iFAST Global Bank - anyone with experience of this UK regulated bank?

HHUK

Issues using the card at Morrisons today 1 May.

Spent the princely sum of £5.55 and attempted to pay using chip and PIN.

Initially the card reader screen indicated the transaction had been accepted, but then the message suddenly changed to 'Payment Declined'.

Called a member of staff who cleared it and asked me to try again. So I did, but this time it was declined immediately and I ended up using a different card.

When I checked in the iFast App later, only one of the two transactions was showing as declined, so I raised a dispute.

I subsequently looked at the App again (without logging on) and a blue banner appeared saying Card services were briefly unavailable from 14:16 to 15:05 UKT due to a connection issue. Services are now back to normal.  I was at the checkout at around 14:45 and luckily I kept the 2 receipts showing the declined transactions.

EDIT There is another blue banner on the app today Friday 2 May advising that Card services were briefly unavailable from 09:45 to 10:49 UKT on 2 May due to a connection issue. Services are now back to normal. 

I have now emailed copies of the two Morrisons receipts to iFast and await their response with interest.

HHUK

As one door closes, another opens - eventually.
iFast's new offer is 2% cashback on overseas spending of up to £1,250 per month on the debit card until 31 October. So maximum attainable cashback of 3 x £25. Overseas spending includes online payments to merchants based outside UK

https://www.ifastgb.com/en/home?campaignCode=Meta_OCKVs_20250731&fbclid=IwY2xjawL6_tpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFnb2pYM3A2ZDFTWU9EUzVmAR6aYIIkbUC0Jz-LdFZ9WoCFOaDHVfIy7igehvCApDwRFrwlBAYLv8wkYe-8oA_aem_8p9F0jkxlowszk99SBaeuQ

SparkandShine

Yes I also saw the ifast 2% cashback for overseas payment, it applies to online payment as well, though last until 31 Oct only

lon_don

Has anyone found a way to top up/credit  iFast EUR account, with EUR (i.e. direct transfer EUR to EUR without going via GBP+fx exchange), for free? I tried to transfer from Wise but there is a 5.76€ fee (not surprising since IFast is not SEPA so uses SWIFT transfer). I tried from an EU EUR bank account but the transfer got rejected. I don't see an option in the iFast app to top up using an EUR debit card. So I guess it's not possible (and Revolut is a superior multi currency account).

SparkandShine

lon_don said:

Has anyone found a way to top up/credit  iFast EUR account, with EUR (i.e. direct transfer EUR to EUR without going via GBP+fx exchange), for free? I tried to transfer from Wise but there is a 5.76€ fee (not surprising since IFast is not SEPA so uses SWIFT transfer). I tried from an EU EUR bank account but the transfer got rejected. I don't see an option in the iFast app to top up using an EUR debit card. So I guess it's not possible (and Revolut is a superior multi currency account).

I know ifast has enabled SEPA to send EUR out earlier, but they haven't enabled for funding in yet that might be the issue as SEPA is free of charge. I also used Wise for quite some time, and I just did the fx transfer to send EUR/HKD into ifast (though there is fx cost using Wise but i think it's still bearable for small value)

SparkandShine

Just noticed ifast seems to have brought back their cashback thing for December. I only spotted it today from email and it runs until 31 Dec. This time is 1.5%, check their website www.ifastgb.com for details