Synopsis: ICICI Bank has announced new fee changes for 2026, introducing charges on online gaming and several other transactions. This article breaks down all the new rules, updated fees, and what cardholders need to know.
ICICI Bank has officially announced a set of changes to its credit card features and fee structures. These changes are going to take place effective from January 15 and February 1st 2026 as per ICICI Bank’s official communication. The bank will introduce new transaction fees for online gaming and wallet loading.
There will also be tightening on the criteria for popular perks like movie tickets and reward points. Read below to understand the recent announcement and also find the handy table for a quick overview.
What are Merchant Category Codes (MCCs)?
For those who don’t know, understanding the MCC codes attached in the announcement is equally important. An MCC is a four-digit number assigned to a business by credit card networks (like Visa, Mastercard, or RuPay) based on the primary type of goods or services they provide. In the recent ICICI update, the bank specifically called out certain codes. Here is quick example of what they would mean:
| MCC Code | Business Category | Examples |
| 5816 | Digital Games | Dream11, MPL, Rummy Culture, Junglee Games and MPL. |
| 6540 | Non-Financial Institutions | Loading money into Amazon Pay, Paytm, or Mobikwik wallets. |
| 4111 | Transport | Metro cards, suburban trains and others |
| 4112 | Passenger Railways | IRCTC bookings, long-distance train tickets. |
| 4131 | Bus Lines | RedBus, Zingbus, or state-run transport bookings. |
| 4784 | Tolls & Bridge Fees | FASTag recharges and bridge tolls. |
1. Transaction Fees Update (Effective from January 15th 2026)
- A 2% fee will apply on transactions made on platforms like Dream11, Rummy Culture, Junglee Games, and MPL through (MCC) 5816
- Adding funds into third-party wallets like Amazon Pay, Paytm, MobiKwik, etc. will have a 1% fee if the transaction amount is ₹5,000 or more.
- Transportation spends (MCC 4111, 4112, 4784, 4131) exceeding ₹50,000 per month will have a 1% fee.
- Paying your credit card bill in cash at bank branches will now cost ₹150.
2. Movie Benefit Revisions (BookMyShow)
- The popular Buy One Get One (BOGO) offer is moving to a spend-based eligibility for most cards.
- To enjoy BookMyShow offers, you must spend at least ₹25,000 in the preceding calendar quarter.
Discontinued Benefit: Complimentary movie benefits will be completely removed for the Instant Platinum Chip and Instant Platinum credit cards starting February 1, 2026.
3. Revised Monthly Caps (Effective from February 1st 2026)
ICICI bank is introducing a monthly cap on reward points earned from transportation spends. The change is that you will earn reward points on your transportation spend up to a maximum spend of ₹20,000 (for premium cards) or ₹10,000 (for mid-tier cards) per month. Any spend above these amounts in the transport category will not earn any reward points.
Example: If you spend ₹25,000 on train tickets with a Sapphiro card – you will earn points on the first ₹20,000. The remaining ₹5,000 will not earn anything.
Also Read: Free Airport Lounge Access Ending for HDFC Debit Card Users: Here’s What Changes in 2026
4. Forex and DCC [Dynamic Currency Conversion] Fee Updates (Effective January 15th 2026)
| Card Variant | Revised DCC Fee |
| MakeMyTrip Travel Card | 0.99% |
| Times Black Card | 1.49% |
| Amazon Pay Card | 1.99% |
| Emeralde (Metal/PVC/Private) | 2.00% |
| All Other Cards | 3.50% |
5. Other Key Operational Changes
- A one-time fee of ₹3,500 will be charged for any new add-on card issued for the Emeralde Metal variant.
- ICICI has replaced the old UPI ID format for bill payments. The new format is: ccpay.<10-digit mobile number><Last 4 digits of card>@icici.
- Example: If your mobile number is 0000000000 and your cards ends with 1234 then your UPI ID id would be – ccpay.00000000001234@icici
- Cancellation of Instant EMIs (opted at the time of purchase) will now attract applicable foreclosure charges.
Conclusion
Most of the ICICI Bank’s new updates are focused on gaming transactions, wallets, and transport spends while also introducing a new capping of rewards. It would be wise to review your card’s specifics via the ICICI app or the official website and review your spending patterns based on the new revised features.
Written by Kenbi Riba
