SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
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» Update
In January 2026, Pomelo was acquired by Zepz, a global payments group. The card was temporarily paused while it's being integrated as part of this transition. Some of the information below may be out of date.
If you're new to the U.S., the Pomelo Card is among several options that can help you build credit here. It reports your credit history to all three major credit bureaus, and as a Mastercard, it can be used to make purchases virtually anywhere.
But the Pomelo Card has an interesting wrinkle: Unlike other credit cards, you can also use it to send funds to other people without having to pay money-transfer fees — as long as those people happen to live in the Philippines.
Issued by Coastal Community Bank and serviced by financial tech company Pomelo, the card is a niche product that comes with a few other unusual features. When you apply, you'll get either a secured or unsecured version, based on eligibility (more on that below). And because it’s technically a charge card, not a credit card, you won't pay any interest charges, since the balance must be paid off in full every month.
It's rare to be able to skip money transfer fees or cash advance charges when using a card in those ways. Yes, you can still tap other cost-effective options when transferring money internationally — but typically those methods can't pull double-duty by simultaneously helping your credit scores.
Here’s what to know about the Pomelo Card.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Applying for the Pomelo Mastercard will not initially impact your credit scores. You’ll get to view your offer first. If you accept the offer, your credit scores may drop temporarily, as is typical when applying for a new line of credit. Your credit scores usually bounce back eventually as long as you maintain a good payment history. 1. There are no interest charges, and fees are low
As a charge card, the Pomelo Card doesn’t function like a credit card. You can’t carry a balance on it from one month to the next, so you won’t pay interest or some of the fees that are typically associated with true credit cards. You have until the end of each monthly billing cycle to pay your balance in full.
If you don't, however, it is possible to incur a late fee of up to $39.
Also, if you qualify only for the secured version of the card, there is an added cost in the form of a security deposit. More on that below.
2. There's a potentially high credit limit
Both versions of the Pomelo Card offer the possibility of a credit limit as high as $2,500, which is sizable for a starter card. The difference is that, with the secured version, you'd actually have to come up with $2,500 to put down as the deposit. That's because with secured cards, the deposit becomes your credit line.
Fortunately, the secured version only requires a minimum deposit of $50, which is quite low compared with the several hundred dollars that other secured cards may require. And as with any secured card, the secured version of the Pomelo Card will give you your deposit back when you close the account in good standing, or if you're able to upgrade to the unsecured version of the card, also known as the "Pay Later Plan."
🤓 Nerdy Tip
A higher credit limit can offer more flexibility as long as you use it wisely. It's recommended that you don't exceed 30% of your card's available credit limit, to avoid a negative impact on your credit scores. When you have a higher credit limit, it may be easier to stay under that threshold. 3. Sending money with the card won't incur a transfer fee ...
As of this writing, you can use the Pomelo Card to send money only to the Philippines. The money can be transferred within minutes, according to the card’s website.
Money is sent as a bank transfer or through the Pomelo app with the Pomelo Card to a "GCash Wallet," a mobile wallet that allows you to make digital transactions in the Philippines. You'll have to enter the recipient's phone number to send it. Before sending money, however, double-check the details of the recipient because once it’s sent you can't recover it.
With either option, there are no money transfer fees assessed, said Ladd Martin, chief marketing officer at Pomelo International, in an email. The minimum you can send is $20, but you’ll be able to send as much as your credit limit allows within the parameters below. (Paying off the balance early will free up the card's credit limit and allow you to send more money, hence why these limits exceed the Pomelo Card's $2,500 credit limit.)
| 24-hour limit | 7-day limit | 30-day limit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | $2,999 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Number of transactions | 10 | 20 | 40 |
4. ... And in fact you'll earn rewards for doing so
As of Feb. 6, 2025, holders of the Pomelo Card can earn two points for every dollar sent as a money transfer to the Philippines using the card.
Points can be redeemed for digital gift codes that can be sent to loved ones in the Philippines to use for rides, food delivery and other options through the Grab app, which is available in Southeast Asia.
5. You may be able to upgrade your card
If you initially qualify for only the secured version of the card, Pomelo will regularly review your account to see whether you qualify for an upgrade to the aforementioned "Pay Later Plan" unsecured version, taking into consideration payment history and account standing, said Martin. Contrary to its name, the Pay Later Plan offers the same amount of time to pay off the bill as the secured version of the card. (Again, with either version, you must pay your balance in full by the end of the monthly billing cycle.)
If you prefer a more specific upgrade timeline — along with rewards — the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can offer that. After seven months, Discover begins automatically reviewing your account to see whether you can qualify to upgrade to an unsecured card.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card also earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It requires a minimum deposit of $200, but you can get it back eventually when you close the account or upgrade to an unsecured card with the issuer.
However, if it's important that you're able to transfer money with your credit card, the Pomelo Card is probably the better and cheaper choice.
