How to Use Wise Card in Vietnam: Guide for Aussies

Vietnam is a super popular destination for Aussie tourists looking for great food, fascinating history and culture, a vibrant city buzz and stunning natural environments all in one place. A trip to Vietnam also often presents excellent value for money but you’ll still need to figure out ways to pay on arrival.

So can I use a Wise card in Vietnam to cut out foreign transaction charges and get a better rate? This guide to using your Wise card in Vietnam covers all you need to know about spending and withdrawals to make your trip go smoothly.

Can I use Wise in Vietnam?

Yes. If you have a Wise account issued in Australia, you can use it when travelling to Vietnam to:

• Spend and withdraw cash using your Wise card
• Convert AUD to VND
• Send money internationally, including to Vietnam

You can use Wise in Vietnam conveniently and easily, allowing you to keep down the costs of foreign currency transactions. Use your Wise card in Vietnam for spending and withdrawals, and get a Wise Young Explorer for children from 6 - 17 to allow them to manage their money with low fees during your trip. You can also use Wise to make payments and transfers online, such as booking hotels and tours in advance, all with the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees.

Can I use the Wise card in Vietnam?

So, is the Wise card accepted in Vietnam for day to day spending?

Debit and credit cards are widely accepted in Vietnam in hotels, and in larger restaurants and stores in the cities and major tourist areas. The Wise card is issued on either the Visa or Mastercard network, which are the most commonly accepted card networks in the country.

However, it’s helpful to know that debit cards aren’t universally accepted in Vietnam. Smaller stores, markets and coffeeshops may prefer cash. For this, you can use your Wise card in Vietnam at an ATM to get cash whenever needed.

How to order a Wise card

Having a Wise card in Vietnam can mean paying less in the end for your trip. Here’s how to get your Wise card so you’re all set for your holiday:

1. Open your Wise account, get verified and add a balance in AUD or another supported top up currency
2. In the Wise app, go to the "Card" tab, and select "Order physical card"
3. Enter your shipping address, set a PIN, and confirm the name on the card
4. Pay the one-time fee of 10 AUD and your card will be dispatched to you

The typical card delivery times in Australia are 7 - 14 working days but you get instant access to digital Wise cards so you can start to spend online and use mobile apps like Apple Pay right away.

➡️ Order a Wise card

How you can use Wise in Vietnam

The official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese dong - VND. Wise accounts support holding and exchanging across 40+ currencies including VND.

This means you can add a balance to your Wise account with your bank, card or PayID in dollars and then either exchange your funds to VND before the trip or use the card’s auto-conversion feature to switch when you transact. In either case you get the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees.

Here’s a rundown of how to use your Wise card in Vietnam to make paying for things simple and secure.

Make Chip and PIN payments

The Wise card supports Chip and PIN payments which you might need for higher price items and in some stores and hotels. If you ever forget your PIN you can securely sign into the Wise app to retrieve it, so you’re never caught out.

Add to your digital wallet

Your Wise physical card is compatible with wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay - plus you can also use Wise digital cards for extra security when making mobile payments.

Digital Wise cards can be generated and used immediately for free once you order your physical card. As they have different card details to your physical card you can just freeze or destroy your card after payment if you’re concerned the card details may be stolen or skimmed.

ATM withdrawals with your Wise card

With Wise you can make withdrawals up to 400 AUD monthly with no fee. A 2.69% fee then applies to any amount in excess of the monthly free withdrawal allowance*.

Some ATM operators add their own fees to your withdrawal. While you can usually see if this is the case with a message on the screen before you confirm, it’s frustrating if you then need to change ATMs to get a better deal. Instead of this, Wise offers their in app travel hub which shows you where to find a free ATM nearby so you can plan in advance.

It’s also worth remembering to pay in VND in Vietnam even if the ATM gives the option of paying in dollars. Paying in AUD costs more as the terminal operator can add fees which you won’t necessarily see until after the transaction is completed.

Link to local apps

Add your Wise card to any apps you use often before you travel - and download local tools such as Grab which you can use with Wise when you’re in Vietnam.

Grab¹ is a super popular all round app for Vietnam with ride hailing, takeout food, and ways to pay by scanning a QR code - an excellent fall back if you ever find your card isn’t accepted and you don’t have cash to hand.

Making online payments with the Wise card

Your Wise card can be handy even before you travel, with options to make online payments in VND with mid-market exchange rates and low fees. Use your Wise card to pay your hotel deposit or book up trips, tours and attractions in advance so you know it’s all sorted before you travel.

Tips for using your Wise card

Finally, we’ve got a few smart pointers to pay for things easily in Vietnam with no surprise fees:

• Use Wise to get discounted airport lounge passes in app before you travel, so you can your friends can hang out in style before hopping on a plane
• Check ATM limits on withdrawals - while the ‘best’ ATM changes from time to time, VPBank and Techcombank have a reputation for high limits and ease of use
• Get a Wise Young Explorer card if you’re travelling with children to allow them to buy souvenirs and manage their travel money independently and with low costs
• Use the Wise app for freezing or unfreezing your card, set up instant transaction notifications, check your limits and get help 24/7 with the chat feature if you ever need it

Your Wise card is a great travel companion with easy ways to spend and make withdrawals when you’re in Vietnam. Add money in AUD and switch to VND to set your travel budget in advance, or let the card’s auto-convert feature do it for you when you pay - in either case you get the mid-market rate, no foreign transaction fees, and low, transparent charges you can check in the app.

🚀 Get your Wise card