Customers who use their credit cards for bill payments, insurance premiums, and online shopping may soon receive fewer reward points.
SBI Card has announced major changes for PhonePe SBI Credit Card PURPLE and SELECT BLACK cardholders.
The new rules will come into effect from July 1, 2026. Under these changes, reward point limits will be reduced on several spending categories, while some transactions will no longer earn any reward points.
If you use one of these cards, it is important to understand the updated rules to avoid missing out on benefits.
New Reward Point Rules for PURPLE Cardholders
SBI Card has revised the monthly reward point limits for PhonePe SBI Credit Card PURPLE users.
Earlier, cardholders could earn up to 1,000 reward points per month on eligible PhonePe transactions. Under the new rules:
Insurance spends will earn a maximum of 250 reward points per month.
Other PhonePe spends will earn a maximum of 750 reward points per month.
The reward point limit for online spends has been reduced from 1,000 to 750.
This means PURPLE card users will now earn fewer reward points on several common transactions.
SELECT BLACK Users Also Affected
PhonePe SBI Credit Card SELECT BLACK cardholders will also see a reduction in reward point benefits.
Previously, users could earn up to 2,000 reward points per month on PhonePe spends. From July 1:
Insurance spends will earn a maximum of 500 reward points.
Other PhonePe spends will earn a maximum of 1,500 reward points.
The reward point limit for online transactions has been cut from 2,000 to 1,000.
As a result, SELECT BLACK users may notice a significant drop in monthly reward earnings.
No Reward Points on These Transactions
SBI Card has expanded the list of transactions that will no longer qualify for reward points.
These include:
Toll and bridge payments
Gift purchases
Jewellery shopping
Payments made to educational institutions
Utility bill payments made outside the PhonePe app
Insurance premium payments made outside the PhonePe app
UPI transactions completed outside the PhonePe app
Cardholders should keep this list in mind while planning their spending.
What Remains Unchanged?
SBI Card has clarified that only the reward point structure and eligibility criteria are being revised.
All other card features, benefits, and services will continue as before.
What Should Cardholders Do?
With the new rules taking effect from July 1, 2026, cardholders should review their spending habits and understand where reward points can still be earned.
Customers who regularly spend on insurance, utility bills, education fees, jewellery, or UPI payments may receive fewer reward points than before.
Knowing the updated rules can help users make better use of their cards and maximize available benefits.
