3 Ways to Check Merchant Category Code (MCC)

If you are trying to maximise your card rewards, you would invariably come across this term: Merchant Category Code (MCC).

MCC is a 4-digit code given to merchants accepting credit cards depending on the nature of their business, and it is usually important to use the right card for each MCC to maximise your rewards. Don’t want the trouble? A general spend card is probably more suitable for you.

Here are 3 methods to find the MCC of the transaction you are making.

1a. HeyMax – directory of merchants and MCCs

Pros	Cons
Easy to use, no transaction needed	May not be accurate May not have more niche merchants/transactions Not useful overseas

HeyMax is a quick and easy way to find out the MCC of a particular merchant. If you don’t already have an account, you need to sign up first:

Steps:

Type in the merchant you wish to look up, and HeyMax will display the merchant name (if available):

Tap on the merchant name and you can see the MCC displayed as well as a list of card suggestions:

1b. HeyMax – making the transaction with an added Visa card

Pros	Cons
Very accurate Able to look up MCCs of past transactions easily Tells you whether a transaction is online	Requires a successful transaction to be performed first

Also with HeyMax, you are able to add a Visa card to your HeyMax account. On top of tracking your spend, you are also able to see each transaction’s MCC after you have made the transaction.

To add a card:

1. Tap the card symbol (top right corner of app)
2. Tap Add another card
3. Enter your card details and verify your card

Once you have added your card, transactions will show up here. You can then tap on each transaction to reveal the MCC:

2. Instarem Amaze — look up MCC of failed or past transactions

Pros	Cons
Very accurate Able to look up MCCs of past transactions easily	Requires a transaction to be performed first

Since 2023, Instarem Amaze has the ability to show MCC of each transaction, even failed ones. If you don’t already have an account, sign up first:

After getting your account, you need to link at least one Mastercard credit or debit card within the app first.

Thereafter, follow these steps to find out the MCC of the transaction you are making:

1. Go to Cards → Manage
2. Turn off the ability to make In-store Purchase and Online Purchase (I turn off everything just in case)
3. Authorise the transaction when prompted, but the transaction will fail (which is intended)
4. Find the transaction under Activity tab, tap on it, and you will be able to see the MCC

You can also check up MCCs of past transactions (up to a year) made with your Instarem Amaze.

Thanks to MileLion for uncovering the updated method to check MCCs with Amaze.

3. DBS digiBot — look up MCC of failed or recent transactions

Pros	Cons
Very accurate Able to look up MCCs of recent transactions	Requires a transaction to be performed first Cumbersome process to find MCC

This method will require you to have a DBS card.

Steps:

1. Lock your DBS card (go to DBS digibank app → Cards → Tap on Card → Payment Controls)
2. Charge the transaction to the locked card. The transaction will fail.
3. Go to DBS digibank app → More (bottom right tab) → (?) (top right corner symbol)
4. Tap on digibot (top right corner symbol)
5. Tap on Check Recent Transactions
6. Type or tap What’s the MCC code of my latest transaction? → My recent transactions
7. Select the card and then tap Declined Transactions

The merchant category will be displayed as such:

You will then need to match the description with the code with this list. The transaction above, for example, is coded 5999.

What I usually do

Looking up a merchant with HeyMax’s directory is the easiest and most fuss-free way of finding out a merchant’s MCC, so that is what I usually do when my transaction is relatively small and I don’t want much trouble. Most of the time, the MCC is accurate.

If my transaction is much larger, I tend to do a check with Instarem Amaze first.

DBS method is pretty cumbersome and thus not something I tend to use often, though it is still an good method to look at MCCs of my recent DBS transactions.

Beware of dynamic MCCs

There have been reports of certain merchants like Taobao or Shopee that have dynamic MCCs, which means their MCC could change depending on the exact items you buy from them. Sometimes, they even change even for similar types of purchases.

Your best bet for such instances is to use a general spend card which does not offer rewards based on MCCs. Of course, general spend cards are also the best option for people who don’t want to deal with such trouble.

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Seth Wee was a licensed financial adviser representative from 2009 to 2025, with over 16 years of experience in Singapore’s financial advisory industry.

He started Sethisfy.com in 2019 to share practical insights on credit cards, banking products, and miles strategies, helping readers identify financial products that deliver the best value. Seth has been featured in CNA, Channel 8, Today, and a host of other publications. In 2025, he was also part of a panel at CPF’s Ready For Life festival.

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