Travel money FAQs

Explorer multi-currency MasterCard® is a prepaid card, which you can load with several currencies and then use to access your travel money at millions of locations and ATMs worldwide.

You can use your explorer card just like you would your debit card; however, there is no link to your bank account and in addition to withdrawing local currency whilst you’re abroad, the card can also be used in shops and online.

Key benefits:

- Load multiple currencies onto one card, online or at any moneycorp branch

• British Pounds (GBP)
• Euros (EUR)
• US Dollars (USD)
• Australian Dollars (AUD)
• New Zealand Dollars (NZD)
• Canadian Dollars (CAD)
• South African Rand (ZAR)
• Turkish Lira (TRY)
• Swiss Franc (CHF)
• UAE Dirham (AED)

- Lock in exchange rates on your selected currencies before you travel every time you load or reload your card.

- Transfer any left-over travel money to any of your currency wallets.

- Enjoy preferential  starcard rates† when you buy your travel money.

- Access to our UK based 24/7 Card Services team if your card is lost, stolen or damaged. 

The white explorer card is available to customers who do not currently have a moneycorp online account. The white card allows you to load funds online -  via your explorer card customer account and still enjoy preferential† rates if you decide to purchase your travel money at any of our central London or airport branches.  

† The preferential moneycorp rates are calculated by reducing the moneycorp retail margin when you top up your explorer card or purchase travel money in any moneycorp branch.

To find out more about the exclusive rates offered on your explorer card, please click here. 

There are  some countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited. If you attempt to withdraw cash from an ATM, or use your card at shops, restaurants, hotels and online in any of these countries or geographic regions, your request will be declined and the reason given as ‘Decline, prohibited country’.

The countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited are:

• Iran 
• North Korea
• Sudan 
• Syria 
• Crimea

To receive a White Explorer Card, you will need to visit a moneycorp branch.

When applying for a card in branch, please make sure you carry the following documents with you:

- Passport and EU/EEA Driving Licence

or

- EU/EEA National ID card and EU/EEA Driving Licence

For a full list of branches, click here

You can only have one active explorer card (red or white) at any given time. Additional card users are not permitted.

If you have purchased your red card online:

- Delivery: the card will be with you between 7-10 days from the date of application 

- Activation: you will need to activate your card before you can start using it by contacting Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK) 

- PIN: the PIN will be revealed to you over the phone as part of the card activation

If you have applied for the card at one of our branches: 

- Activation: the card will be activated in branch and will be ready for you to use immediately

- PIN: the PIN will be inside the pouch that also contains your new card

You can change your PIN at any UK ATM that displays the MasterCard® Acceptance Mark and has a ‘PIN change’ function on the list of options from which to choose.

In some countries, you may be asked for a six-digit PIN when using an ATM. However, explorer card uses a standard four digit PIN, which will still be accepted if the ATM has been set up correctly in compliance with MasterCard regulations.

If you need assistance with any PIN issues, please call Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK).  

Automated PIN reminders are available by contacting Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK). This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can reload your card online or at any moneycorp branch for free, up to £10,000 per day*.*Simply present your White Explorer Card at any moneycorp bureau de change and our colleagues will be very happy to give you exclusive preferential exchange rates. 

You will be able to reload* funds in any of the available currencies and easily transfer any leftover money  from one currency wallet to another.

Reload online:

Please note that before you can start to manage your card online you have to register it here first. 

Once you’re up and running online you will be able to reload funds in any of the available currencies and transfer funds from one wallet to another.

Payment method:

A debit card registered to your current address is the only form of payment that can be used to reload funds online. 

If you’re an existing international payments customer you can:

- Link the card with your moneycorp online account and enjoy the same rewards and benefits available on the starcard.  

- Load funds from your moneycorp online account in any of the available explorer card currencies.  

- Unload available funds from the card to your moneycorp online account  

- Enjoy preferential† rates when purchasing your travel money at any of our central London or airport branches.     

