An easy method To pay for Your AXS Bills? Here's Why The Quiet Addition Of GrabPay Is Great News For AXS Users

Without any doubt, AXS is one of the most widely-used bill payment platforms in Singapore.

Starting with introduction from the standalone AXS Station kiosks in 2001, AXS has expanded its offerings with both on the internet and mobile app (m-Station) payment. Using the AXS m-Station app, Singaporeans are now able to pay their bills or fines, including those from government departments or public institutions, right in the convenience of their smartphones anytime and anywhere.

Unlike the kiosk which accepts only bank ATM cards, AXS m-Station provides multiple payment modes, for example PayLah, eNETS and charge cards. As the credit card option appears to be attractive, it arrives with its own limitations.

For instance, only credit cards from Citibank, DBS/POSB, UOB, OCBC banks and Diners Club, in addition to MasterCard-label credit cards, are accepted, rendering other cards (such as American Express or UnionPay cards) inapplicable for usage.

In addition, AXS transactions are often excluded by card providers as an eligible spend towards cash rebate or miles accrual, including transactions on AXS m-Station.

However, the quiet inclusion of GrabPay in August as a new payment mode in AXS m-Station may perhaps alter the rules altogether. Let's let you know that so in the following paragraphs.

#1 You Can Now Use Any Credit Credit Card (Indirectly) To Make Payments On The AXS m-Station App

Frequent users of Grab will know that they are able to utilize just about any charge card to top up their GrabPay wallet for payment on Grab rides or at selected merchants and hawker stalls.

The inclusion of GrabPay like a payment mode means you are no longer confined to using only MasterCard credit cards or charge cards issued by the forementioned banks for the payment of bills using AXS m-Station.

In fact, after you are able to use other cards such as American Express, JCB or UnionPay cards to pay your bills, albeit indirectly.

The trick here is much like spending money on rides and purchases: simply to top up your GrabPay wallet making use of your preferred charge card and, consequently, use GrabPay on AXS m-Station to pay for your bills!

If topping up your GrabPay wallet before paying your debts on the AXS m-Station app isn't a hassle, this may be a welcoming change for you personally.

#2 Earn Miles Or Cash Rebates From Your Charge card Spend On AXS Bill Payments

As mentioned earlier, AXS transactions are ineligible for money rebate or miles accrual for charge card spending.

The great news is you can skirt for this restriction. All you need is simply by topping your GrabPay wallet, before selecting it as a payment option on AXS m-Station. This task makes it possible to earn cash rebates and miles in your credit card for bill payments via AXS.

While your preferred charge card should award you money rebates or miles for each dollar spent on topping your GrabPay wallet, there are several ongoing tie-ups between Grab and card issuers that will make your bill paying experience with GrabPay enticing.

For those who prefer cashback, you need to make use of the ongoing UOB x Grab promotion on UOB One Card. During the promotional period, one more 5% cash rebate is going to be awarded on all Grab transactions, including GrabPay top ups, over the quarterly cash rebates awarded for eligible monthly minimum spending on the credit card.

For people who prefer to earn miles, you need to think about American Express. Amex's selection of KrisFlyer charge cards are now offering additional two miles (on top of the usual miles awarded) for each dollar charged on all Grab transactions, including GrabPay. The offer is capped at the very first S$200 charged on Grab transactions in each thirty day period.

How To Use GrabPay With m-Station

If you’re sold on the benefits of using GrabPay, you will be glad to understand that using GrabPay on AXS m-Station is a reasonably easy process.

As a start, when you are completed with entering the payment details of your debts, you just need to select GrabPay because the payment mode upon prompt.

Next, you will be necessary to link the m-Station app for your GrabPay wallet by entering your mobile phone number registered for your GrabPay wallet, and then entering the one-time PIN sent to you via SMS.

The transaction is complete once you have confirmed the payment details.

Exclusions Yet others Items to Note When Using GrabPay With m-Station

With great matters in life, there are some exclusion you will need to take note of when using GrabPay on AXS m-Station.

Firstly, like the existing credit card payment mode, GrabPay can't be accustomed to settle any loan and credit card bill payments. Of these transactions, you'll be necessary to use other modes of payment, such as a MasterCard debit card or eNETS, for example.

Notwithstanding the exclusions however, GrabPay can be used as bill payments to many institutions and billing organisations, for example:

– Internet and telephone bills, including Singtel, Starhub and M1;

– Insurance payment, for example AIA, Aviva, Great Eastern Life and Manulife;

– Town councils;

– Electricity bills;

– Hospital bills, and many more.

Secondly, do observe that GrabRewards points are not issued for AXS payments. Based on the Grab's terms and conditions, merchants that are not eligible for GrabRewards points include bill payment services and aggregators, a category which AXS falls into.

Lastly, do note that there is a spending limit of S$5,000 on unverified GrabPay Wallet. If you intent to use GrabPay like a primary payment mode, you may desire to improve your limit by verifying your identity with Grab using MyInfo via SingPass.

That said, we believe the amount of additional miles and cash rebates that you'll earn from your charge card via GrabPay should offset the disappointment in the exclusions and limitations.

The introduction of GrabPay on AXS m-Station will definitely alter the way the way we will pay our bills. As regular consumers, the payment mode empowers us with increased choices, albeit within an indirect fashion. Despite the limitations and exclusions, a new avenue is created which allows us to earn credit card cashback and miles on for paying the bills, that was once impossible.

Who would be the winners of this game? For now, it's us.