Why do ATMs and shops in South Africa just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
My Wise card was basically useless in Durban. Tried multiple ATMs and shops, including at the beachfront and malls, but kept getting declined. Locals said that digital banks are still a novelty here and many systems aren’t compatible. I switched to using my traditional bank card and cash, which worked fine. Definitely bring a backup card if you’re visiting South Africa.
I actually got my Wise card to work at a Standard Bank ATM near the University of Cape Town - but only after selecting ZAR, declining currency conversion, and using chip+PIN. It didn’t work everywhere, especially smaller shops, but larger stores like Woolworths accepted it. My advice: always set your Wise card to ZAR in the app and try ATMs at major banks first.
In Johannesburg, my Wise Visa was refused at several ATMs, including Absa and Capitec Bank. Also couldn’t use it at shops in Sandton City - the POS machines just declined it silently. I contacted Wise, and they mentioned that South Africa’s banking network flags digital cards from overseas as risky. I ended up relying on cash and a backup Mastercard issued by a traditional bank.
I was in Cape Town last month and my Wise Mastercard kept getting declined at ATMs from Standard Bank, FNB, and Nedbank. Tried paying at restaurants in Long Street and even at the V&A Waterfront shops, but no luck. Locals told me some South African banks have strict filters on prepaid or fintech cards, so they often reject these transactions. I had to use cash and my regular bank card.