Popular bank card gives customers the ability
to earn, save, and spend their money
TORONTO, Nov. 20,
2023 /PRNewswire/ - EQ Bank (Banque EQ in Québec) is
offering Québec customers a new way to earn, save and spend their
money, with the introduction of its popular EQ Bank
Card1 (Carte Banque EQ). Customers can use the card
to withdraw cash for free at any ATM in the country, earn cash back
on their spending, earn high interest on their card balance, and
travel without paying foreign currency conversion fees.
EQ Bank Card customers are actively using it every day and
across more than 140 countries (20% of total card transactions are
international). Since launch, EQ Bank customers most commonly use
the card for everyday transactions such as buying gas, groceries
and dining out.
"Based on our understanding, EQ Bank Card users are the most
satisfied banking customers in Canada, and we want to offer that same
experience to the Québec market," said Mahima Poddar, Group Head of Personal Banking.
"We offer everyday banking that combines the benefits of a chequing
account with the high interest of a savings account, and we're
seeing this resonate in Québec. The EQ Bank Card rounds out that
offering and we're confident that this is the card Québec customers
will want in their wallet for day-to-day spending, cash access, or
travel."
The EQ Bank Card offers several distinctive features for an
everyday bank card:
- Free cash withdrawals from any ATM in the country.
Whether it's via an ATM at another bank, grocery store, or even an
independent ATM at a convenience store, customers can withdraw cash
for free anywhere in Canada and EQ
Bank will reimburse any ATM fees incurred.
- Cash-back rewards. With the EQ Bank Card, customers load
and spend their own money while earning 2.50% everyday interest +
0.50%2 interest on their card balance when they direct
deposit their pay or set up recurring pre-authorized debits, and
0.5% cash3 back on every purchase, online or
in-store.
- No foreign transaction fees4.
Other card providers charge a foreign currency conversion fee on
international purchases that can add up to 3% of the purchase
amount. EQ Bank does not charge any foreign currency conversion
fees; customers only pay Mastercard's competitive foreign exchange
rate while travelling outside of Canada.
To get the EQ Bank Card, new customers can sign up in a
matter of minutes to open a Savings Plus Account (Compte Épargne
Plus in French). From there, they can fund their account and order
a free card with just a few quick clicks. Once they receive and
activate the card, they can load it in seconds by moving money from
their Savings Plus Account or Joint Savings Plus Account.
The Savings Plus Account combines a high interest account with
features of a chequing account—like an unlimited number of Interac
e-Transfers®, free bill payments, no minimum balance, and zero
monthly fees. The Joint Savings Plus Account does all that and
offers the ability to share the account with up to three other
people. EQ Bank's GICs bring guaranteed returns with some of the
best rates in the market, while the TFSA Savings Account offers
tax-free interest on every dollar with no minimum balance and zero
fees.
All EQ Bank deposit products are eligible for CDIC deposit
insurance†.
About EQB Inc.
Equitable Bank—Canada's Challenger Bank™—is a wholly owned
subsidiary of EQB Inc., which trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange
(TSX: EQB) (TSX: EQB.PR.C) and serves more than 543,000 customers.
Equitable Bank's wholly owned subsidiary Concentra Bank supports
Canadian credit unions and their more than 6 million members. With
more than $108 billion in combined
assets under management and administration, Equitable Bank has a
clear mandate to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich
people's lives. Founded more than 50 years ago, Canada's Challenger Bank™ provides diversified
personal and commercial banking, and through its digital EQ Bank
platform (eqbank.ca) has been named the top Schedule I Bank in
Canada on the Forbes World's Best
Banks 2021, 2022 and 2023 lists. Please visit
eqbank.investorroom.com for more details.
1 The
EQ Bank Card is a prepaid reloadable Mastercard issued by Equitable
Bank pursuant to a license from Mastercard International
Incorporated.
|
|
2 Interest is calculated daily on the
total closing balance and paid monthly. For the EQ Bank Card,
interest is paid into the linked Savings Plus Account. Rates are
per annum and subject to change without notice. For the Savings
Plus Account, Joint Savings Plus Account and EQ Bank Card, the
current base interest rate is 2.50%. Customers who add and maintain
qualifying recurring direct deposits or pre-authorized debits of at
least $500/month to/from a Savings Plus Account or Joint Savings
Plus Account are eligible to earn a bonus interest rate of 3.00%
for the eligible accounts (the Savings Plus Account, Joint Savings
Account and the EQ Bank Card balance) for a maximum period of 12
consecutive months. Conditions apply. Please review the EQ Bank
Bonus Interest Offer Terms and Conditions for
details.
|
|
3 Cash
back will be paid monthly. See the EQ Bank Card Agreement for
details on earning cash back and other terms and conditions that
apply to the EQ Bank Card.
|
|
4 Foreign currency transactions will
be subject to the Mastercard Currency Conversion rate. Banque EQ
does not charge any additional FX fee or markup.
|
|
™Trademark of Equitable
Bank, all rights reserved.
|
|
® Trademark of Interac
Corp. Used under license
|
|
† Equitable Bank
is a member of CDIC. Banque EQ is a trade name of Equitable
Bank.
|
|
Deposits made under
Banque EQ and Equitable Bank are aggregately eligible for CDIC
protection up to $100,000, per insured category, per
depositor.
|
Investor
contact:
Sandie Douville
Vice President, Investor Relations & ESG Strategy
investor_enquiry@eqbank.ca
|
Media
contact:
Deborah Chatterton
Director, Communications
dchatterton@eqbank.ca
|
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eq-bank-card-launches-in-quebec-as-carte-banque-eq-301993766.html
SOURCE EQ Bank