If you hold an HDFC credit card that earns reward points, this is the kind of change that can quietly hurt your returns. HDFC Bank has updated its reward points structure and raised the spend threshold to ₹200****, which means some cardholders will need to spend more before earning the same rewards.
This is a classic devaluation move because the earning hurdle has gone up. Even if the headline reward rate looks unchanged, a higher threshold usually means fewer effective rewards on everyday purchases, especially for smaller transactions. For people who use their card for groceries, quick dining bills, fuel top-ups, or other routine spends, this can add up faster than you’d expect.
The key thing to watch here is how your card’s earning pattern changes in practice. If your spends are often below the new ₹200 threshold, you may end up leaving points on the table more often than before. That makes the card less attractive for low-ticket transactions and pushes you to think harder about which card you swipe for which category.
For rewards enthusiasts, this is exactly the kind of update that should trigger a quick review of your wallet. If you have another card that still rewards smaller spends more efficiently, it may deserve more of your monthly transactions. On the other hand, if your average ticket size is already well above the new threshold, the impact may be less painful — but it’s still a change worth noting.
What should you do? If your HDFC card is one of your everyday spend cards, check whether the ₹200 spend threshold affects your regular transactions and move smaller purchases to a better alternative if needed. If you’re planning a new application, factor this change into your comparison before choosing HDFC for routine spending.