M16S / ICICI Bank / ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
super-premium · rewards, travel
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
The ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card costs Rs 12,499 a year, waived if you spend Rs 10,00,000 in a year. Its base return is 3% (6 RP per Rs 200). The forex markup is 2%. Lounge visits in India: Unlimited, primary and add-on. Abroad: Unlimited via Priority Pass, primary and add-on. Read from the issuer's documents and an aggregator on 11 Oct 2026.
- Annual fee
- Rs 12,499+ GST
- Fee waived at
- Rs 10,00,000annual spend
- Base return
- 3%
- Forex markup
- 2%
- Interest
- 3.75%a month
What changed on this card
- ICICI cards lose air accident cover and INOX, fees rise, Dec 2026
From 15 December 2026, ICICI Bank ends air accident cover on 7 cards, CFAR cover on 4 and the INOX benefit on 9. Card replacement goes to Rs 300 plus GST from 11 December.
- ICICI Bank adds fees on wallet loads, gaming and transport, Jan 2026
From 15 Jan 2026 ICICI Bank charges 1% on wallet loads of Rs 5,000 or more, 2% on skill-based gaming and 1% on transportation transactions above Rs 50,000. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Emeralde Private Metal adds Rs 3,500 fee on supplementary cards, Jan 2026
From 15 Jan 2026 each supplementary card on the Emeralde Private Metal costs a one-time fee of Rs 3,500 plus GST. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank raises Dynamic Currency Conversion fee, Jan 2026
From 15 Jan 2026 statements the DCC fee on rupee transactions abroad is 3.50% on most cards, up from 1%. It is 2.00% on Emeralde Private Metal and Emeralde, 1.99% on Amazon Pay and 1.49% on Times Black. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank drops rent, government and education spends from fee waiver, Nov 2024
From 15 Nov 2024 rent, government and education payments no longer count toward the spend threshold for annual fee reversal and milestone benefits. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank adds 1% fee on fuel, utility and education payments, Nov 2024
From 15 Nov 2024 ICICI Bank charges 1% on fuel transactions above Rs 10,000, 1% on utility payments above Rs 50,000 and 1% on education payments made through third-party apps. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank sets 2% forex mark-up on Emeralde cards, Nov 2024
From 15 Nov 2024 the foreign currency mark-up is 2% on the Emeralde Private Metal and Emeralde cards. The standard ICICI Bank mark-up in the same document is 3.50%. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank stops reward points on rent and wallet loads, Feb 2024
From 5 Feb 2024 rent pay and e-wallet loading transactions earn no reward points on ICICI Bank credit cards. The Amazon Pay ICICI Bank card is exempt. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- ICICI Bank moves government payments into the utility category, Feb 2024
From 5 Feb 2024 government transactions count as utility payment transactions on ICICI Bank credit cards, so they follow the utility earn rules and caps. The Amazon Pay ICICI Bank card is exempt. Source: ICICI Bank, icici.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
Each change is read from the bank's own notice or terms document, linked above. Every card's changes are on the change log.
Fees
| Joining fee | Rs 12,499 |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | Rs 12,499 |
| Annual spend that waives the fee | Rs 10,00,000 |
| Fee notes | Add-on card Rs 3,500 one-time from 15 Jan 2026. Card replacement Rs 3,500. No late payment, cash advance or over-limit fee. |
Rewards
| Welcome benefit | 12,500 reward points, Taj Epicure Plus membership, EazyDiner Prime membership (on joining fee payment; confirmation within 45 business days) |
|---|---|
| Reward currency | ICICI Bank Reward Points |
| Base earn | 6 RP per Rs 200 |
| Base returnunverified | 3% |
| Point valueunverified | Rs 1 per point on flights/hotels and select brand vouchers (Apple, Tanishq etc.); Rs 0.60 catalogue products; Rs 0.40 statement credit (Card Insider) |
| Caps | Per statement cycle: grocery 1,000 points, education 1,000, utility 1,000, insurance 5,000 |
| Spends that earn nothing | No points on rent, fuel, government, tax, third-party wallets, property management; points on EMI-converted spends reversed |
| Points expiry | 3 years from issuance (ICICI Bank Rewards programme page); lapse on card cancellation |
| Milestone benefits | Two EaseMyTrip vouchers totalling up to Rs 6,000 on Rs 8 lakh annual spend |
| Reward notes | base_return_pct = 6/200 x Rs 1 best-case redemption = 3%; 1.2% as statement credit. Redemption fee nil for this card (MITC). Point values and Air India transfer are from Card Insider, not the issuer. |
Transfers
| Partnersunverified | Air India Maharaja Club |
|---|---|
| Ratiounverified | 1 RP : 1 Maharaja Point (Card Insider; not on issuer page) |
Travel and perks
| Domestic lounge | Unlimited, primary and add-on |
|---|---|
| International lounge | Unlimited via Priority Pass, primary and add-on |
| Lounge conditions | No spend condition. Guest policy not stated by issuer. |
| Forex markup | 2% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% at all pumps, txns up to Rs 4,000; MITC caps eligible fuel spend at Rs 1,00,000 per statement cycle |
| Other freebies | Unlimited golf rounds/lessons via Golftripz; BookMyShow buy-one-get-one up to Rs 750, twice a month; domestic flight/hotel cancellation cover up to Rs 12,000; air accident cover up to Rs 3 crore (international travel, ticket on card); 24x7 concierge |
Charges and eligibility
| Interest per month | 3.75% |
|---|---|
| Late payment fee | Nil |
| Cash advance fee | Nil |
| Eligibility | Invite only via Relationship Manager; age 21-65. Income criteria not published. |
| Fine-print notes | Interest still 3.75% a month on revolving balances. Bank-wide transaction fees (MITC): 1% on rent; 1% on fuel txns above Rs 10,000; 1% on utility txns above Rs 50,000; 1% on transportation above Rs 50,000; 1% on education paid via third-party apps; 1% on wallet loads of Rs 5,000+; 2% on skill-based gaming. DCC fee on INR transactions abroad equals the card's forex markup from 15 Jan 2026. Fee-waiver spend excludes rent, government and education payments; a fee reversal forfeits annual gifts. |
Questions
- What is the annual fee of the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card?
- Rs 12,499 a year, before GST. It is waived if you spend Rs 10,00,000 in a year.
- Does the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card give airport lounge access?
- Yes. In India: Unlimited, primary and add-on. Outside India: Unlimited via Priority Pass, primary and add-on. Conditions: No spend condition. Guest policy not stated by issuer.
- What is the forex markup on the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card?
- 2% of each foreign-currency transaction, before GST.
- Which spends earn no rewards on the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card?
- No points on rent, fuel, government, tax, third-party wallets, property management; points on EMI-converted spends reversed