† The preferential moneycorp starcard rates are calculated by reducing the moneycorp retail margin when you top up your explorer card or purchase travel money at any moneycorp branch

Reload in branch:

To reload your explorer card in branch, simply present your card to a member of staff.

Payment method:

Both cash and a debit/credit card can be used to reload your card in branch.  

Explorer™️ Card is issued by Prepay Technologies Ltd (PPS), with its registered office at Floor 6, 3 Sheldon Square, London W2 6HY UK. PPS is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority for the issuance of e-money with firm reference number 900010.
Their Privacy Policy can be found here.

As an e-money institution, PPS protects your money through a process known as safeguarding.

This means that your money is kept separate from PPS’s own money or protected through an insurance policy or similar guarantee. 

Your safeguarded money is not available to any creditors, banks or other third parties. This means that your money will always be available should you ask us to refund your e-money.

PPS is required to undergo annual independent audits of safeguarding procedures to ensure that your safeguarded money is properly protected.

Banks are required by the regulators to participate in the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS acts like an insurance policy for bank accounts and pays out up to a maximum of £85,000 per eligible person, per bank, building society or credit union or up to £170,000 for joint accounts in the event of the bank or building society becoming insolvent.

E-money issuers are not able to participate in FSCS and therefore your account is not protected by FSCS. In contrast, safeguarding applies to all customers, with no defined limit per customer or account (besides our normal maximum account balance). Which means all your money within your Explorer multi-currency MasterCard® account is protected. In the very unlikely event of PPS becoming insolvent, the return of your money might take longer than an FSCS claim because the distribution would be handled by an insolvency practitioner or administrator. It's worth noting that because the administrator can deduct their costs from this money, you might get slightly less than your full account balance back.

Where to find out more?

You can head to the FCA's website to find out more about the main differences between banks and e-money firms here or for more  information on safeguarding requirements here.

If you have any further questions in relation to this letter, please email cardservices_prepaid@mastercard.com or call 0800 056 0572, available 24/7.

Where we refer to a Mastercard foreign exchange rate, this is the rate set by Mastercard and may vary throughout the day. You can check our foreign exchange rates and how they compare to the European Central Bank rates at www.travelprepaid.mastercard.com/rates.

You can check how our foreign exchange rates compare to the European Central Bank rates at www.travelprepaid.mastercard.com/rates.

You can use your explorer card online and at millions of locations and ATMs worldwide. 

There are some countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited. If you attempt to withdraw cash from an ATM, or use your card at shops, restaurants, hotels and online in any of these countries or geographic regions, your request will be declined and the reason given as ‘Decline, prohibited country’.

The countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited are:

• Iran 
• North Korea
• Sudan 
• Syria
• Crimea  

Your explorer card cannot be used for any of the following:

• Money transfers (i.e. – the sending of funds to a third party)
• Accessing money transfers
• Cash back services
• Purchasing goods or services from adult internet sites or gambling locations 
• Any other activities which are considered unlawful

You must comply with all laws and regulations (including any foreign exchange controls) in respect of the card in the country of use.

It is not recommended that you use your explorer card for car hire, hotel reservations or on board cruises. This is because these merchants cannot predict exactly how much you will spend and typically reserve a greater amount than the final bill is expected to be (for example to cover for damages or mini bar usage). While this money is reserved, you will not be able to spend it.

You may therefore prefer to use a different card for reservations and then use your explorer card to settle the final bill.

When using your explorer card at some merchants (see table below), you may be required to have an available card fund greater than the value of the transaction you wish to make. This is because: (i) a merchant may request more funds than you initially authorised to cover the amount of the transaction (e.g. the meal or bar bill) plus an additional gratuity, tip or service charge agreed by you; or (ii) in the case of an automated fuel pump transaction, to ensure there are sufficient funds available to cover the final cost of the transaction. 

The addition of this percentage or fixed amount to the amount of the transaction authorised by the merchant is called ‘tolerance’. Tolerance is only applied to certain merchant categories listed below. 

