Extremely Disappointed – Standard Bank Declines Credit Card Without Proper Assessment

I recently app**** for a Standard Bank credit card because I was strongly considering moving all my accounts from FNB to Standard Bank. According to Standard Bank’s own website, I meet the minimum requirements for a credit card.

However, after submitting my application, I received an extremely brief response stating that my application was declined “as we do not place reliance on trust funds.” This is both inaccurate and unacceptable.

My income is derived from multiple trusts, and I did provide full SARS tax returns proving stable, legitimate income. Despite this, Standard Bank refused to assess my financial documents and also refused to allow me to speak to a supervisor for clarification.

For a bank of this size, it is shocking that they dismiss an application without even requesting supporting documents or offering escalation to someone who can provide a proper explanation.

I was genuinely planning to move all my accounts to Standard Bank, but this experience has shown me how rigid and inflexible their processes are. A bank that cannot properly evaluate an applicant’s verified income—and refuses supervisor engagement—raises major concerns.

I hope Standard Bank can address this issue and treat clients with more professionalism and transparency.