Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card

Overview

The Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card is a co-branded travel card built by the fintech Scapia and issued by Federal Bank. It is aimed at younger, travel-focused spenders who want premium travel-card features without paying premium fees. The headline draws are simple: it is lifetime free, it charges zero forex markup on international transactions, and it rewards you well when you book flights and hotels inside the Scapia app. You can pick a Visa variant or a RuPay variant, and the RuPay option lets you pay by UPI directly from the card.

Rewards and earning

Rewards come as Scapia Coins, where 5 coins are worth ₹1 (so each coin is ₹0.20). Travel and hotel bookings made through the Scapia app earn the most: around 20% back as Scapia Coins, which works out to roughly 4% in real value. Everyday spends also earn, as long as each transaction is ₹500 or more. On the Visa variant that is about 10% back as coins (close to 2% value), while RuPay UPI spends earn around 5% as coins (about 1% value). The point to understand up front is that Scapia Coins can be redeemed only for travel bookings inside the app, not taken as cashback or statement credit, so the card rewards people who keep booking their trips through Scapia.

Fees

This is where the card stands out. There is no joining fee and no annual fee, ever, so there is nothing to earn back and no spend target to chase for a waiver. On top of that, the card applies zero markup on international transactions, which is unusual on a free card and is normally reserved for expensive premium products. That combination makes it genuinely cheap to hold and to swipe abroad.

Eligibility

Federal Bank lists the card for resident Indians. Salaried applicants generally need to be between 21 and 65 years old, while self-employed applicants are usually considered from 25 to 65 years. A healthy credit profile helps, and a CIBIL score of 750 or above improves your chances of a clean approval.

Who it is for

This card suits frequent and aspiring travellers who are happy to plan and book trips inside the Scapia app, and anyone who wants a no-cost card for spending overseas without the usual 2% to 3.5% forex fee. It is also a strong pick as a first or second card, since there is no fee risk at all. It is a weaker fit if you prefer flexible cashback that you can spend anywhere, or if you book most of your travel outside the Scapia ecosystem, because that is where the best earn rates live.

Verdict

For a lifetime free card, the Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card packs in benefits that usually cost real money: zero forex markup, meaningful travel rewards, and an airport lounge or shopping benefit worth up to ₹1,000 per trip. The main things to keep in mind are that coins are worth ₹0.20 each and can only be spent on travel within the app. If that matches how you travel, this is one of the best value entry-level travel cards in India right now.