Citibank Corporate Credit Card: Features, Fees, & Application Process [2025]

Philippine businesses looking for corporate payment solutions often consider Citibank's offerings. As one of the world's largest financial institutions with a strong presence in the Philippines, Citibank operates what it claims is the largest self-owned commercial card platform globally - servicing over 100 countries with local currency programs in 59 markets¹.

Citibank has been serving businesses here since 1902, making it one of the most established names in institutional banking. But after selling its consumer banking operations to UnionBank in 2022, Citi Philippines now focuses exclusively on serving corporate and institutional clients.

This guide breaks down Citibank's corporate credit card options for businesses in the Philippines. We'll cover the features, fees, and practical applications of their cards, then show you how Wise Business can help you manage international transactions without the foreign currency fees that typically come with traditional corporate cards.

Table of contents
Citibank's corporate card options: What's available? How does a corporate credit card work? Citibank Corporate Card: Key features for travel and expenses Citibank corporate card fees: What you'll actually pay Wise Business Card: Low-cost card for global business spending How to apply for Citibank's corporate cards Is Citibank's corporate card a great fit for Philippine businesses?

Citibank's corporate card options: What's available?

Citibank offers several commercial card products, though not all may be directly available to Philippine businesses through their local operations. Here's how the main offerings compare:

Card Type	Primary Use	Key Features	Best For
Citi Corporate Card	Travel & entertainment expenses	Global acceptance at 35M+ merchants, up to 55 days interest-free credit, travel benefits³	Employees with regular business travel needs
Citi Virtual Card Accounts	Specific payment scenarios	Unique 16-digit numbers per transaction, validity from 1 day to 2 years, customisable controls	Contractors, infrequent travelers, group training expenses
Citi One Card	Multiple expense types	Single platform for all transactions, policy-driven with default limits, global multi-currency support	Organisations wanting streamlined, consolidated payments
Citi Purchasing Card	Procurement & B2B payments	Accepted at 90M+ merchants¹, ERP system integration, enhanced reporting	Teams buying goods and services for business operations

*Details accurate as of 30th September 2025.

The main difference between these cards comes down to control versus convenience. The Corporate Card and One Card are physical cards your employees carry daily - the Corporate Card focuses specifically on travel and entertainment, while the One Card handles all expense types in one place. Virtual Card Accounts take the opposite approach by generating temporary digital card numbers for each payment, giving you tighter control over who spends what and when, but requiring more administrative setup for each transaction. The Purchasing Card sits somewhere in between - it's a physical card like the first two, but designed specifically for buying goods and services from suppliers rather than booking travel or paying for meals. For most Philippine businesses, the choice really comes down to whether you need specialised cards for different purposes (Corporate for travel, Purchasing for procurement) or prefer the simplicity of everyone using the same card type (One Card), with Virtual Accounts reserved for one-off payments where you need extra security controls.

The challenge for Philippine businesses is:

• not all these options may be readily available through Citibank's local operations, and
• foreign transaction fees apply across several corporate card types

If your business has frequent overseas travel expenses or software subscriptions charged in USD, EUR or other foreign currencies on your corporate card, the foreign transaction fees will quickly add up.

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How does a corporate credit card work?

Corporate credit cards simplify business expense management by basing the credit line on your company's financial statements rather than individual employee creditworthiness. The company holds liability for the debt, not individual cardholders.

For Philippine businesses, corporate cards solve several practical problems. Your team can keep personal and business expenses separate from the start, eliminating the tedious receipt submission process. They're useful for online purchases like booking flights, paying for software subscriptions, and handling utility bills, as well as in-person expenses during work trips.

The real benefit comes from the controls. You can set spending limits for specific employees and restrict what the cards can be used for - so that coffee on the way to work doesn't go through the company account. Many corporate cards also include expense management tools and rewards programs that actually benefit your business.

Let’s now look at the key features of Citibank’s most popular card options.

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Citibank Corporate Card: Key features for travel and expenses

The Citi Corporate Card, designed for travel and entertainment expenses, includes several features relevant to Philippine businesses:

• Global acceptance - The cards work at more than 35 million merchants worldwide, with access to over 2 million ATM locations³.
• Multi-currency support - Local currency issuance in over 65 countries and 47 currencies, which helps if you have operations across multiple markets³.
• Extended payment terms - Up to 55 days interest-free credit to help manage business cash flow³.
• Security features - Chip and PIN technology for transaction security, plus 24/7 customer service centres supporting 25 languages.
• Travel benefits - Coverage for travel delays, essential document replacement, and protection against lost or delayed luggage.
• Digital management platform - CitiManager provides program and account management tools, with both desktop and mobile app access². The platform offers real-time transaction monitoring, customisable reporting, and spending controls.

Citibank Virtual Card Accounts: Enhanced control for specific scenarios

Citi Virtual Card Accounts offer a digital-first approach for businesses that need extra security and control over specific payments. Instead of issuing physical cards, the system generates unique 16-digit card numbers for each transaction.