Please see ‘How much more than the bill amount do I need to have on my card for transactions at bars, restaurants, and petrol stations?’ for further information on the additional amounts required.

You may also find that you have less money available on the card than you thought because you have used your explorer card as pre-authorisation of a final payment. Please see ‘What is pre-authorisation ?’ for more information on this.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions. 

How much more than the bill amount do I need to have on my explorer card for transactions at bars, restaurants, and petrol stations?

When using your explorer card at the merchants listed below a percentage or a fixed amount may be added to the amount of the transaction when it is submitted by the merchant for authorisation. The addition of this percentage or fixed amount to the transaction amount authorised by the merchant is called ‘tolerance’. This means that the value of the transaction plus the tolerance percentage or flat amount is reserved (‘ring-fenced’) from your available card fund.

The table below sets out the typical percentage or fixed rate that may be added to the value of the transaction. 

For example, you have lunch at a restaurant and the total bill is US$50.00. You are required to have an available card fund or currency equivalent of at least US$60.00 for the transaction to be authorised ($50 + 20% tolerance ($10) = $60.00). You will only be charged for the actual and final amount of the transaction you sign for or validate by PIN. 

Please see ‘When I use my card at a bar, restaurant, or petrol station, how long are the funds reserved for and why?’ for further information on this.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions. 

When I use my card at a bar, restaurant, or petrol station, how long are the funds reserved for and why?

As a merchant may not settle the final bill immediately, tolerance is applied to ensure that there are sufficient funds available when the final bill is settled. The amount authorised by the merchant plus the tolerance percentage or fixed amount is reserved from your available card fund until the merchant settles the final amount (i.e. payment is requested), at which time the exact final amount is debited from your explorer card, or for 7 days, whichever is sooner. 

If the final settlement amount exceeds the relevant available currency balance on the card, the remaining amount will be funded by converting that amount in the order of priority. Please see your explorer card terms and conditions for further information on the order of priority. The exchange rate used is the rate determined by MasterCard® to be the wholesale rate in effect on the day the transaction is processed by MasterCard plus the foreign exchange fee. Please note that the exchange rate used at the time the transaction is authorised (and the funds are reserved) may be different to the exchange rate used on the day the transaction is settled, however, you will only be charged for the actual and final amount of the transaction you sign for or validate by PIN. 

As the merchant may not settle (i.e. ask for payment) the final bill within the 7 days and in some cases may take up to 30 days to settle (at which time the funds are debited from your explorer multi-currency card), we recommend that you check your transaction history regularly via ‘My Account’ and take this into account, including the tolerance, to ensure you have sufficient funds available for your spending. Typically, a merchant will submit the settlement request within 24 hours of you authorising the transaction.

Please see ‘What happens if I do not have sufficient funds available on my card to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?’ for further information on this.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions. 

Your card may get declined in the following scenarios:

• When you don’t have enough money on the card  to cover the purchase (be aware that some merchants, such as restaurants and car hire companies, may require the card to have an available balance greater than the purchase amount, before they will authorise the payment)

• If a merchant is unable to check for authorisation (confirming that you have enough available funds) before a transaction is completed, the transaction will be declined. This could happen on board cruises, flights and trains, at motorway toll booths and some automated terminals, for example parking payment machines

• If you use your card at self-service petrol pumps. You can still use your explorer card to pay for petrol inside the petrol station

• When you have exceeded your daily spend limit (please refer to our

• If you try to withdraw cash from an ATM and the amount is greater than the available balance on your explorer card (including any applicable fees) or more than the ATM's issuing limit. Please note: If an ATM screen prompts you to choose 'which account?', it is recommended that you choose the 'Credit' option.

Your explorer card cannot be used for any of the following:

• Money transfers (i.e. – the sending of funds to a third party)
• Accessing money transfers
• Cash back services
• Purchasing goods from adult internet sites or gambling locations 
• Any other activities which are considered unlawful

There are some countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited. 

