The Currency Exchange in Brookvale and Wollongong are agents of MasterCard and sell their prepaid ATM/Debit travel cards - the Multi Currency Cash Passport Prepaid Mastercard Card.

MasterCard Cash Passport Cards are multi-currency prepaid travel money cards that are available in 9 currencies. Originally created as a replacement for travellers cheques they are a safe and convenient way to take, and spend, your money overseas. Not all Cash Passport agents sell the multi-currency cards so you should check before purchasing your cards.

The cards are designed for use overseas. Two cards are issued so that you are never stuck without access to your funds, plus you can get free replacement cards if your cards are lost or stolen.

By purchasing your card in a foreign currency (eg Euro) you can lock in the current exchange rate and take advantage of good exchange rates when the Aussie Dollar is strong - or know that you won't lose out if the Dollar is falling. The cards are available in US Dollars, Euros, UK Pounds, New Zealand Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, Hong Kong Dollars and Singapore Dollars plus Australian Dollars for all other destinations. More currencies are on the way - the next currency set for launch is Thai Baht but there is no date set as yet.

When using the cards to make purchases in stores (via EFTPOS) or to withdraw cash from ATM machines there are no fees. The only usage fees are extra fees that some ATM operators charge when you withdraw cash (which they charge for all cards) - ATM machines that make this extra charge should display this, though that is not necessarily the case in all countries. By using the EFTPOS facility as much as possible you can keep your fees very low - or even at zero.

The cards are reloadable and can be topped up before, during and after your trip. Full details of how to top up your card are available here.

At The Currency Exchange in Brookvale and Wollongong we do not charge you any fees to purchase or reload Cash Passport Cards in foreign currency.  There is a $15 (or 1%) set up fee for loads in Australian Dollars and a 1% fee for Australian dollar reloads. Our rates are also very competitive. You can find our latest rates on the currency converter at the top of the page. Cash Passport rates and set up/reload fees are different at all MasterCard agents. It pays to check these prices before committing to a purchase as your savings can be considerable. Our price comparison page also includes the other currency cards in the market.

Other Key Features:

Multi Currency

You can load funds onto your card in multiple currencies  

Security

The Cash Passport is not connected to your bank account and is CHIP and PIN protected 

Prepaid Convenience

Withdraw local currency at millions of MasterCard ATMs worldwide, or pay directly where MasterCard is accepted.

Reloadable

You can top up the funds on your Cash Passport at any time. The cards last for five years, and remaining funds can be transferred to a new card after that time.

Global Emergency Assistance

Your Cash Passport comes with 24/7 Global Emergency Assistance which provides a range of FREE services including replacement cards and access to emergency cash if your cards are lost or stolen, interpreter services, send a message home and help finding legal or medical support.

History of the Card

Prepaid Currency Cards were developed as a replacement for Travellers Cheques.

In 1996 Thomas Cook launched the Visa Travel Money card or VTM as an international ATM card. One of the now directors of The Currency Exchange, Ian Spight, worked on the VTM project. Our other director, Paul Spight, worked in the first store in London to stock the card (Covent Garden) at the time of its launch.

The card came to Australia (as did Ian and Paul) in the late 90s and was sold in Thomas Cook stores. When Travelex purchased parts of the Thomas Cook business globally in 2000 the VTM card was part of this acquisition. A few years later Travelex renamed the Card the “Cash Passport Card”. Around this time extra cards were launched in additional currencies under the Cash Passport name and subsequently the card was developed so that it could also be used to make purchases in stores as well as ATM withdrawals.

In 2011 MasterCard purchased the Cash Passport product from Travelex and later that year the latest iteration of the card - multi currency - was launched.

Each step in this process has seen improvements to the product and we have no doubt that under MasterCard’s stewardship the card will only keep getting better. At The Currency Exchange we are proud to have a continual and ongoing relationship with the Card and look forward to being involved with all that the Cash Passport’s future holds. 

How to purchase a Cash Passport Card

Cash Passport Fees and Charges

Hints and tips for when you are using Cash Passport Cards

MasterCard ATM locator for where the cards can be used to withdraw cash

Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) 

Please note that this PDS is crrently a very large file size (approx 4mb). We are working on getting a  smaller file size and will replace it as soon as we can.

 (This photo is from a recent trip to Egypt - we withdrew cash from our Cash Passport Card in sight of the Great Pyramid of Giza!)

Setting up your online account

It's easy to set up your account online, but if you are not confident online (or don't have regular access) let us know when you buy the cards from us and we can set up your account for you.

You do NOT have to set up your online account to use the cards. They are active already, but it is handy to be able to check your balances.

1. Login to the Cash Passport Website
2. Click on "New Registration"
3. Enter the Primary Card number
4. Type in the "Security Characters" and hit register
5. Enter your mother's maiden name and birth date 
6. You will now be logged into "My Account"