How to Choose the Best Octopus AAVS Credit Cards in Hong Kong

How to Choose the Best Octopus AAVS Credit Cards in Hong Kong

Do you know that Octopus AAVS (Automatic Add Value Service) with credit cards can earn you cashback, rewards, miles, and more generous promotions? Check out our curated selection of credit cards for your Octopus AAVS top-ups here on MoneySmart. Keep reading to learn more, and apply now to start enjoying the benefits!

Table of contents: Best Octopus AAVS Credit Cards

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Best Octopus AAVS Credit Cards

What is Octopus AAVS?

The Automatic Add Value Service (AAVS) is the automatic top-up service. Whenever your Octopus runs out of value, the AAVS is activated automatically. With over 20 financial institutions offering AAVS, you can get your AAVS without much hassle.

What benefits can you enjoy by using Octopus AAVS credit card?

Using Octopus AAVS will earn you the usual credit card benefits like cash rebates, air miles, etc.

Earning credit card cash rebates

By using a credit card to add value to your Octopus automatically, you can earn cash rebates that can offset your credit card spending. Don’t forget to compare the various options available with the highest cash rebate.

Earning air miles rebate

With designated credit cards, you can earn air miles when you automatically add value to your Octopus card. For example, adding value with a Citi Prestige credit card can earn you HK$6 for every 1 mile, which can be used to redeem flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.

Which Octopus AAVS credit card should you choose? Octopus AAVS credit card rewards overview

While the best credit card for Octopus AAVS rebates may vary, it's important to note that most credit cards limit automatic top-ups to once per day.

Here is the Octopus AAVS credit card rewards overview:

Credit Card

Octopus AAVS Cash Rebate

Octopus AAVS Air Miles Conversion Rate

Standard Chartered Simply Cash Visa Card

1.5%

-

Citi Cash Back Credit Card

1%

HK$6/mile

Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard

-

HK$6/mile

Prime Credit EarnMore UnionPay Diamond Card

0.4%

-

Standard Chartered Smart Card

0.55%

-

Citi Octopus Platinum Card

0.5%

-

Citi Octopus Platinum Card: 15% discount on transportation

Looking for a way to save on your daily commute? The Citi Octopus Platinum Card has got you covered! While it may not offer much cash back on Octopus AAVS, this card gives you a 15% discount on CTB, NWFB, KMB, LWB, railway, green minibus, ferry, and tram fares when you spend HK$3000 or more per month. Get on board with Citi and start saving on your daily travels!

Citibank logo
Up to 15% transport fare rebate
Min. Annual Salary
HK$120,000
Rebate on transportation fare payments
15%
Tunnel tolls and parking fee rebate
5%

Citi Cash Back Card: 1% rebate with no cap

The Citi Cach Back Card is a great option for earning rewards on Octopus AAVS. The card gives you 2% cash rebate on local dining, local hotel and foreign currency spending, while 1% cash rebate on other spending in local currency, which also includes Octopus AAVS, with no limits on earnings. 

Citibank logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
2% foreign currency rebate
Annual Fee
First Year Annual Fee Waiver
Rebate on Overseas Spending & Local Dining
Unlimited 2%
Rebate on Local Spending
Unlimited 1%
MoneySmart Exclusive:

⚡【4-Day Flash Offer ✨ Upgraded Gifts or HK$2,000 Cash! Rewards Worth Up to HK$5,200 + Trip.com Promo Codes! 🎉】
From 7 July to 10 July 2026, new customers who successfully apply for a designated Citi credit card via MoneySmart with eligible spending of HK$4,000 within 30 days after card issuance (approval by 31 July 2026) can receive one of the following rewards:
✈️ 8 x Plaza Premium Lounge APAC 3 hrs Access Pass (Total value: HK$5,200) or
✈️ 4 x Hong Kong Plaza Premium First with Infinity room 3 hrs Access Pass (Total value: HK$4,600) or
🎁 Philips RO Water Dispenser ADD6910DG - Grey (Value: HK$3,388) or
🎁 Plus Minus Zero XQJ-C010(II) Dehumidifier (Value: HK$3,298, random color) or
🎁 Philips NA547/07 Multifunction Airfryer with Steam (7.2L) (Value: HK$2,398, random color) or
💳 HK$2,000 Apple Store Gift Card / ParknShop e-Vouchers

 

+ Trip.com 8% OFF 🏨 Hotel Booking Promo Code + HK$100 Flights ✈️ Promo Code (upon claim submission)!T&Cs applied.

Valid until 10 Jul 2026

Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard: miles rebate

The Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard offers the lowest air miles conversion rate in town at HK$4/mile. As for the Octopus AAVS, you can earn an add-on of HK$6/mile to your mile-earning journey.