If you attempt to withdraw cash from an ATM, or use your card at shops, restaurants, hotels and online in any of these countries or geographic regions, your request will be declined and the reason given as ‘Decline, prohibited country’.

The countries and geographic regions where the use of the explorer card is currently prohibited are:

• Iran 
• North Korea
• Sudan 
• Syria
• Crimea  

What happens if I do not have sufficient funds available in the relevant currency to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?

If the value of the transaction plus the tolerance percentage or flat amount exceeds the relevant available currency balance on your explorer card, the remaining amount will be funded by converting that amount into the next available currency on your card in the order of priority. Please see your explorer card terms and conditions for further information on the order of priority. The exchange rate used is the rate determined by MasterCard® to be the wholesale rate in effect on the day the transaction is authorised by the merchant plus the foreign exchange fee.  

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your carble in my total available card fund to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?

If you do not have sufficient funds available in your total available card fund to cover both the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount, the transaction may be declined. 

For example, you have lunch at a restaurant and the total bill is US$50.00. You only have US$50.00 on your explorer card and there is a 20% tolerance applied to restaurant transactions. If the restaurant tries to charge your card with US$50.00, it will be declined because 20% tolerance is added to the transaction amount and there will be insufficient funds to cover US$60.00 ($50 + 20% tolerance ($10) = $60.00). 

Please ensure you remember to take the tolerance amount into account. If you are using your explorer card at one of the merchant types where tolerance is applied, you may be unable to use your card, unless you have enough in your total available card fund to cover the addition of tolerance. If the merchant supports it however, you can use your explorer card to make a partial payment, and cover the balance with some other payment method. Just make sure you tell the cashier before you start the transaction and confirm the amount you want deducted from your card. The cashier should process your card payment first, and then accept the remainder of the balance in whichever way you want to pay it.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card 

We recommend you check your transaction history at least once a month. 

If you notice a transaction on your card account that you do not recognise, please notify the Card Services without undue delay and in any event within thirteen (13) months of the transaction debit date. They will help you to check and confirm your transaction details. In the event that there’s an incorrect transaction, Card Services can start the dispute process on your behalf.

You can access your explorer card transaction history online, via my account or by contacting Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK).

You can only spend the available balance on your explorer card. 

If you don’t have any funds on your card in the currency of the country you are in, or you don’t have enough funds to pay for a purchase in the relevant currency of the country you’re in, then the balance will be taken from another currency on your card in the following order of priority: GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, NZD, ZAR, TRY, CHF and AED.

A foreign exchange fee will apply (please refer to our fees and limits for more details). 

What happens if I do not have sufficient funds available in the relevant currency to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?

If the value of the transaction plus the tolerance percentage or flat amount exceeds the relevant available currency balance on your explorer card, the remaining amount will be funded by converting that amount into the next available currency on your card in the order of priority. Please see your explorer card terms and conditions for further information on the order of priority. The exchange rate used is the rate determined by MasterCard® to be the wholesale rate in effect on the day the transaction is authorised by the merchant plus the foreign exchange fee.  

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions. 

What happens if I do not have sufficient funds available in my total available card fund to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?

If you do not have sufficient funds available in your total available card fund to cover both the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount, the transaction may be declined. 

For example, you have lunch at a restaurant and the total bill is US$50.00. You only have US$50.00 on your explorer card and there is a 20% tolerance applied to restaurant transactions. If the restaurant tries to charge your card with US$50.00, it will be declined because 20% tolerance is added to the transaction amount and there will be insufficient funds to cover US$60.00 ($50 + 20% tolerance ($10) = $60.00).

Please ensure you remember to take the tolerance amount into account. If you are using your explorer card at one of the merchant types where tolerance is applied, you may be unable to use your card, unless you have enough in your total available card fund to cover the addition of tolerance. If the merchant supports it however, you can use your explorer card to make a partial payment, and cover the balance with some other payment method. Just make sure you tell the cashier before you start the transaction and confirm the amount you want deducted from your card. The cashier should process your card payment first, and then accept the remainder of the balance in whichever way you want to pay it.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions. 

