top of page
251204 Stripo Newsletter Header (3).png

Published on: 22-12-2025

Important Update on Card Top-Ups & New Regulatory Changes (Effective January 2026)

We would like to share an important update regarding card top-ups on your Vircle e-wallet. These changes are driven by new global card-network regulations and they will take effect on Vircle from January 2026.

 

We understand that changes to top-up methods are never ideal, and we want to be upfront, clear, and supportive as we walk you through what this means for you and your family. 

Why The Changes?

Since 31st January 2025 (excluding grace period provided for full compliance), all eWallets and financial apps worldwide are required to comply with a new card-network regulation known as Account Funding Transactions (AFT). This is part of the enhanced global anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud-prevention requirements enforced by Visa™ and accepted by Mastercard™.

 

Under these rules, eWallet top-ups will no longer be treated as regular online purchases, but instead as fund transfers from your Debit or Credit card account.

What Does This Mean For You?

1. How card top-ups are processed

  • A new card processing partner gateway & bank will be introduced in the app. The user experience will remain as is so you will not experience drastic changes in the app.

  • Card top-ups will be treated as fund transfers, not spending transactions by your bank.

  • All Malaysian-issued Visa™ and Mastercard™ cards are compliant with AFT and will continue to work on Vircle.

2. Foreign issued cards

  • Foreign issued Visa™ debit and credit cards will no longer be supported for top-ups due to additional AFT restrictions imposed to our partner bank.

  • Foreign issued Mastercard™ is accepted by Vircle, but approval depends on whether your foreign bank has implemented AFT compliance. This may lead to higher rejections.

Please be assured that this is not unique to Vircle. Most major e-wallets in Malaysia adopted these same requirements earlier in 2025 and have similar limitations with foreign cards.

Recommended Top-up Options

To make top-ups easier and more reliable, we strongly encourage the following options:

  • FPX Online Banking – remains fully available and widely used

  • DuitNow Interbank Transfer – recently launched, allowing direct top-ups from your preferred bank or eWallet

  • Wise™ transfers – available for international parents using Wise multi-currency accounts. Wise™ supports DuitNow transfer to your Vircle eWallet.

Learn more about the financial institutions that allow DuitNow transfers to Vircle here:👉 https://www.vircle.com/duit-now

Introduction of 1% Credit Card Top-Up Convenience Fee

We would also like to remind parents that the 1% credit card top-up convenience fee, which was announced at the beginning of 2025, will now be implemented.

  • Originally planned for February 2025, this fee was deferred to minimise disruption

  • From 15 January 2026, the 1% fee will be progressively introduced

  • Full implementation will take effect on 1 February 2026. The convenience fee applies only to credit card top-ups and will be clearly shown in-app before you confirm a top-up.

  • Upon implementation of the 1% fee, current Credit Card top up Monthly limit of RM 1,000 will be removed. Monthly limit will remain for Debit Card top ups.
     

**Note : the 1% convenience fee will NOT apply to pay-direct, i.e when paying for meal plans, eStore, invoices and other in-app purchases directly using your credit card at check out (for schools that allow credit card payment channels)

A Note From Vircle

We understand that the above may take some getting used to and we truly appreciate your patience as the industry moves towards stricter security and compliance standards. Our priority remains the same: to provide a safe, reliable, and parent-friendly platform for managing your child’s money.

bottom of page