Federal Bank Credit Cards 2026: All 10 Cards, Fees, Best Picks & Offers

Most people know Federal Bank as the Kerala bank their relatives use for NRI remittances. It isn't the name that comes to mind when you think of credit cards. Yet, as of August 2026, it holds about 27.36 lakh cards, up roughly 50% from around 18 lakh in November 2025.

Federal Bank lists 10 credit cards of its own, and it also issues the popular Scapia and OneCard co-branded cards. It’s just that Federal Bank credit cards aren’t rewarding. Even the best of them return well under 1% at best.

This article lists every Federal Bank credit card, along with the real return on each and which ones are worth your time.

Who is Federal Bank, and Where Does It Stand with the RBI?

Federal Bank is a private sector bank, founded on 23 April 1931 by K. P. Hormis as the Travancore Federal Bank. It was renamed Federal Bank in December 1949. In 1970, it became a scheduled commercial bank.

The bank is listed on the NSE (FEDERALBNK) and BSE (500469), and its head office is in Aluva, near Kochi, in Kerala. It runs around 1,600 branches, with a strong presence in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Every deposit you hold with Federal Bank carries DICGC insurance of up to ₹5 lakh per depositor, which is separate from anything to do with your credit card. In February 2026, the RBI reportedly cleared Blackstone to take a 9.99% stake through warrants worth about ₹6,197 crore, which would make it the bank's largest single shareholder.

The card book of the bank has grown fast but unevenly. As of June 2026, Federal Bank ranked 11th among Indian credit card issuers, with a 2.08% share and about ₹2,619 crore in monthly card spends. Its April 2026 disclosure stated that it has roughly 8 lakh cards under its own brand and 13 lakh co-branded cards.

Federal issues on Visa, Mastercard and RuPay networks, with the Signet family available on all three. Its co-brand partnerships have often been affected due to regulatory issues. The bank has ended its Fi co-branded card and paused new issuance with OneCard.

Full Federal Bank Credit Card Catalogue

The RuPay Wave is a floater card. It shares the credit limit of a Federal credit card you already hold, so you can't apply for it on its own.

Signet, Imperio and Celesta are lifetime free for customers onboarded April 2023 onwards. Federal's charges schedule still lists the fees, but they apply only to older customers (unless they cross the waiver thresholds).

Federal also issues two business cards, the Fed StarBiz Visa and RuPay, but they’re available only to sole proprietors and small business owners. A VALUEMAX card has also been spotted, but it hasn’t been announced publicly yet. So, its details are rather unclear.

Co-branded cards issued by Federal Bank

Federal Scapia is a zero-forex card free for life. It earns 20% Scapia coins on travel bookings (about 4%) and 10% on everything else (about 2%). Unlimited domestic lounge access opens after ₹20,000 in monthly spends. Our Scapia credit card review from Reddit covers how that works.

Federal Bank also has a Paisabazaar Paisaback card with a ₹500 fee that's waived at ₹1.5 lakh of yearly spend, aimed at grocery spending.

OneCard (Metal) is a free Visa metal card with 5X rewards on your top two spend categories. But RBI has paused new OneCard issuance in December 2025.

Best Federal Bank Credit Cards to Pick

If you fly a few times a year (and sometimes abroad), take Visa Celesta. It's the only Federal card with international lounge visits, and the 2 yearly visits don't need any spend. Domestic visits are locked behind a ₹20,000 a month spend-gate, though.

You travel abroad often and want no forex charge: Scapia. Celesta's 2% markup on ₹1 lakh of foreign spend costs you ₹2,000 plus GST, and Scapia charges nothing. It also earns about 2% back on other spends, which is far above anything in Federal's own line-up.

You pay for groceries, medicines and pay utility bills via card: Visa Imperio. It earns 3 points per ₹150 on healthcare and groceries. On ₹15,000 of grocery and healthcare spend, that's about ₹75 a month (at ₹0.25 a point). It's a small number, but the card is free and adds BigBasket vouchers once you spend ₹50,000 in a quarter.

If you spend on new phones, clothes and movie tickets a few times a year, check Visa Signet. Although it rewards only 3 points per ₹200 on electronics/apparel, the card is free. And the one lounge visit a quarter is a bonus.

You already hold a Federal card and pay for most things via QR. Get the RuPay Wave. It links to UPI and shares your existing limit.

Across the whole range, Federal's own cards return between 0.125% and 0.75%. So, a Federal card works best as a free lounge card next to a stronger rewards card. Our list of the best credit cards for travel in India is a good place to find that second card, and the lifetime free credit card list shows what else costs nothing.

Recent Federal Bank Credit Card News and Launches

Federal's terms document dated 7 September 2026 list a new VALUEMAX credit card with 5% back on fuel. But we haven’t seen any public presence of the card yet.