Why is tolerance applied to chip and PIN transactions?

When using your explorer card at merchants where tolerance is applied, in some locations your card may be authorised by the merchant prior to you agreeing the final bill, e.g. where you allow your card to be swiped at a bar to open a tab. The amount authorised by the merchant at this time plus the tolerance amount is reserved from your available balance. This is the case whether your card only has a magnetic stripe or is chip and PIN. 

We do not know at the time how a merchant will process a transaction and whether the merchant will initially authorise the transaction and later ask you to sign for or validate the transaction by PIN, together with an additional charge or tip agreed to by you. Therefore, a tolerance is added automatically where the merchant falls into one of the categories listed below. 

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your card terms and conditions.  

What is pre-authorisation?

In some places you may be asked for your explorer card as “pre-authorisation” of your final payment. It is not recommended to use your explorer card as a deposit with car hire companies, hotels or cruise lines. This is because these companies may estimate your final bill and will require a sum of money to be reserved on your card to cover this. You will not be able to spend the reserved amount for some time. You can of course use your explorer card to settle your final bill.      

You can check your balance online, via my account, the automated card balance service (see Card Services numbers below) – or at any moneycorp branch.

Card Services:

03300 101 808 (If calling from the UK)

+44 3300 101 808 (If calling from outside the UK)  

In branch

Take your explorer card and a valid photo ID (i.e. a valid passport, EU/EEA National ID card or EU/EEA Driving Licence) to a moneycorp branch and advise a member of staff accordingly. 

A full GBP refund – less any applicable fees will then be issued to you. If your card balance is not in GBP, then a moneycorp staff member will be able to advise you of the exchange rate that will be applied

By phone

Contact the Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK) and a full GBP refund – less any applicable fees will be issued to a UK bank or building society account in your name. You may also be able to redeem the balance of any unspent funds in a currency other than GBP through Card Services. Please note that your bank or building society may apply their own foreign exchange rate to convert the funds into GBP unless you have an account in the relevant currency.

Online

If you are an international payments customer, you can transfer all available funds to your moneycorp online account, however, you will still need to contact Card Services to request them to close the card account.

Once your explorer card has expired, you can apply for a new one.

How do I apply for a red explorer card? 

You can apply for a red explorer card via your moneycorp online account.

How do I apply for a white explorer card?

You can apply for a white explorer card at any of our central London or airport branches. 

When applying for a card in branch, please make sure you carry the following documents with you:

- Passport and EU/EEA Driving Licence

or

- EU/EEA National ID card and EU/EEA Driving Licence

For a full list of branches, click here.

If you choose not to apply for a new card, simply cash out your remaining balance – less any applicable fees. Please contact Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK), or visit any moneycorp branch. International payments customers can also transfer their remaining balance to their moneycorp online account.

This can be done over the phone by contacting Card Services on - 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK). 

Yes, you can do this online. To update your debit card details, just log into your explorer card account and follow the steps to reload your explorer card.

As part of this process you will be requested to submit your payment details. Simply include your new debit card details at this stage. Please note, your new debit card must be registered to you at the same UK address as your explorer card.

Please contact Card Services immediately on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK). Card Services can then make the appropriate arrangements to minimise the impact on your trip, including organising emergency cash up to the available balance on your explorer card^ 

^ The emergency cash service may not be available in every country, depending on the availability of the money transfer network 

Please download a full copy of our fees and limits here. 

Yes you can. If you are spending the funds on your card in a non-explorer currency, then the best option is to keep your money in the GBP wallet, but bear in mind that a foreign exchange fee will apply. Please refer to our fees and limits for more details. 

When you load your explorer card, payment will be taken in GBP, then converted into the currency wallet of your choice. If you are an international payments customer, you may be able to load the relevant currency directly onto the card, in which case no currency conversion takes place. 

