Nerfed: UOB Absolute Dropping Cashback on Grab Top-ups to 0.3%
Thanks to Mt from the chat group for sharing
UOB Absolute is reducing its cashback rate to 0.3% specifically for Grab wallet top-ups from 15th January 2023 onwards. Not only is the UOB Absolute one of the few cards that gives rewards for Grab top-ups, it also gives the highest cashback rate of 1.7%. Not any more from mid-January 2023.
After this nerf, Amex True Cashback Card will remain the sole card that we know of that provides cashback on Grab top-ups. Amex Highflyer card also gives 1.8 miles per dollar, but it is limited to business users and not open for individual application.
The rewards from these credit cards may not be long for this world too; Amex True Cashback recently excluded Grab top-ups from its 3% welcome rate, though it currently still gives 1.5% cashback. What I observe also is Amex shifting marketing focus away from True Cashback, offering nearly nothing in the way of sign-up promos for its cashback card.
For now, we can still fall back on these cards after UOB Absolute becomes non-viable (0.3% is practically nothing), but if I were a betting man, I’ll wager good money that Amex would shortly follow UOB’s lead in drastically reducing the cashback rate for Grab top-ups.
Cards to top up Grab
Get 0.3% cashback on Grab top-ups with the UOB Absolute credit card.
Topping up in advance
Since the nerf comes in 15th January 2022, Grab users have an opportunity to top up ahead of the decrease in cashback rate. Each Grab account can hold a maximum of S$5,000 after identity verification.
However, given that interest rates remain high, letting your funds sit in your Grab wallet incurs opportunity cost. If you don’t spend very much via your Grab wallet, it may be better to not top up too much in advance.
Conclusion
With Grab slashing rewards you can get from GrabPay and GrabPay Mastercard, top-ups are now one of the main ways to get rewards from the GrabPay mobile wallet. Unfortunately, the days for this game have been numbered for a while now, and it’s probably time to accept and prep for its demise.
The GrabPay game has long been used for all manners of payment to get rewards, and while you can’t really replace it completely, I’ve done a few pieces on its alternatives:
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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