The first premium card casualty of 2026: HDFC Infinia

First Major Casualty of 2026 in Premium #CreditCards Is Here!!!
#HDFCInfinia has officially Devalued!
From now on, Brand Voucher purchases via #Gyftr #SmartBuy earn only 3x rewards, down from 5x.
That means: #Rewards drop from ~16.6% to ~9.9%, 40% devaluation!

Why This Was Inevitable
Post-COVID, two things exploded:
- Infinia issuance (no longer as “exclusive”)
- Manufactured spends, fueled by #finfluencers selling the fantasy of “free foreign trips”

To control the bleeding reward points, #Banks have only two options:
Shut out users Or devalue rewards

#Axis had done this with #Magnus in the past. Now HDFC has followed!

Does It Still Make Sense to Hold Infinia?
Yes, for now.
Even post-devaluation, Infinia still offers:
- ~3.3% value on regular spends
- Unlimited lounge access, including add-on cardholders
- Major Brand Vouchers at 10% rewards value
- Hotels continue to earn 10x rewards, while flights 5x

Where Will High Spenders Move Next?
My bet, #ICICI Emeralde Private Metal (EPM as we CC enthusiasts call it)
At least currently, it mirrors Infinia’s value proposition.
But remember, this is a temporary refuge, not a permanent solution.
Every premium card eventually gets “optimized.”
A bank would never run a rewards program at a loss!

The Bigger Truth Most Don’t Want to Hear -
- Credit cards cannot make you rich
- There is no perfect credit card
- As awareness increases, rewards will fall.

By the way, I called out during my 2025 credit cards review, expect more devaluations in 2026! Seems the cycle has begun!
https://lnkd.in/gzcgdKgG

Revised Rewards guidelines from the bank - https://lnkd.in/gxkxcpEw