Revolut’s vending machine at NUS provides students with a convenient way to obtain free debit cards, offering a range of financial tools and benefits.
Students at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are now able to get a free Revolut debit card directly from a vending machine, a first in Singapore. Launched in November 2024 by the London-based fintech company Revolut, the vending machine is located next to the NUS Business Analytics Centre on the fourth floor of Biz2, the university’s business school.
The process is simple and quick: users tap on the screen to select the card, and then activate it by scanning a QR code on the envelope it comes in. New users must sign up for a Revolut account, while existing customers can also obtain a new card. Revolut’s chief executive for Singapore, Raymond Ng, highlighted that this service addresses the needs of students, particularly those under 21, who often find traditional banking options unsuited to their lifestyle and financial needs.
The debit cards, launched in partnership with Visa, offer a variety of features tailored to students, such as no fees for currency exchanges up to $5,000 on weekdays, the ability to hold up to 34 currencies, and access to financial tools like budgeting, analytics, and investing via the Revolut app. The cards can be used worldwide in over 200 countries and are accepted by more than 100 million merchants.
Ng emphasized that many Singaporean students study abroad or travel frequently, and Revolut’s low-fee structure is particularly beneficial for managing overseas spending. Although the vending machine is currently located at NUS, Revolut plans to expand this initiative to other locations in Singapore, though no specific timeline or venues were mentioned.
The vending machine has already caught the attention of NUS students, though some were unaware of it until now. Students such as Titus Lowe, a Year 4 computer science student, found the vending machine a convenient way to obtain a card at no cost. However, other students, like business student Jerome Wong, have expressed interest in trying it out to explore the service.
While not all students are eager to switch, with some like James preferring other cards like YouTrip, Revolut’s initiative is seen as an innovative solution to enhance the student experience and improve financial accessibility for the campus community.
