Why use Fit Notes for festive gifting
The issuance of new notes to meet the demand for festive gifting generates unnecessary carbon emissions. The use of Fit notes is more sustainable and still convey the same well wishes to your loved ones.
Members of the public can play their part in protecting the environment by choosing to use Fit over new notes.
How to get Fit Notes for Lunar New Year (LNY)
Customers of DBS, OCBC and UOB (except those aged 60 and above, or persons with disabilities) who wish to exchange Fit notes at the bank branches must make an online pre-booking. When making an online pre-booking, members of the public should do so 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 to customers.
For greater convenience, Fit notes can also be withdrawn without any pre-booking at selected pop-up and branch ATMs of DBS, OCBC and UOB.
The schedule for the pre-booking and exchange of Fit notes for LNY 2026 is as follows:
From 27 January 2026
Pre-booking of notes online
From 3 February 2026
- Collection of pre-booked notes at bank branches
- Walk-in exchange at bank branches (only for customers aged 60 and above, and persons with disabilities at DBS, OCBC and UOB)
- Exchange at selected pop-up and branch ATMs of DBS, OCBC and UOB
Please refer to the banks’ websites for more information on the location of bank branches and pop-up ATMs.
View LNY 2026 Poster
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Watch this episode of the Inside MAS podcast, to find out how greener alternatives like Fit notes and e-gifting are making a difference in protecting the environment. Plus, you get to learn about MAS’ currency operations, including the environmental impact of issuing new notes for festive gifting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Good-as-New (GAN) $2 notes unavailable?
In conjunction with the initiative to encourage the use of Fit notes, MAS has ceased the issuance of GAN $2 notes from LNY 2023. Fit notes are a more sustainable option as the selection and retrieval of GAN $2 notes require an additional round of machine processing and generate additional carbon emissions.
Will new notes still be available for exchange at the banks during festive period?
Yes, new notes will still be available for exchange this festive season. For information on new notes exchange this LNY, please refer to here.
Nevertheless, MAS encourages members of the public to use Fit notes or e-hong baos for festive gifting, to reduce wastage of resources and to protect the environment.
Nevertheless, MAS encourages members of the public to use Fit notes or e-hong baos for festive gifting, to reduce wastage of resources and to protect the environment.
Would there be fold lines or stains on the Fit notes?
As Fit notes are notes that could have been reissued more than once, some of these notes may have fold lines or minor stains on them. All Fit notes have been verified by banknote processing machines to meet the standards required for re-circulation.
Given that Fit notes are similar to normal circulation notes, why should I make a reservation when I can withdraw them via ATMs or over the branch counters?
While denominations such as $10 and $50 are easily available via ATMs, the online pre-booking of Fit notes allows members of the public to withdraw other denominations such as $2, which is a commonly used denomination for LNY.
Online pre-booking also provides the public with the assurance of being able to exchange their notes at their preferred date and time. Members of the public will be able to reserve the notes in bulk through online pre-booking, instead of withdrawing notes multiple times from ATMs.
Online pre-booking also provides the public with the assurance of being able to exchange their notes at their preferred date and time. Members of the public will be able to reserve the notes in bulk through online pre-booking, instead of withdrawing notes multiple times from ATMs.