Kiwi bank to charge fee for international transactions, including $NZ

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › Kiwi bank to charge fee for international transactions, including $NZ

rugrat

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#322867 2-Oct-2025 03:59

This looks dodgy to me as a lot of transactions could look like NZ transactions and you only find out when credit, debit card is charged.

Examples, looking at Particulars on another bank credit card statement, Apple transactions have Sydney on them, Prime Video has Singapore etc so even though charged in $NZ look like they are processed outside NZ.

Cut from email from Kiwi Bank,

“Currently, we only apply our International transaction fee when the transaction is charged in a foreign currency. From 4 November 2025, we’ll apply this fee to all international transactions, including transactions charged in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). This will be applied in the same way across our debit and credit cards.”

So in summary going from international transactions charged in foreign currency to all international transactions including NZ currency.

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#3420449 2-Oct-2025 06:20

I am going to be stung by this change.

Would the Steam store be considered an oversea transaction, even though it is in NZD for us?

It might be time for me to use my Wise Card a lot more.

Aucklandjafa

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#3420450 2-Oct-2025 06:27

Seems like a pretty easy way to get around this.

johno1234

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#3420452 2-Oct-2025 07:21

Sounds like it’s time to dump the KB visa for something else.
Is there any drawback to having your credit card at a different bank to the rest of your banking?

KiwiSurfer

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#3420453 2-Oct-2025 07:34

johno1234:

Sounds like it’s time to dump the KB visa for something else.
Is there any drawback to having your credit card at a different bank to the rest of your banking?

No instant transfers -- it takes anywhere between 1-3 days to transfer from my Kiwibank account to my Amex which can be annoying if I am making a big purchase and need to ensure I have enough credit.

johno1234

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#3420456 2-Oct-2025 07:49

That might be an AMEX issue? Wise topups also take a while. Anyone know how long it takes to get money from one NZ bank to another NZ credit card?

Since KB ditched AirNZ I’m thinking of switching to ANZ’s Airpoints card but don’t want to change the rest.

eracode

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#3420464 2-Oct-2025 08:11

johno1234:

Anyone know how long it takes to get money from one NZ bank to another NZ credit card?

I had to enquire about this a few days ago. Was told 1-2 business days for that situation.

Fortunately my transfer from bank account to Visa CC was within one bank (BNZ) and it was instantaneous - even on a Saturday.

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Aucklandjafa

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#3420477 2-Oct-2025 08:45

johno1234:

That might be an AMEX issue? Wise topups also take a while. Anyone know how long it takes to get money from one NZ bank to another NZ credit card?

Since KB ditched AirNZ I’m thinking of switching to ANZ’s Airpoints card but don’t want to change the rest.

It’s an hour to transfer from my KB to TSB Mastercard (also too over the weekend) - this sounds like an AMEX issue.

Handle9

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#3420479 2-Oct-2025 08:47

Aucklandjafa:

johno1234:

That might be an AMEX issue? Wise topups also take a while. Anyone know how long it takes to get money from one NZ bank to another NZ credit card?

Since KB ditched AirNZ I’m thinking of switching to ANZ’s Airpoints card but don’t want to change the rest.

It’s an hour to transfer from my KB to TSB Mastercard - sounds like an AMEX issue.

Its normally an hour or two to transfer from TSB to my Kiwibank credit card.

richms

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#3420508 2-Oct-2025 10:22

KiwiSurfer:

No instant transfers -- it takes anywhere between 1-3 days to transfer from my Kiwibank account to my Amex which can be annoying if I am making a big purchase and need to ensure I have enough credit.

That's just amex being stubborn with their legacy of being slow.

Slow to settle to merchants too. This gives them the use of that money for that time.

I have never tried going direct from my westpac into my ASB card, I always go thru the transaction account first, but that is usually within an hour during the day, slow at night.

At night other than when ASB go into their nightly do nothing mode, I can put from my ASB accounts into my ASB visa immediately. Infact once when I was travelling this astounded some people from the US that had 2-3 day delays paying their cards with their own bank because of how legacy their systems are.

Richard rich.ms

rugrat

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#3420556 2-Oct-2025 10:36

I mainly use another bank for credit card, hopefully it is not a trend that all the other banks follow.

If it is only Kiwi Bank, they’re going to lose a lot of credit card customers.

If all banks follow then will have to look at Wise card type option, depending on their fee structures and if can top them up without incurring a fee.

rb99

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#3420560 2-Oct-2025 11:01

Is there a good reason for this, or is it we've been told to cut fees somewhere else, so we're going to screw customers this way instead..

Or am I being too cynical ?

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Shindig

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#3420571 2-Oct-2025 11:15

Another reason to ditch the KB CC product.

The little things make the biggest difference.

MichaelNZ

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#3420622 2-Oct-2025 11:44

Just ditch Kiwibank full stop.

The merchant pays a premium for foreign cards and some of this gets paid to the card holder's bank so it looks like they are double dipping here.

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openmedia

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#3420659 2-Oct-2025 13:03

I've been paying my old Airpoints KB card from another NZ bank and it is always same day. Ditto payments to Wise. About a year ago I'd allow 48 hours for any payment to KB from any of the big four banks.

Payments to Amex always seem to take longer so allow a couple of days before the bill is due.

Like many others I'm moving to another CC to keep the Airpoints benefits. The standard Kiwibank cards don't appeal to me.

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wellygary

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#3420664 2-Oct-2025 13:30

If the other banks don't follow this, then I think KB will retreat from it.....

This will ping a whole pile of "everyday" transactions, that most people would associate as a local transaction, but are likely billed via an offshore (likely tax haven)..

Off the top of my head,

Apple and Google store transactions and subs, Uber/Didi/etc Rideshares, E-scooter rentals, Booking.com, airbnb etc

plus, All the VOD subscriptions,

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