Why do ATMs and shops in Cambodia just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
I use Wise all the time but in Cambodia it wasn’t reliable. Shops and ATMs kept declining it, especially outside Phnom Penh. The network here seems to favor cards from local banks like Sathapana or international credit cards from Chase or HSBC. Also, Wise cards might not support the dynamic currency conversion options some ATMs require. My advice is to have at least one Visa or Mastercard from a traditional bank as backup while traveling here.
Had my Wise card declined a few times at standalone ATMs in Siem Reap. After asking around, I learned that banks like Prince Bank or Campu Bank often don’t accept cards they see as “virtual” or non-bank-issued. Wise works if you stick to bigger bank ATMs like BRED Bank or Vattanac of Canadia or even Sathapana but even then occasionally it’s a hit and miss. but i couldnt find a logic. once my card worked at a BRED ATM and then another BRED ATM it didn't. could be just a security issue in that moment. Some people I met used Wise only for online payments and kept another physical debit or credit card for cash withdrawals in Cambodia.
Wise cards work great in many countries but Cambodia is tricky. The local payment infrastructure is still catching up, and many ATMs or point of sale terminals reject fintech or prepaid cards because they can’t verify them properly. Also, some ATMs have higher security measures that block cards not issued by established banks like ACLEDA or Maybank. Best bet is to carry a backup Visa or Mastercard debit card from a traditional bank just in case.
Why do ATMs and shops in Cambodia just keep declining my wise card. It worked fine in other countries
I had the same problem with my Wise card in Phnom Penh. The issue is that a lot of Cambodian ATMs and merchants don’t always accept foreign prepaid or fintech cards. Banks like ABA or Canadia Bank often only support major Visa or Mastercard credit and debit cards issued by traditional banks. Wise is sometimes flagged as a prepaid or virtual card, so the system just blocks it. I ended up withdrawing cash with my regular Visa debit card instead.
Be careful with SACOMBANK in Cambodia - ATM charged me but didnt give out cash. The bank wasnt helpful, and I had to go through my national bank to try and reclaim the $200.