12th October 2026 - 3 min read
CIMB Islamic has launched the CIMB Lite-i credit card on 7 October. Islamic cards charge a profit rate on any amount you don’t pay off, and on CIMB Lite-i, it’s fixed at 14% p.a. for every cardholder, starting from the first month. CIMB made it for people who want something simple and low-cost for everyday spending, and who sometimes need a few months to pay off a big bill. There’s no annual fee, and the card doesn’t earn points or cashback.
| Feature | CIMB Lite-i |
| Profit rate | 14% p.a., the same for all cardholders |
| Cash advance profit rate | 14% p.a. |
| Profit charged on unpaid profit | None |
| Annual fee | None, for the lifetime of the card |
| 0% instalment plan (FPP-i) | Six months at 0% on single purchases of RM500 or more, for new cardholders until 31 October 2027 |
You only pay profit on what you spend with the card. If some profit is still on your bill at the end of one month, no more profit is charged on it the next month. This is called non-compounding.
Conventional cards charge 15%, 17% or 18% p.a., depending on your payment record, and our tiered rates guide explains how banks decide which one you pay. CIMB Lite-i stays at 14% p.a. even if you miss a payment. The table shows what it costs to pay off a RM5,000 balance at RM300 a month, if you don’t spend more on the card.
| Rate | Who pays it | Cost of paying off RM5,000 at RM300 a month |
| 14% p.a. | Everyone with CIMB Lite-i | RM593 over 19 months |
| 15% p.a. | Paid on time for the last 12 months | RM642 over 19 months |
| 17% p.a. | Paid on time for 10 or 11 of the last 12 months | RM744 over 20 months |
| 18% p.a. | Paid on time for fewer than 10 months, or new to the card | RM797 over 20 months |
With CIMB Lite-i, you’d pay RM49 less than at 15%. If you’re new to credit cards or on 18%, you’d pay RM204 less. These are monthly estimates. Banks work out charges daily, so your statements may be a few ringgit different.
If you’re a new CIMB Lite-i cardholder, you can pay for a single eligible purchase of RM500 or more in six monthly instalments at 0%, until 31 October 2027. CIMB will prompt you through the CIMB OCTO app or by SMS, and on the app you need to apply at least three days before your statement’s due date.
A RM1,200 laptop, for example, becomes six monthly payments of RM200. If you miss an instalment, you’ll pay a compensation charge of 1% of it, at least RM10 and up to RM100. Anything else you owe on the card is charged at 14% p.a. as usual.
CIMB Lite-i suits you if you sometimes can’t pay your bill in full. This can happen when a car repair or school fees come in the same month as your usual bills. It also helps if you’re new to credit cards or building up a good payment record. A conventional card would start or keep you at 17% or 18%. You can see CIMB’s other cards on our CIMB credit cards page.
To apply, you’ll need an annual income of at least RM24,000, or RM2,000 a month. You can apply on the CIMB Lite-i page. If you pay your full bill by the due date every month, you won’t pay any profit. With no annual fee, the card also costs you nothing to keep.
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Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister’s cats.
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