Livi Bank review
Updated September 28, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Livi bank suits parents in Hong Kong who want a Mastercard virtual card in a family banking app, and the account carries a monthly fee of HKD 0. The catch sits with anyone spending abroad, where the currency conversion fee of 1.9% applies on top.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The card runs on Mastercard with a monthly fee of HKD 0, so keeping the account open adds almost nothing to running costs.
- The card is virtual, so nothing has to be posted out and it can be set up from the app.
- Livi Bank Limited is the named provider behind the account, so the money side sits with a bank rather than a crypto platform.
Cons
- Spending abroad costs a currency conversion fee of 1.9%, well above the category median of 1%.
- The card is virtual, so spending depends on having the app or a wallet to hand rather than a physical card.
Who it suits
- Parents in Hong Kong who want a child card held inside a single family banking app.
- Households that mostly spend in the currency they already hold, so conversion charges rarely come up.
- People who want a Mastercard for online spending and do not need a card in the hand.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who converts currency often, since 1.9% per conversion is the wrong shape of cost and Wise is the alternative to check first.
- Readers who want a card in the hand, since a virtual card gives nothing to carry and Monzo Flex is where debit options are compared.
- Shoppers whose only yardstick is the monthly fee, since Bitpanda also lists €0 and nothing else here separates the two.
Where it sits among rivals
On the card costs that matter for keeping an account open, Livi bank sits at position 1 of 379 for the monthly fee, the strongest part of the package. Currency conversion tells the opposite story at position 146 of 237, well down the field, so the card is cheap to hold and pricey to use abroad.
How Livi Bank compares
Also charges a monthly fee of €0, so account cost alone does not separate the two.
Where Livi Bank is available
- Available
- Hong Kong
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is there a monthly fee for the account?+
There is no monthly charge for the account, at HKD 0, and the virtual Mastercard card comes as part of the same family banking app rather than a separate product. That puts Livi bank at position 1 of 379 on monthly fee among the cards compared.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
A currency conversion fee of 1.9% applies when the account pays out in a currency the balance does not hold. That is the number to watch, because on currency conversion the card ranks at position 146 of 237, so regular travel abroad works against it.
What kind of card is it, and who runs the account?+
The card is virtual and runs on mastercard, so it lives in the app rather than in your hand. The account provider is Livi Bank Limited, and the card is opened alongside a parent account rather than as a standalone product.
Who is this account for?+
Livi bank is built for family banking in Hong Kong, with a parent account and Mastercard cards for children underneath it. Parents who want a single app for the household, and children who need a virtual card for online spending without anything to carry, are the natural fit.
Is the card practical for everyday spending abroad?+
Less so, because the currency conversion fee of 1.9% applies on foreign purchases. The card is virtual and runs on mastercard, so it suits online payments wherever Mastercard is taken, but anyone paying abroad regularly should weigh a provider set up for currency instead.
Who holds the money in the account?+
The account is provided by Livi Bank Limited, the banking entity behind the family cards, and the card runs on mastercard. Money held there is bank money rather than a crypto balance, so readers comparing exchanges for trading with banks for spending are looking at two different things.
What does the card cost over a year of use?+
Holding the account and its virtual Mastercard card costs HKD 0 a month, so keeping it open is inexpensive. Spending is the opposite story, as a 1.9% conversion fee lands on foreign purchases and can outweigh a year of account fees within a few trips abroad.
Sources
- livibank.com/en/pdf/livi-fees-n-charges-en.pdf checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Currency conversion fee, Legal entity, Card network
“livi Debit Mastercard - Foreign currency transaction handling fee 1.9%”
- livibank.com/features/livisave.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Monthly fee
“liviSave - No fees. No minimum deposit.”
- livibank.com/pdf/20210301-livi-partners-with-mastercard.pdf checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type
“virtual Mastercard debit card - livi Debit Mastercard”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Livi Bank
A Mastercard virtual card for family banking in Hong Kong at no monthly charge.