• Digital card generation - Creates unique, plastic-free card numbers with client-specified authorisation controls for each payment.
• Multi-currency support - Available in 40+ countries and nearly 30 currencies, providing flexibility for international payments⁴.
• Flexible validity periods - Card numbers can be set to work for as little as one day or as long as two years, depending on your needs.
• Customisable controls - Set supplier-specific restrictions, limit by merchant category, and choose between single-use cards or cards that handle multiple transactions.
• Enhanced security - Minimises fraud exposure by generating unique numbers for each payment scenario, with up to 29 user-defined data fields for detailed tracking.
• Multiple access methods - Three ways to generate cards: easy-to-use website, batch-file process, or real-time XML-based API for system integration.
• Fast reconciliation - Electronic, traceable solutions eliminate paper-based payments and streamline expense tracking.

Virtual Card Accounts work particularly well for managing contractor payments, group training expenses, interview travel, relocation costs, or emergency travel situations where you need payment capability without issuing a permanent physical card.

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Citibank corporate card fees: What you'll actually pay

Here's where traditional corporate cards get expensive, and Citibank is no exception. While specific pricing isn't publicly listed on their website, here's how Citibank's fees compare to Wise Business:

Fee Type	Citibank Corporate Cards	Wise Business Card
Annual/Monthly Fee	Varies by card type as negotiated by individual businesses (typically charged per card annually)	Transparent 1,400 PHP one-time setup fee, no monthly fees
Foreign Transaction Fee	Typically 1-3% per transaction	No foreign transaction fees
Interest Rate	Applies if balance not paid in full	No interest rates on debit cards
Currency Conversion	Bank exchange rate (typically 2-4% markup)	Mid-market rate + transparent conversion fee from 0.57%

*Details accurate as of 30 September 2025.

These “small” fees add up fast. For businesses paying for foreign software subscriptions, or managing overseas travel, the foreign transaction fees alone can significantly impact your bottom line.

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Wise Business Card: Low-cost card for global business spending

While Citibank's corporate card offers solid basic features, Philippine businesses dealing with international transactions might find better value with Wise Business.

💡Ready to simplify your team's business spending? Give them their own Wise Business Cards and connect them to your Wise Business account. No more using personal cards for business expenditure. No more manually reconciling personal card reimbursements. Wise Business lets you monitor and approve card payments instantly.

• Get your first Wise Business card for free when you open a Wise Business account.
• Give your team their own corporate debit cards to keep expense management clean.
• Receive instant spending notifications and track expenses in the Wise app.
• Approve payments, set spending limits, and freeze your card if you've lost it.
• Always get the mid-market rate with transparent conversion fees starting from 0.57%.
• Say goodbye to monthly fees and foreign transaction fees.

➡️Get your Wise Business Card today

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

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How to apply for Citibank's corporate cards

If you've decided Citibank's corporate card fits your business needs, the application process requires working directly with their institutional banking team rather than applying online.

Your company must initiate the application and meet these basic requirements:

• Registered or incorporated business entity in the Philippines
• Valid business registration documents
• Recent financial statements and tax returns
• Designated company administrator for card management

The process involves submitting company documentation, completing the corporate card application form, establishing company policies for card usage, and designating authorised administrators. Citibank then assesses your company's financial position and creditworthiness - this can take several weeks, depending on your business structure's complexity.

Once approved, cards are issued to designated employees, and your company gains access to the CitiManager expense management system.

Is Citibank's corporate card a great fit for Philippine businesses?

Citibank's corporate card platform offers extensive global coverage and robust management tools, which make sense for large enterprises with complex international operations. The 24/7 multilingual support and acceptance at 35 million merchants worldwide provide reliability for businesses with significant travel requirements.

However, the foreign transaction fees present a real cost for businesses making regular international payments.

Those fees - typically 1-3% per transaction - quickly add up when you're subscribing to foreign software, or managing international travel expenses.

Here's where Wise Business Card takes a different approach.

There are no foreign transaction fees. You get the mid-market exchange rate (the one you find on Google) with transparent conversion fees starting from 0.57%. Hold 40+ currencies in one account instead of juggling multiple bank accounts. Get local account details in major currencies so overseas clients can pay you like you're a local business.

When choosing between using a personal bank account for business in the Philippines versus proper business financial tools, remember that professional business accounts like Wise Business or Citibank's corporate cards provide better expense tracking, clearer separation of business and personal finances, and features specifically designed for company needs. Understanding the differences between Wise personal and business accounts can also help you choose the right solution for your specific situation.

Whether you're paying for software subscriptions, or handling travel expenses, the right corporate payment solution significantly impacts your business's financial efficiency. Understanding your options helps you make informed decisions for your company's unique requirements.

➡️Get your Wise Business Card today

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Sources:

1 - Citibank Commercial Cards

2 - Citibank Commercial Cards

3 - Citibank Corporate Card Documentation

4 - Citibank Virtual Cards Documentation

Sources checked on 30th September 2025.