Getting started
What is a World Card?
World Card is the new card product from WorldFirst.
- Pay your suppliers more easily by using the card instead of bank transfers
- It’s your World Account in a card – pay directly from any of your virtual currency accounts, with the balance deducted from that account
- It’s a multi-currency card that supports same-currency payments in 15 major currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, NZD, SGD and HKD. If you have a balance in the same currency as your transaction, no card FX fees will apply
- Pay in 150+ currencies, wherever Mastercard is accepted
- Enjoy strong fraud protection – 3D Secure (3DS) and Address Verification System (AVS) help reduce risks
- Download card statements
- More features coming soon, including employee cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay and physical cards
Where is World Card available?
World Card is currently available to clients in Singapore, Australia, China and Hong Kong. More regions will be added soon.
Are there any requirements to apply for World Card?
You need a verified World Account (completed onboarding) to instantly apply for a World Card.
What is World Card Beta? Does it support in-person payments?
The card is currently in Beta and can only be used for online payments. We’re working on a physical card and the ability to use Apple or Google Pay for in-person payments soon.
Is there a physical World Card?
Not yet, but a physical card is coming soon.
Can I use World Card with Google Pay or Apple Pay?
This isn’t supported yet, but it’s on our roadmap and will be available soon.
Card management
How many World Cards can I apply for?
You can apply for up to 20 cards per business, but we may be able to add more on request.
Who can receive a World Card?
World Cards can be issued to verified directors or authorised non-directors of your business. The main user of the World Account can select themselves or one of these individuals as the cardholder. If another director is selected, we may ask for verification details (ID, residential address) for a quick check, usually completed within one working day. Only the main user can currently add or manage a card online, but sub-users will be able to do so soon.
How long is the expiry period for World Card?
The default expiry period is five years.
Can I keep the same card details after renewal?
Yes, the card number will remain the same, but the expiry date and CVV will be updated.
How can I find my card details?
Go to the World Card section in the World Account online portal, select the card and click ‘View Card Details’. You’ll see the card name, number, expiry date, CVV, billing address, nickname and cardholder mobile number.
What is a card nickname?
A nickname is an optional name you can assign to a card to identify it more easily (e.g. “Amazon Store 1 Card”). You can update the nickname whenever you like.
What is a cardholder mobile number?
This number is assigned to a cardholder when their first card is added. It’s used to receive 3D Secure PINs via SMS for online payments. This number can be different from the security mobile number used for account login. You can change it in the card details section, and it will update for all cards belonging to that cardholder.
How can I edit card details?
Under World Card in the online portal, select your card, and click ‘View Card Details’ to edit the cardholder name, nickname, billing address, or cardholder mobile number. Changes to the cardholder name may require verification (e.g. ID for a name change after marriage). You cannot switch the cardholder to a different person after a card is issued.
Are there spend limits for World Card?
Yes, you can check and manage your spend limits by visiting the card details page. You can also lower these limits if needed.
How do I freeze or unfreeze my card?
Under World Card in the online portal, select your card and click ‘Freeze Card’ to block any new transactions. This won’t affect some subscription payments stored with merchants. You can unfreeze your card on the card details page whenever you like.
How do I cancel my card?
Under World Card in the online portal, select your card, and click ‘More’ to access the card details page. Then select ‘Cancel Card’ from the menu.
Can the card be restored after cancellation?
No, cancelling a card is permanent, so please make sure you really want to cancel before doing so.
Will cancelling my card affect refunds?
No, refunds will still be processed and returned to your World Account, even after card cancellation.
Why can’t I add another card to my World Account?
A first card can be added immediately to any World Account. To add more, you must have deposited $1,000 (or equivalent) into your account within the last 90 days. If you need help, please contact our customer service team.
Transaction related
What is your default currency account?
This is your USD currency account (for Singapore business entities)
What currencies does World Card support (supported currencies)?
World Card is a multi-currency card. We support same-currency deductions in the following 15 currencies: AUD, CAD, CHF, CNH, CZK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, MXN, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD, USD.
If your transaction is one of these 15 currencies and you hold sufficient balance in the same currency in your World Account, the balance will be deducted in the same currency. If your transaction currency is not one of these 15 currencies, or it is one of these 15 currencies but with insufficient balance, the balance will be deducted from your default currency account.
*If you do not hold sufficient funds in your default currency account to cover the card payment then the payment will fail.
Can I pay using a combination of multiple currency balances from my World Account?
We do not support deductions based on multiple currency balances at this time. We will deduct the full amount in the order of the same currency then from your default currency account.
*If we are unable to deduct the full amount from your default currency account, the transaction will fail. Please ensure that you have sufficient currency balances.
In the future we will launch combined payment of multiple currencies, so please look forward to subsequent versions.
Will I receive notifications when a transaction occurs on my card?
