Why do ATMs and shops in Marshall Islands just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
Just came back from a short trip and can confirm-Wise cards are pretty much useless in the Marshall Islands. I tried three different ATMs, including the one near Alele Museum, and none of them recognized the card. Tried using it at a restaurant in Uliga, and they said ‘only local cards or cash.’ If you're heading here, bring plenty of USD in cash-it’s your safest option.
I actually had success at the Bank of Guam ATM inside the EZ Price Market in Majuro. I withdrew in USD, used chip+PIN (no contactless), and had set my Wise account to USD ahead of time. It didn’t work anywhere else, though-shops and cafes all preferred cash. So yeah, while it’s hit or miss, it can work if you prep everything correctly and stick to major bank locations.
I couldn’t get my Wise Visa to work anywhere in the Marshall Islands-not at shops, not at hotels, and definitely not at any ATMs. Tried at Robert Reimers Hotel and a few convenience stores in Rita-always got a ‘declined’ message. Locals mentioned that international payment systems are shaky and most people use cash only. I ended up wiring myself money via Western Union from my Wise balance. A bit old-school, but it got me through.
I visited Majuro last month and tried using my Wise Mastercard at the Bank of Guam ATM-got declined instantly. Same thing happened at Bank of the Marshall Islands near Delap. Locals told me foreign cards often don’t work due to limited banking infrastructure and connectivity issues. Wise had worked fine for me in Hawaii the week before, so I wasn’t expecting this. Had to use USD cash for everything-thankfully, it’s the main currency here.