BEA Mastercard Prepaid review
Updated September 28, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
BEA Mastercard Prepaid suits Hong Kong customers of The Bank of East Asia, Limited who want one bank card for everyday spending and travel. It pays cashback of 0.5% across 11 currencies on the mastercard network, though a conversion fee of 1.95% makes it a costlier way to spend abroad.
Key facts
- Best for
- Bank customers wanting a multi-currency Mastercard with a small cashback reward.
- Currency conversion fee
- 1.95%↗
- Card type
- Debit↗
- Cashback rate
- 0.5%↗
- Card network
- Mastercard↗
- Currencies
- 11↗
- Legal entity
- The Bank of East Asia, Limited↗
- Support channels
- Phone, Help-centre↗
- Features
- Multi-currency, Travel
- Official website
- hkbea.com
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 3 sources
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cashback of 0.5% on everyday spend, and a card type of debit rather than a crypto-only card
- Holds 11 currencies on one card, with multi-currency and travel features built in
- Runs on the mastercard network, accepted widely abroad
- Backed by The Bank of East Asia, Limited rather than a crypto company
Cons
- Currency conversion costs 1.95%, well above the 0.1% Wise charges
- Support runs on phone and help centre only, with no in-app chat or email listed
Who it suits
- Existing customers of The Bank of East Asia, Limited who want a second card for spending abroad
- Travellers who hold several currencies and pay in local currency rather than converting
- Shoppers who value cashback on everyday purchases
Who should look elsewhere
- You if you convert currency often and want a lower conversion fee than 1.95%
- Anyone who needs live chat or email help, since support runs on phone and help centre
- People who want to hold crypto on the card rather than plain bank balances
The company behind it
The card is issued by The Bank of East Asia, Limited, a bank rather than a fintech, so your money sits with a deposit taker rather than on a crypto platform. Spending follows the bank's own charges schedule. If a question comes up, support runs on phone and help centre, which covers phone and a help centre, with no live chat or email route listed for cardholders.
How BEA Mastercard Prepaid compares
8.8 vs 9.4
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 8.2
8.8 vs 9.5
8.8 vs 9.6
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 9.1A crypto card with free conversion at 0%, useful if you want to spend digital assets rather than a bank balance.
8.8 vs 8.9
8.8 vs 8.1
8.8 vs 8.2
8.8 vs 9.5
8.8 vs 9.4
8.8 vs 9.2
8.8 vs 9.1
8.8 vs 9.0
8.8 vs 8.9- 8.8 vs 8.8
8.8 vs 8.8
8.8 vs 8.6
8.8 vs 8.5
8.8 vs 8.3
Where BEA Mastercard Prepaid is available
- Available
- China, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What currency conversion fee does the BEA Mastercard Prepaid charge?+
Conversion costs 1.95%, above the 1% typical across the site. That is the widest gap between this card and cheaper rivals here. Paying in the local currency wherever you can avoids the charge altogether.
How much cashback do I get on spending?+
The card pays cashback of 0.5% on eligible spend. It is a small reward rather than a headline rate, so it fits ordinary day to day purchases where you would spend anyway.
What kind of card is this?+
The card type is debit, issued on the mastercard network. A debit card draws straight on your bank balance, so there is no card balance to top up and no credit line to repay.
How many currencies can I hold on the card?+
You can hold 11 currencies, with multi-currency and travel listed as the headline features. That suits a trip where you pay in several places and want to avoid converting back and forth.
Is my money protected by a compensation scheme?+
The money is held by The Bank of East Asia, Limited, a bank, so it is a deposit rather than a crypto balance. The details for this card cover fees and card features only, so the bank's own terms are the place to read about any scheme that applies to deposits.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on phone and help centre, meaning phone and a help centre. There is no live chat or email route listed, so a card blocked while you are abroad means a phone call rather than a quick message.
Who should choose this card?+
It suits customers of The Bank of East Asia, Limited who want a bank card for travel and everyday spending with cashback attached. It suits you less if you convert currency often, since 1.95% is a recurring cost on every conversion.
Sources
- hkbea.com/html/en/bea-debit-card-key-features.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Cashback rate, Currencies, Features, Currency conversion fee, Card network
“Multi-currency Debit Card ... payments are automatically made using the corresponding currency right from your account”
- hkbea.com/html/en/bea-personal-banking-bank-charges.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“(852) 2211 1333 Enquiry Hotline ... FAQs”
- hkbea.com/html/en/index.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“Copyright © 2026 The Bank of East Asia, Limited.All rights reserved.”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
BEA Mastercard Prepaid
Bank customers wanting a multi-currency Mastercard with a small cashback reward.