Standard Chartered logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Miles Conversion(Eligible spending on Cathay and HK Express)
Up to HK$2=1 mile
Miles Conversion (Eligible spending on dining, hotels and overseas category)
HK$4 = 1 mile
Bank Limited Time Welcome Offer
40,000 miles
MoneySmart Exclusive:

Surprise Deal⚠️ Limited-time Boost Just Dropped**【Get HK$2,000 Cash Rewards - No spending required🤩】**
From 8 July until 10 July 2026, new cardholders who successfully apply for Standard Chartered Cathy Mastercard via MoneySmart and get approved can enjoy one of the following rewards, with no spending required:
💥 HK$1,800 HK$2,000 Apple Store Gift Card / ParknShop e-Vouchers / Trip.com e-Vouchers
・8 x Plaza Premium Lounge APAC 3 hrs Access Pass (Value: HK$5,200)
・4 x Hong Kong Plaza Premium First with Infinity room 3 hrs Access Pass (Value: HK$4,600)
・PHILIPS RO Water Dispenser with Cooling ADD6912/90 (Value: HK$3,788, random color)
・LOJEL Cubo 26-inch Front-Opening Expandable Suitcase (Rose) (Value: HK$3,300)
・SONY WF-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Value: HK$2,599, random color)
+Trip.com up to 8% Hotel Bookings 🏨 Promo Code + Trip.com up to HK$200 Flights ✈️ Promo Code (upon claim submission) ! T&Cs applied.
⠀⠀
⚡️By 23 July, successfully apply for Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard, and have the card issued by 13 August can automatically get a chance to win 2,000 miles to 364,000 miles, which is enough to redeem two Business Class round-trip tickets from Hong Kong to Europe*!

Valid until 10 Jul 2026

EarnMore UnionPay Diamond Card: 0.4% cash back on Octopus top-up service

Topping up your Octopus card with Prime Credit EarnMore UnionPay Diamond Card can earn you 0.4% cash back in 2026. But on the other hand, you can earn 2% cash back on all eligible transactions. This is the card you want to keep in your wallet for its straightforward cashback mechanism.

PrimeCredit logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Earn 2% cashback from everyday spending
Min. Annual Salary
HK$0
Cash back on overseas spend
2%
Cash back on local spend
2%
MoneySmart Exclusive:

🌟Exclusive Deal Alert【PrimeCredit x MoneySmart - Welcome Offer up to HK$1,540 cash rewards】
MS Exclusive: From now until 31 July 2026, new customers who successfully applied for EarnMORE UnionPay Diamond Card via MoneySmart, can earn 3,000 SmartPoints without any spending and redeem HK$300 worth of vouchers in the Rewards Store (over 20+ brand vouchers including Apple / Wellcome/ HKTVmall etc)!. Click here for more details. T&C applied. (fulfilled by MoneySmart)
⠀⠀
New PrimeCredit Credit Card Customers can also enjoy PrimeCredit Welcome Offer Extra HK$300 cash rebate AND one of the following Welcome offers:
・HK$1,240 cash rebate (included the extra up to 2% cash rebate)
・LG PuriCare™ AeroHit Air Purifier (Pet Version) (Suggested price: HK$3,090)
・Dreame F20 Robot Vacuum (Suggested price: HK$2,999)
・Up to HK$90K Interest-free and Handling Fee-free Cash Instalment Program
・Tertiary Student: HK$200 Cash Rebate (Extra reward fulfilled by PrimeCredit)
⠀⠀
See more reward details below

Valid until 31 Jul 2026

Standard Chartered Smart Card: HK$800 welcome offer

As a substitute, although Standard Chartered Smart Card doesn’t have as high a rebate as the Simply Cash Visa Card, we suggest first applying for Standard Chartered Smart Card to get a HK$800 welcome offer (spending HK$3,500 within 1 month after getting the card).

Standard Chartered logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Up to 5% rebate|Waive foreign exchange fee
Foreign currency transaction fee
HK$0
Cash back at Designated Merchants
5%
MoneySmart Exclusive Offer
Up to HK$2,398
MoneySmart Exclusive:

【July Flash Deal⚠️ Apply to Earn HK$1,500 Cash Vouchers / Up to HK$3,600 Rewards!】
From now until 10 July 2026, New Cardholders who successfully apply for Standard Chartered Smart Card via MoneySmart and get approved can enjoy one of the following rewards, with no spending required:
・Medicube Age-R Ultra Tune 40.68 Facial Beauty Device (Value: HK$3,600, random color)
・Philips 3000 Series Lightweight Cordless Vacuum (XC3031/61) (Value: HK$3,498, random color)
・AirPods Pro 3 (Value: HK$1,849, random color)
・BRUNO Oval Hot Plate + Grill Set + Steamer Set (Value: HK$1,798, random color)
・HK$1,500 Apple Store Gift Card / ParknShop e-Vouchers / Trip.com e-Vouchers
+Trip.com up to 8% Hotel Bookings 🏨 Promo Code + Trip.com up to HK$200 Flights ✈️ Promo Code (upon claim submission)!T&Cs applied.
⠀⠀
Plus, you can also earn SCB Welcome Offer: make Accumulated Eligible Transactions of HK$3,500 within the first month after card issuance can earn HK$1,000 CashBack (valid until 7.30)!

