August 17, 2026, 6:19 p.m. (JST)
[Japan] Sony Bank announced that, as of July 14, 2026, the cumulative total spent on overseas shopping via Sony Bank WALLET had reached 200 billion yen.
Sony Bank WALLET, a Visa debit card usable overseas, ranked first overall in the 2026 Oricon Customer Satisfaction Survey for “Debit Cards” and celebrated its 10th anniversary this year since its launch.Launched in 2016, it was Japan’s first cash card with Visa debit functionality to support 11 currencies (Japanese yen, U.S. dollars, euros, British pounds, Australian dollars, New Zealand dollars, Swiss francs, Hong Kong dollars, Canadian dollars, South African rand, and Swedish kronor).
It can be used at Visa merchant locations in over 200 countries and regions worldwide. Additionally, it offers cashback rewards ranging from 0.5% to a maximum of 2.0% on domestic purchases.
A key feature of Sony Bank WALLET is that for 10 eligible currencies—including the U.S. dollar and the euro—users can pay directly from their foreign currency account when shopping at overseas Visa merchants. By purchasing foreign currency in advance, users can shop without worrying about exchange rate fluctuations. There are no overseas transaction fees at the time of payment, allowing users to keep overseas usage costs lower than with typical credit cards.Furthermore, even if your foreign currency deposit balance is insufficient, the “Yen Assist” feature automatically purchases the necessary amount to cover the shortfall, ensuring smooth transactions even if you haven’t prepared foreign currency in advance. The exchange cost for U.S. dollars is capped at 15 sen, significantly lower than rates at airport or downtown currency exchange counters.
You can also use your foreign currency account to make payments for online shopping from Japan, such as on overseas e-commerce sites. Since there are no overseas transaction fees in these cases either, you can enjoy shopping at a better value compared to standard credit cards that charge in Japanese yen. (paymentnavi Editorial Team)
