The Reserve Bank is due to release foreign-currency transaction data for April later this month, and some analysts say the intervention may have gathered pace again.
Two months ago I wandered into a Schwab office and asked to apply for the card to cash in on its no foreign-currency transaction fees policy before an overseas vacation.
Every time you make an international transaction like this, the foreigncurrency has to be converted to US dollars in order to be charged to your monthly bill.