We will send the main World Account owner SMS and email notifications in the scenarios of successful authorisation, authorisation revocation and refund. If you do not want to be disturbed, you can also turn off this notification under My Account.
Does World Card support 3D Secure cardholder authentication?
Yes. During checkout at an ecommerce website, the user may be required to authenticate themselves as the cardholder via a 3D Secure authentication request. This will prompt the cardholder to select an authentication method. The default method is via SMS one time PIN code sent to the Cardholder Mobile Number. Alternatively you can authenticate yourself by correctly selecting a payment made by the same card. Biometric authentication within the WorldFirst app will soon be added as a further method.
Why is the transaction showing as Processing?
When paying a merchant, the merchant will first initiate an authorization for the transaction amount – this is equivalent to blocking this amount from your World Account. At this time, the transaction status will display as “Processing”. When the merchant confirms the final transaction amount, it will initiate settlement. Generally the merchant will initiate settlement within 3-4 working days, at which time you will see the transaction status change from “Processing” to “Successful”.
Why are the authorised amount and the cleared amount of the same transaction inconsistent?
For some merchants, such as hotels, petrol stations, and car rental companies, the merchant will first initiate authorization based on the estimated transaction amount to block out. The merchant’s final amount confirmation may be inconsistent with the initially estimated amount, and the merchant will initiate settlement based on the final confirmed amount. In this scenario the authorised amount will be inconsistent with the settlement amount.
If a transaction is in progress, can I prevent it from completing?
If the transaction is “in process”, we cannot prevent the merchant from initiating “clearance” of this transaction. If you wish to prevent this transaction from completing at this time, please contact the merchant.
How long does it take for me to receive funds after a transaction is refunded?
Each merchant has a different process and time limit for handling refunds. Generally, once the merchant has submitted a refund request, you will receive your refund within 5-10 working days. If you have not received the refund within 10 working days, please contact the merchant first.
Why is my transaction still showing as being processed even though it has been cancelled?
In some special cases, we may not receive the message that the transaction has been cancelled, which may be due to the merchant side not synchronizing information or system processing abnormality. This part of the transaction will be automatically returned to your World Account balance after a certain period of time, normally within 7-10 days.
Why did my payment fail? How can I resolve this?
There can be many reasons for payment failure – these can be viewed in your Activities transaction details. Common reasons and suggestions are as follows:
1. Insufficient balance – Please ensure that your account balance is sufficient when the transaction occurs.
2. CVV error – Please make sure your card information is entered correctly
3. Payment over limit – please check your card usage limit
4. Risk control rejection – The transaction is identified as risky. Please contact customer service for details.
Why is my 3D Secure cardholder authentication not working?
During checkout at an ecommerce website, the user may be required to authenticate themselves as the cardholder via a 3D Secure authentication request. This will prompt the cardholder to select an authentication method. The default method is via SMS one time PIN code sent to the Cardholder Mobile Number. Alternatively you can authenticate yourself by correctly selecting a payment made by the same card. Biometric authentication within the WorldFirst app will soon be added as a further method.
If you are prompted to enter an SMS one time PIN and do not receive the SMS.
Check that you have mobile network coverage (you will be required to provide the PIN within 5 minutes of this being sent)
Check that the Cardholder Mobile Number is correct under Card details. This can be updated if required (see Card Management FAQs)
You can select recent transaction history as an alternative authentication method.
You will be shown six transactions including five fake transactions, one genuine recent transaction from the same card and a ‘None of the above’ option. You must select the genuine transaction to complete authentication
For a brand-new card there will be no genuine transaction and the correct answer will be ‘None of the above’
Financial reconciliation
Is there any charge for using World Card?
There is no additional charge for the use of World Card (including card opening fee, annual fee, recharge fee and transaction fee, etc.), so please feel free to use it.
Can I access a statement for my World Card purchases?
Yes, go to your World Card homepage, select your card, and click ” Card Statement” to view your card statement. This can be filtered and downloaded in CSV or excel format.
Are there any transaction fees for World Card payments made?
Please refer to the Pricing page for further information on all applicable card fees/charges.
Account Security
I found unusual transactions on my card, what should I do?
If you find any transaction not initiated by you in your transaction details, please freeze your card immediately and contact our customer service team.
I did not receive the service/item I paid for with my World Card, what should I do?
We recommend that you contact the platform/merchant first to confirm whether the platform/merchant can issue a refund (keep the correspondence as relevant evidence). If you need to dispute the transaction, please contact our customer service team and we will send a dispute application form template to your account registration email address. Please complete and return the form with supporting documents (including correspondence, etc.) using your account registration email address. Please be sure to reply in a timely manner as to avoid the dispute resolution period expiring.
After receiving your reply, we will assist you in submitting the dispute application. Once submitted, it generally takes about 8 weeks for disputes to be settled.