Card keeps getting declined in Hong Kong?

I ran into the same problem using a Wise Mastercard at the airport ATM right after landing. Rejected with no explanation. Tried again at a Jetco ATM in a Circle K near my hostel in Causeway Bay and it worked there. Later I had the card declined at a restaurant even though it worked perfectly at a supermarket earlier. Locals said it's common for some terminals to randomly block international cards especially fintech ones. After that I withdrew enough cash to last a few days and used that instead. Stick to known bank ATMs like HSBC and Standard Chartered for better results. Even Bank of China, OCBC, and DBS Bank ATMs worked fine for me.

I had trouble with my Monzo Mastercard at several ATMs in Central and Sheung Wan. I kept getting transaction failed or unable to process messages. I finally had success using a Citibank ATM at the IFC Mall. After that I stuck to using card payments at larger chains like Watsons and Pacific Coffee where it worked fine. Smaller shops and some MTR stations declined it. It seems Hong Kong has more strict fraud filters for foreign cards than other places in Asia. Bring a backup if you can and always carry some cash. I later found out that some ATMs only accept Jetco and UnionPay cards!!! So ones from Nanyang Commercial Bank, CCB, Dahsing Bank and Chong Hing bank wont work with a Visa/Master, they usually take only CUP or Jetco cards. What a bummer.

Just got back from Hong Kong and both my US debit cards kept getting rejected at most ATMs and even at some shops. I was using a Charles Schwab card and a backup Capital One debit. Both failed at Bank of China and ICBC ATMs. A local expat told me to try Standard Chartered and that finally worked. I was able to withdraw cash without issues there. Some stores also declined my card unless it was chip and pin enabled. Contactless didn’t always work. If you’re getting rejections, try a different network like Jetco or look for ATMs inside malls or bank lobbies.

I had the same issue with my Wise Visa card during my stay in Mong Kok last month. ATMs from CCB and Nanyand Commercial Bank kept declining it even though the card worked fine in Japan the week before. I finally found success with a HSBC ATM inside a 7 Eleven near Nathan Road. It seems like not all ATMs in Hong Kong play nice with foreign cards. I also had a Revolut card that worked at POS terminals but not for cash withdrawal. I’d recommend trying HSBC or Standard Chartered machines and always choosing local currency when prompted.