I was looking frantically online for a list of updated MCC (Merchant Category Codes) so when I spend on my Credit Card, I know that I am spending in the right categories.

This sheet was designed and crowd-sourced via the online web and various different bank MCC sheets. If there are edits that need to be done, please comment below or simply reach out to us at [email protected]! This list can only keep getting better and more accurate. Bookmark this list and return when you need to!

Merchant Category Codes (MCC)

This is a four-digit number listed in ISO 18245 for retail financial services. MCC is used to classify the business by the type of goods or services it provides.

Why is it important to consumers? Because before you make a big purchase eg online or offline, or are selecting which card suits you the best, you would be keen to know what kind of transactions qualify in what category.

An example – BOC Family Card:

What exactly constitutes as everyday dining or online purchases? This article will help you see in greater clarity what types of shops qualify!

Here are the various common categories which you can find for rebate category tiers: Simply click on the relevant category below –

• Online
• Shopping Retail
• F&B Dining
• Groceries
• Beauty and personal care
• Electronics and gadgets
• Petrol
• Telco
• Utilities
• Insurance
• Hospitals

Read over 300 real unbiased user reviews of Credit Cards in Singapore today.

Category: Online

• 4121 – Taxicabs and Limousine (GRAB)
• 5734 – Computer Services (RYDE)
• 5411 – Online Groceries (Honestbee, Redmart, Fairprice online)
• 5699 – eCommerce stores (LAZADA, Qoo10, Shoppee)
• 5699 – Online hotel and travel booking sites (Agoda, Booking, Expedia)

Some exclusions vary across various cards. (See below eg. FEVO top-up and online prepaid top-ups). This also heavily depends on the payment processors that these online sites use and whether they register the correct MCC or not.

Most card nowadays optimise for online spending as eCommerce is booming in this region and there are much more ways to save online with the right card and ShopBack.

Category: Shopping – Clothing and Retail Outlet

• 5611 – Men’s Boys clothing and accessories stores
• 5621 – Women’s Ready to wear stores
• 5631 – Women’s accesory and speciality stores
• 5651 – Family clothing stores
• 5661 – Shoe stores
• 5691 – Men’s and women’s clothing stores
• 5699 – Misc Apparel and accessory shops
• 5311 – Department stores (e.g BHG, ISETAN, Takashimaya etc)
• 5641 – Babies and Children’s infants’ wear stores
• 5651 – Family clothing stores

Category: F&B Dining

• 5811 – Caterers
• 5812 – Eating Places and Restaurants
• 5813 – Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Discotheques, Nightclubs and Taverns – Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (eg Zouk, Altimate etc)
• 5814 – Fast Food Restaurants (e.g McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Subway etc)
• 5462 – Bakeries

Category: Groceries

• 5499 – Miscellaneous Food Stores (Convenience Stores, Markets, Specialty Stores, and Vending Machines)
• 5411 – Grocery Stores, Supermarkets

Category: Beauty and Personal care

• 5912 – Drug stores and Pharmacies (e.g Watsons, Guardians etc)

Category: Electronics and Gadgets

• 5045 – Computers, peripherals and software
• 5732 – Electronics Stores (e.g Challenger, Best Denki etc)
• 5021 – Office, Photographic, Photocopy and Microfilm equipment
• 5734 – Computer software store (SPH Subscription)

Category: Petrol

• 5541 – Service Stations (With or Without Ancillary Services eg 7-Eleven)
• 5542 – Fuel Dispenser, Automated

Category: Telco – Singtel, M1, Starhub

• 4814 – Telecommunication service including local and long distance calls, credit card calls, calls through use of magnetic-strip reading telephones and fax services

Category: Utilities

• 4900 – Singapore power (SP Services)
• 9399 – Town Council

Category: Insurance

• 5960 – Direct Marketing Insurance services
• 6300 – Insurance Sales, Underwriting, and Premiums (eg monthly or yearly premiums)

Category: Hospitals

• 8062 – Hospital and medical fees (eg Singapore General Hospital, Mount Alvernia, Mount Pleasant etc)

Common exclusions

• Prepaid topups (e.g FEVO mastercard)
• EZ LINK topups
• AXS payments

Conclusion: Try your best to follow the MCC!

Ultimately it’s still your bank’s decision on whether to adopt and follow the MCC codes accordingly.

There has been horror stories of folks who got unfairly discounted because they felt that certain restaurants were not registered under the right MCC.

But hey, now you can show them this simple blogpost and say that these are verified by the ISO 18245 for retail financial services!

Sources: CITI Merchant Category codes, OCBC Merchant Category codes