Why do ATMs and shops in Aruba just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
I had zero issues with my Wise Visa card at CMB Bank ATM near Eagle Beach. I just set it to withdraw in florin (AWG), used chip+PIN, declined the ATM’s conversion prompt. Worked instantly. Before, I was trying inside malls and cafes in USD mode and kept getting declined. Moral: go to a reputable bank ATM, set currency to AWG, and stick to chip+PIN. Seemed to fix it 100 %.
Funny thing-I live in the UK and used my Wise card fine there, but in Aruba nothing would go through. No shops, no cash machines-even the ATM at Queen Beatrix airport declined me twice. Finally did this: enabled international transactions in the Wise app, topped up a bit in florin, then hit the Banco di Caribe ATM in Oranjestad. It worked on third attempt with chip+PIN only. So try another bank’s ATM, enable chip internationally, and top up in AWG.
I was in Palm Beach and Noord in April-Wise just wouldn’t go through, either chip+PIN or contactless. The ATM screen asked if I wanted conversion to USD or AWG, I chose AWG, but Wise still flagged it. I finally found an ATM at CMB Bank inside Palm Beach Plaza that worked. Tip: use chip+PIN, decline dynamic conversion, withdraw florin. Also bring a backup Visa debit-that worked everywhere.
had this exact problem in Oranjestad. I tried ATMs at Aruba Bank and RBC Royal Bank but my Wise Mastercard got declined every time. Shops on Main Street (like cafes in the Renaissance Mall) also refused it. I ended up pulling US D (which is widely accepted alongside the florin) from Aruba Bank ATM inside the branch. Switched to USD, paid in florin when needed-worked fine.