.
What about contactless / mobile-wallet payments overseas?
Same rules — FX fees apply regardless of how the transaction is initiated (chip, contactless, mobile wallet, online). The relevant factor is whether the transaction settles in NZD or a foreign currency.
Are there alternatives to a credit card for overseas spending?
Yes — debit cards from some NZ neobanks (e.g. Wise, Revolut) and prepaid travel cards offer different fee structures. We don't cover non-credit products on this site; the /credit-cards/ pillar has a comparison vs debit cards.
Methodology & source-tier system
Every fact carries a source-tier badge: A = verbatim issuer T&C PDF · B = issuer website · C = editorial registry · D = third-party.
This page is informational only — not financial advice. Approval, credit limit, and pricing decisions sit with each issuer under CCCFA and the Responsible Lending Code.