Best HSBC Credit Cards

For the majority of the HSBC credit cards at least a good (700+) or excellent (750+) credit score is needed.

The only exception is the HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard Student Account which you can get with a fair (640+) credit score, but also a limited credit history.

HSBC will also take other things into consideration when deciding about your application, such as your income, debts or overall creditworthiness.

To get your HSBC credit card login info, you have to register for online banking via the HSBC site.

After verifying your identity, you will create a username and password.

Don't forget to activate your credit card before registering. You can do it here or through your HSBC Mobile App.

There’s no way to proactively check if you pre-qualify for an HSBC credit card. Sure, HSBC mails pre-approved credit card offers to potential applicants whose basic credit profiles indicate they will have a very good chance of getting approved. But you can’t request one. HSBC credit card pre-approval is invite-only, in other words.

But even though HSBC won’t let you check whether you pre-qualify, you can still take similar steps to determine whether applying is a good idea. Basically, you can pre-qualify yourself for an HSBC credit card by seeing how well you meet your chosen card’s approval requirements. Just bear in mind that official pre-approval typically gives you a roughly 90% chance of actually getting an account when you apply. So barely meeting a card’s minimum requirements may not cut it.

Here’s how to (pre) qualify for an HSBC credit card:

• All HSBC credit cards require good or excellent credit. Generally, good credit starts at a score of 660, and excellent credit begins at 719. However, we recommend considering good and excellent credit to mean 700+ and 750+, respectively. Your approval odds won’t be very good if you barely meet a card’s minimum requirements, after all.

  You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub.

• You must demonstrate the ability to pay an HSBC credit card’s monthly bills. Unfortunately, that’s hard to estimate because HSBC doesn’t disclosure its cards’ minimum credit limits.
• You need $100,000+ in an HSBC bank account to get the HSBC Premier Mastercard and $10,000+ to get the HSBC Advance Mastercard.

In short, there’s no way to tell if you pre-qualify for an HSBC credit card. But if you have good to excellent credit, applying for an HSBC card might be worth a shot. If your credit is bad, fair, or limited, don’t worry. You may not be eligible for one of HSBC’s credit cards, but there are still plenty of offers from other issuers.

No, there are no HSBC secured credit cards. Most HSBC credit cards are targeted to people with good credit or better.

If you're not set on HSBC as an issuer, check out our editors' picks for the best secured credit cards. Most will be available to those with bad or limited credit and some might even offer rewards.

The easiest way to you can reach the HSBC credit card customer service is online or by calling (800) 975-4722.

Here’s how you can reach HSBC credit card customer service:

• Online: You can contact their customer service by using their live chat.
• Via the HSBC mobile app: Download the app (for Android or iOS). Then, log in to your account and use to live chat option to contact the HSBC customer service.
• By phone: Call (800) 975-4722 to talk to a representative.
• By mail: You can contact the HSBC customer service via mail at:

          HSBC Customer Service Address
          HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
          P.O. Box 2013
          Buffalo, NY 14240

Keep in mind that using mail is the slowest way possible to contact HSBC. If you have any urgent inquiries, I'd suggest opting for other ways to get in touch with them.

HSBC credit card rewards are points or "Cash Rewards" units that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel, or charitable donations, depending on which credit card you have. HSBC credit card rewards points are worth around 1 cent each, but it can vary based on how you redeem them. For example, points redeemed for travel on the HSBC Premier World Credit Card and HSBC Elite Credit Card are worth more than cash back redemptions. You can see how much your rewards are worth by logging in to your online account.

Points can be earned by making purchases on most HSBC credit cards. Rewards are earned at different rates depending on which HSBC credit card you have. Some HSBC cards give extra points for different spending categories, such as travel or dining, while others give a flat rate for all purchases.