On 30 April 2026, Federal Bank announced that it would buy up to 4.5 lakh credit cards from Standard Chartered India. Our post on the Standard Chartered to Federal Bank migration covers it in detail, and the Standard Chartered issuer page lists the cards affected.

On 20 March 2026, Federal discontinued the Fi co-branded credit card after RBI tightened the norms on co-branded cards. Reward points stopped that day, and cardholders were moved to the Federal Scapia card unless they opted out.

On 10 January 2026, Federal revised the interest rate on its cards. The rate depends on the average monthly balance in your Federal Bank savings/current account. Those with an average balance of ₹50,000 or more pays 23.88% a year. Below ₹50,000 (or with no Federal account), the rate stays at 45% a year, or 3.75% a month.

On 8 December 2025, the RBI directed OneCard to pause new card issuance with its partner banks, over concerns about how customer data was shared with the banks. The pause covers new cards only, so existing OneCard holders can keep using their cards.

On 1 October 2025, Federal put a spend condition on lounge access. Signet needs ₹20,000 in the previous quarter for 1 domestic visit. Imperio needs ₹40,000 for 2 visits, and Celesta needs ₹60,000 for 2 domestic visits, with its 2 international visits left free. Add-on cardholders also lost lounge access from that date.

It's one of the many devaluations across issuers, and we have covered the most recent ones in our list of Indian credit cards devalued in 2026.

On 4 November 2025, Scapia and Federal launched shared add-on cards, so a primary cardholder can add up to three family members on one credit limit. The Scapia add-on card news has the rest.

FAQs about Federal Bank credit cards

Which Federal Bank credit cards are free for life?

Signet, Imperio, Celesta and RuPay Wave are free for life. Federal's fee schedule still lists ₹750, ₹1,500 and ₹3,000 for the first three, but those fees apply only to those who joined before 3 April 2023. If you joined earlier, you pay them (unless you meet the spend waiver), so check your offer letter. Scapia card is also free.

Which Federal Bank credit card has the best lounge access?

Celesta has the best lounge access. It gives 2 domestic visits a quarter if you spent ₹60,000 in the previous quarter, and 2 international visits a year with no spend condition. Imperio gives 2 domestic visits a quarter on ₹40,000, and Signet gives 1 on ₹20,000. Our guide to credit card lounge access explains how these visits work at the airport.

Did Federal Bank cut lounge access on its credit cards?

Yes, from 1 October 2025, Signet, Imperio and Celesta moved from unconditional lounge access to spend-based access, and add-on cardholders lost lounge access entirely. Celesta lost the most, since it now needs ₹60,000 a quarter for domestic visits.

What happens to my Standard Chartered credit card?

If it's one of the cards Federal bought, the account moves after 31 July 2026 with its credit limit, balance and reward points. You can accept on Federal's migration page or by SMS, and continuing to use the card after the move also counts as consent. Federal hasn't published a card-to-card mapping, though.

What is the forex markup on Federal Bank credit cards?

Celesta charges 2%, and Signet, Imperio and RuPay Wave charge 3.5%. Federal Scapia charges no forex markup.

Does Federal Bank have a credit card that works on UPI?

Yes, the RuPay Wave is Federal's UPI card, but it's a floater linked to a credit card you already hold. Scapia's RuPay variant also works on UPI, with 5% back on eligible spends of ₹500 or more.

Is the Scapia card issued by Federal Bank?

Yes, the Federal Scapia card is issued by Federal Bank, and Scapia is the fintech app that runs it. Axis Bank also launched a Scapia credit card on 3 September 2026, and Bank of Baroda issues a Scapia card as well. The fees, rewards and eligibility differ by bank, so check which one you're applying for.

What interest rate does Federal Bank charge on credit cards?

Federal charges up to 45% a year, or 3.75% a month, if you don't keep an account with the bank or your average monthly balance in it is under ₹50,000. For an average balance of ₹50,000 or more, the rate has been 23.88% a year since 10 January 2026. Pay in full every month and the interest doesn’t affect you.

Which Federal Bank credit card is best for international travel?

The Scapia card is best for international travel because it has no forex markup. Celesta is the pick if you want lounge access too, at 2% forex plus 2 free international lounge visits a year.

Does Federal Bank offer a credit card for businesses?

Yes, Federal offers Fed StarBiz Visa and RuPay cards for sole proprietors and small businesses, and the limit works like an overdraft.

Conclusion

If you already bank with Federal, its cards cost you nothing as long as you use it. Celesta is the one with real lounge value. But check the fee on your offer letter and work out whether you'll hit the quarterly spend for your lounge visits. Pair it with a better rewards card if everyday cashback matters to you.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and doesn't constitute financial advice. Eligibility criteria, fees and product features mentioned are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of September 2026, but they can change without notice at the issuer's discretion. Please read the latest Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) on the Federal Bank website and consult a certified financial advisor before applying for any credit card.