Valid until 10 Jul 2026

How to apply for Octopus AAVS?

There are two ways to add value to your Octopus card using a credit card in Hong Kong:

  • through an automatic banking top-up service, or
  • by adding Octopus to your iPhone, Apple Watch, Huawei Pay, or Samsung Pay.

Through the automatic banking top-up service

With over 20 financial institutions offering automatic top-up services, applying for Octopus AAVS with a credit card is easy and convenient. You only need to be 18 years old or older and hold a valid credit card from a financial institution that offers automatic top-up service. You can apply online, and expect the approval process to take 2 to 3 weeks.

Here are the financial institutions available for AAVS:

  • AEON Credit Service
  • Bank of East Asia (BEA)
  • Bank of China Credit Card
  • Bank of Communications Hong Kong Branch
  • China Construction Bank (Asia)
  • Chong Hing Bank
  • Citibank
  • CITIC International Bank
  • Dah Sing Bank
  • DBS Bank
  • Fubon Bank
  • Hang Seng Bank
  • HSBC
  • ICBC (Asia)
  • Manhattan Credit Card
  • Shanghai Commercial Bank
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • CMB Wing Lung Bank

Once you've picked your credit card option for Octopus AAVS, head to the Octopus official website's bank list to find out how to apply.

Adding Octopus to your iPhone, Apple Watch, Huawei Pay, or Samsung Pay

To top up your Octopus card on your iPhone or Apple Watch,

  1. Simply open the Octopus app and click "Top Up" next to your Octopus card.
  2. Input the desired top-up amount and select "Top up with Apple Pay" or another payment method.
  3. Choose your preferred credit or debit card and confirm the payment.

With a maximum stored value of HK$3,000, your Octopus on your iPhone or Apple Watch can be used for a variety of purchases at retail stores, restaurants, and convenience stores.

What to do if you lose your Octopus card with AAVS?

If you lost your AAVS Octopus card, don’t panic. Here is what you can do:

  • Fill out your personal information on the MTR website, Octopus Lost Card Reporting Service, or call the Octopus Lost Card Hotline at 2266 2266 to report the loss.
  • After the successful report, the system will provide a report number for future follow-up records, and the report instruction cannot be withdrawn.
  • You only need to bear the loss within 3 hours after the successful report.
  • Follow all instructions from the phone system; otherwise, you will not be able to report the loss successfully.
  • After you have successfully reported the loss, MTR will arrange a refund for you. If you report a lost personal Octopus, you can also request a new personal Octopus when you report the loss.

The fees for losing different types of Octopus

Type of Octopus

Fee for Lost Card

Personal Octopus/Ordinary Octopus with automatic top-up service

HK$50 (including the handling fee and the cost of the card)

Tourist Octopus (Sold version) with automatic top-up service

HK$20

Octopus in iPhone or Apple Watch/Huawei Pay Octopus/Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay with automatic top-up service

HK$20

Frequently asked questions: Octopus AAVS credit card

Is there a handling fee for applying for an automatic top-up for Octopus with a credit card?

There is no handling fee for the first-time application for your Octopus, but a fee of about HK$20 will be charged for each subsequent card transfer.

How to cancel automatic top-up service?

Octopus card holders need to call the Octopus customer service hotline at 2266 2222 to cancel. After Octopus receives the instructions, it will send a confirmation letter. Octopus cardholders must bring the letter and Octopus to any MTR Customer Service Centre within 10 days of the date of the letter to complete the cancellation procedure.

How to apply for an automatic top-up for Octopus with a credit card?

The application methods of each bank are different; some have online applications, and some even require paper forms. After selecting the credit card, go to the bank list classified by Octopus official website to find out the application methods. 

Are you planning to travel to China? Wondering which payment app to use in China, WeChat or AliPay? Check out the following blog article for more information: WeChat or AliPay.

Looking to transfer money to friends but not sure where to start? Consider using FPS, a common tool for peer-to-peer transfers. If you're new to FPS, don't worry! We've got a beginner's guide on our blog that can help you get started. Check it out and start transferring money with ease!

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