Here are the HSBC rewards credit cards:

• HSBC Elite Credit Card: Offers 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Earns 3 points per $1 spent on internet and streaming services, cable, phone, electricity, gym memberships and more, up to $3,000 (from January 1 to March 31, 2023), 3 points per $1 spent on travel, 2 points per $1 spent on dining and $1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Requires a credit score of 750, at a minimum. That means applicants need excellent credit for approval. Existing HSBC Premier checking account relationship is also required.
• HSBC Premier World Credit Card: Offers 35,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Earns 2 points per $1 spent on internet and streaming services, cable, phone, electricity, gym memberships and more, up to $2,000 (from January 1 to March 31, 2023), 2 points per $1 spent on travel and $1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Annual fee of $0 (accountholders with select HSBC checking accounts continue to benefit from the initial rate). Requires a credit score of 750, at a minimum. That means applicants need excellent credit for approval.
• HSBC Advance Credit Card: Earns 3 points per $1 spent on dining and select entertainment, 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases, up to $25,000 the first year. After that, 2 points per $1 spent on dining and entertainment, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Annual fee of $0 intro 1st yr, $0 - $45 after* (accountholders with select HSBC checking accounts continue to benefit from the initial rate). Requires a credit score of 750, at a minimum. That means applicants need excellent credit for approval.
• HSBC Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earns "Cash Rewards" units that amount to 3% cash back on all purchases for the first 12 months up to $10,000, 1.5% afterwards. $0 annual fee. Requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means applicants need good credit or better for approval.

There's no limit to how many HSBC credit card reward points you can earn. And the points don't expire. That said, credit card points can be devalued by the card issuer at any time, so it's best to redeem them often.

You can pay your HSBC credit card online, or over the phone at (888) 385-8916. Alternatively, you can make a payment by mail. 

Here’s how you can pay your HSBC credit card:

• Online: To pay online, just sign in to your HSBC credit card account or the HSBC app, and then select the credit card you want to pay. If you’re paying with an HSBC checking or savings account, click “Move Money” to make a credit card payment. If you’re paying with a non-HSBC account, click “My Account” and then “Payments.” From there, click “Make a Payment,” and choose the amount you’d like to pay along with which bank account you want to pay from.
• By phone: To make an HSBC credit card payment over the phone, call (888) 385-8916 or the number on the back of your card. Have your HSBC card around so you can easily input your credit card number when prompted by the automated system. The prompts will then guide you through the process of making a payment on your HSBC credit card.
• By mail: If you’d rather mail in an HSBC credit card payment, send a check or money order – along with the payment coupon from your credit card statement – to this mailing address: 

          HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
          P.O. Box 4657
          Carol Stream, IL 60197-5255

You can also pay your HSBC accounts automatically by enrolling in AutoPay. This way, you’ll never miss a payment. To enroll in HSBC AutoPay, log on to Personal Internet Banking. From the “My Accounts” menu select your HSBC Credit Card and then click the “Manage Card” button. From the menu, select “Payments” and then click “AutoPay”.

No, there aren’t any HSBC business credit cards at the moment. But there are alternatives for business owners looking for lucrative rewards and $0 fees.

For instance, the Ink Cash card offers 1 - 5% cash back on purchases and an initial bonus of $750 for spending $7,500 in the first 3 months. Another good business rewards credit card is the American Express Blue Business Plus card. It offers an initial bonus of 15,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, you can earn 1 - 2 points per $1 spent on purchases. 

The HSBC foreign transaction fee is 0% on all credit cards. That means you won’t be charged extra for making purchases that are processed internationally. So, all HSBC credit cards are a great choice while traveling abroad, or for online shopping with internationally based merchants.

Foreign transaction fees are charges applied to purchases processed in another country. That includes both purchases made abroad and from any merchants based outside the U.S.

You can apply for an HSBC credit card online or by calling (844) 867-5750. You can also apply at a HSBC Bank branch.

Here’s what you should know about the HSBC credit card application:

• You can apply online or at your nearest HSBC Bank branch. You can also apply over the phone at (844) 867-5750.
• You must first open an HSBC deposit account before applying for an HSBC credit card.
• To apply online you must be at least 18 years old, have a Social Security Number (SSN) and a U.S. residential address. If you don’t have a SSN or you have a military address, you must call (800) 975-4722.
• After applying, you can check your application status by phone at (844) 867-5750. Alternatively, you will receive your decision within 10 business days via mail. 

Moreover, you need excellent credit in order to get approved for an HSBC credit card. If you don’t know where you stand, check out your credit score for free on WalletHub.