HDFC Bank’s Multi-Currency Platinum Forex Card supports 22 currencies — the widest in India — making it the right pick for multi-country trips and travellers visiting less-common destinations (Yen, Won, Lira, Rand). Issuance fee ₹500 + GST. Same-currency spend at 0% markup once loaded; cross-currency at 3.5%. Best for HDFC banking customers who want one-card multi-currency convenience; gets dominated on price by Niyo Global if your trip is to a single major currency.
At a glance
Why the 22-currency support matters
Most forex cards (BookMyForex, ICICI, Axis) support 12-16 currencies — covering popular destinations like US, UK, Eurozone, Singapore, UAE, Australia. HDFC’s 22-currency support adds:
- Japanese Yen (JPY) — travel to Japan often forced cross-currency on other cards
- South Korean Won (KRW) — Seoul/Busan visits
- Thai Baht (THB) — though most cards cover this
- South African Rand (ZAR) — safari/business travel
- Turkish Lira (TRY) — Istanbul layovers, holidays
- Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), NZ Dollar, Swedish Krona (SEK), Swiss Franc (CHF), etc.
For a complex multi-country trip (e.g., 3 weeks across Japan + Korea + Thailand), HDFC’s card avoids the 3.5% cross-currency penalty that BookMyForex or ICICI would impose for some of those legs.
Issuance and reload via HDFC banking
Existing HDFC Bank customers (savings or current account holders) can issue the card via netbanking in 5 minutes:
- HDFC NetBanking → Cards → Forex Card → Apply
- Select currencies + amounts to load
- Authorise debit from your savings account
- Pickup at branch (24-48 hours) or home delivery (3-5 days, free above ₹50K load)
Non-HDFC customers can apply via the public website but typically pay higher delivery and processing fees.
Reload via netbanking: instant. Reload from outside India: must call HDFC NRI services or have a trusted relative initiate reload from your linked savings account.
HDFC Multi-Currency vs Niyo Global vs BookMyForex
For a USD 1,200 + EUR 600 + JPY 50,000 multi-country trip:
- HDFC Multi-Currency: Load USD 1,200, EUR 600, JPY 50,000 separately. All 0% markup on local spend. Cost: ₹1,77,500 + ₹500 issuance = ₹1,78,000.
- BookMyForex: 16-currency support includes JPY. Same as HDFC. Cost: ₹1,77,650 (issuance ₹150).
- Niyo Global: Spend ₹1,77,500 across days at interbank rate, 0% markup. Cost: ₹1,77,500.
For this scenario, Niyo wins on cost but loses on rate certainty. HDFC and BookMyForex are tied in cost; HDFC wins on multi-currency breadth and existing-customer convenience.
HDFC Multi-Currency Platinum specific quirks
- Cross-currency at 3.5% — if you spend EUR in a USD-only loaded card, the card swaps at the day’s rate plus 3.5%. Avoid by pre-loading.
- Inactivity fee: ₹200/month after 12 months of zero usage. Use the card abroad within 12 months or pull the balance back.
- Unloading currency back to INR: yes, possible. Fee ₹100 + 2% of unloaded amount. Better to spend it abroad than unload.
- No reward points — pure forex card, no rewards. Use your HDFC Infinia or Regalia Gold for INR-denominated travel bookings (flights, hotels paid in INR) to earn rewards.
Who HDFC Multi-Currency is best for
- Existing HDFC banking customers — issuance is friction-free via netbanking
- Multi-country travellers — 22-currency support justifies the slight premium
- Travellers visiting less-covered destinations — Japan, Korea, South Africa, Turkey
- Business travellers expensing forex spends — HDFC card provides clean per-transaction PDF statements that work in expense systems
When to skip HDFC and pick Niyo Global instead
- Single-country trip to US, UK, or Eurozone — Niyo’s 0% markup at interbank rate matches
- Spontaneous travel without locked itinerary
- Budget traveller — even ₹500 saved matters
- Not already an HDFC customer — the friction isn’t worth it
Verdict
HDFC Multi-Currency Platinum is the best multi-currency forex card in India for travellers visiting 3+ countries on a single trip, especially when one of those countries uses a non-mainstream currency. The ₹500 issuance pays for itself in cross-currency markup avoidance after 2 multi-country trips. For single-destination trips, Niyo Global is cleaner. Existing HDFC banking customers get this card almost frictionlessly via netbanking — that operational ease, combined with the 22-currency breadth, makes this the default choice if you already bank with HDFC.