Exchange new notes for CNY: S'pore banks' online slots all booked, new reservations start in Feb. 2026

Online appointment slots to exchange new notes at banks in Singapore are fully booked as Chinese New Year approaches.

Local banks previously opened online appointment slots on Jan. 27, 2026, Shin Min Daily News reported.

DBS and UOB subsequently saw their slots snapped up quickly.

DBS, UOB, OCBC

Shin Min added that after DBS opened its online booking system at 12am on Jan. 27, all available timeslots were fully booked within an hour.

Online users reportedly found it difficult to access the website after bookings opened and it took some time before they could log in.

Shin Min reported that UOB's website showed all slots were fully booked as of 6am on Jan. 27, with the bank urging customers to consider using e-red packets.

Additional slots opening up

Another online reservation window will be launching at 12am on Feb. 2, according to the DBS website.

Members of the public, who are successful in securing a slot, may exchange their notes from Feb. 9 to Feb. 13.

According to UOB's website, another reservation window will open on Feb. 3 and the collection period will be from Feb. 10 to Feb. 14.

OCBC users also reportedly experienced waiting times of 20 minutes after OCBC opened reservation slots at 8am, according to Shin Min.

Checks by Mothership showed that OCBC's notes reservation service was unavailable as of Jan. 31 at 7:50pm.

Its service will be available from 8am on Feb. 3 to 11:59pm on Feb. 5.

Advanced online appointment

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) had previously announced on Jan. 19 that online pre-booking of notes for DBS, OCBC and UOB customers would start from Jan. 27.

MAS encouraged members of the public to go green by choosing "Fit" notes or e-red packets.

"Fit" notes refer to used currency notes that are similar in quality to those from ATMs and may have fold lines or minor stains.

MAS added that customers of DBS, OCBC and UOB, except those aged 60 and above, or persons with disabilities, who wish to exchange "Fit" or new notes at the bank branches need to make an online pre-booking through the banks' official websites or mobile banking applications.

"To protect customers from phishing scams, banks will not send any SMS messages with clickable links," the MAS website stated.

Top photos via Canva, Google Maps