We recommend you load your card with the currency (or currencies) that match your destination. If you are travelling to a country that doesn’t use one of the available currencies on your explorer card, the best option is to keep your money in the GBP wallet. If you make a transaction in a non-explorer currency, you can still use your card. We will automatically convert your available funds to pay for your purchase. Just bear in mind that a foreign exchange fee will apply (please refer to our fees and limits for more details).

If you don’t have any funds on your card in the currency of the country you are in, or you don’t have enough funds to pay for a purchase in the relevant currency of the country you’re in, then the balance will be taken from another currency on your card in the following order of priority: GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, NZD, ZAR, TRY, CHF and AED. A foreign exchange fee will apply (please refer to our fees and limits for more details). 

We recommend you pay in the local currency of the country you are in to avoid unnecessary charges.

If you use your explorer card in countries other than those that use explorer currencies, you may be asked which currency you would like to pay in. We recommend you pay in the local currency of the country you are in to avoid unnecessary charges.

Yes you can. Please refer to our fees and limits for more details. 

Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to us, so please let us know if you are not happy with any aspect of our service. We assure you that we will do our best to put matters right as quickly as possible.

Firstly, please allow us the opportunity to resolve the issue through our internal complaints procedure. In the event that you are not happy with the outcome, you may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Please see the ‘What if I am still unhappy?’ section below for further information. 

By Email

If you wish to make a complaint regarding the below please email us at explorercard@moneycorp.com 

• Applying for an explorer card
• Registering your explorer card online
• Managing your account online
• Linking your International Payments account to your explorer card
• Loading and unloading funds
• Updating your personal details

By Phone

Within the UK: 0330 010 1808 

Outside the UK: +44 330 010 1808

If you wish to make a complaint regarding the items set out below or anything else; in the first instance please contact Card Services on 0330 010 1808 (if calling from the UK) or +44 330 010 1808 (if calling from outside the UK). We will try to resolve your concerns over the phone in a timely manner. Alternatively, you can e-mail prepaidmgmt_globalcomplaints@mastercard.com

• Activating your explorer card
• Lost and stolen card
• Where and how to use your explorer card
• Card fees
• Transactions on your account 
• Balance information
• PIN services
• Problems using explorer card

In writing:

Moneycorp Card Services

Access House

Cygnet Road

Hampton

Peterborough

PE7 8FJ

Important: Never send us your full card number. All we need is the last 4 digits printed on the from of your card and your name.  

If your query is not dealt with to your satisfaction, you may be able to refer it to the UK Financial Ombudsman Service, an independent body established to adjudicate on eligible disputes with financial firms. Their address is:

Financial Ombudsman Service

Exchange Tower

London

E14 9SR

United Kingdom

Phone:

0800 023 4567 (calls to this number are normally free for people ringing from a "fixed line" phone – but charges may apply if you call from a mobile phone).

0300 123 9 123 (calls to this number are charged at the same rate as 01 or 02 numbers on mobile phone tariffs). 

These numbers may not be available from outside the UK – so please call +44 20 7964 0500 if you are phoning from abroad

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

You can find more information on the UK Financial Ombudsman Service on their website: www.financialombudsman.org.uk

The European Commission has established an Online Dispute Resolution Platform (ODR Platform). It is specifically designed to help consumers resident in the European Union (EU) who have a complaint about goods or services bought online from traders established in the EU. You can submit your complaint online through the ODR platform in any of the official languages of the EU. The ODR platform can then submit your complaint to the UK Financial Ombudsman Service to facilitate resolution of your complaint.

You can access the ODR Platform by clicking on the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/  

You may use the ODR service if you are an EU resident and have a complaint about a product or service purchased from us online. As the ODR platform will ultimately re-direct your complaint to the UK Financial Ombudsman Service, you may prefer to contact us or the Financial Ombudsman Service directly in the first instance.