Katy Perry shocked fans over the weekend by submerging her bank card into the water of Rome's Trevi Fountain, rather than tossing a coin.
Standing before the 18th-century Baroque masterpiece, the 41-year-old American pop star sang "someone give me a penny" before explaining her decision.
"Y'all, I told you in 'Save as Draft' that I don't f**** with change," Ms Perry declared in a video posted to Instagram, referencing lyrics from her 2017 Witness album track.
"But I feel like I need to put something in the Trevi Fountain for good luck," she added.
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Katy Perry went viral for placing her bank card in the Trevi Fountain
| PAThe card quickly began to drift away in the fountain's waters, prompting the Firework singer to lunge forward with an alarmed "oh no!" before snatching it back.
Ms Perry shared the footage as part of a collection of images from her Italian getaway, captioning the post "Just Rome'ing around".
The clip showed the Dark Horse hitmaker dressed casually in a grey hooded top and baseball cap during what appeared to be an evening visit to the landmark.
Ms Perry had flown into the Italian capital from New York for a private corporate performance at La Nuvola.
Katy Perry documented her time in Rome on Instagram
|Her arrival by private jet was allegedly kept under wraps, with Italian media describing it as "a big secret".
Following her fountain visit, the singer changed into an elegant black and white ensemble reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday style.
She was photographed wearing the outfit in St Peter's Square outside the Vatican and near the Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva, at one point playfully singing "Pope Leo, hallelujah" in tribute to the first American pontiff.
The Trevi Fountain, completed in 1762, attracts over a thousand visitors every hour, with tradition holding that throwing a coin over one's left shoulder with the right hand guarantees a return to the Eternal City.
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Katy Perry puts her credit card in the Trevi fountain as a token of good luck since she didn’t have any coins 👀 pic.twitter.com/zanQlWKaWP
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 19, 2026
Rome introduced a €2 entry fee in February to access the lower basin, alongside new barriers to manage overcrowding at the popular landmark.
Not all fans of the star appreciated her improvisation.
"Katy Perry turning the Trevi Fountain into a credit card moment is the most unholy thing that masterpiece has seen since its opening in 1762," one user wrote on X.
Another joked: "Dolce Vita vibes didn't stand a chance."
"Why would you go to the Trevi Fountain and not take change?" one perplexed fan asked, as another declared that she "might actually be the worst person on earth".
However, others saw the humour in the singer's gesture.
"Oh, it's funny everyone needs to chill," one user penned on X.
"It is not that deep", another commented.
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau went 'Instagram official' in December 2025
|This is not the first time fans and critics of the star have questioned her decisions.
Backlash surrounding Ms Perry’s reported relationship with Justin Trudeau has intensified.
Fans first questioned the timing, with rumours emerging just weeks after her split from Orlando Bloom.
Mr Trudeau, who was the prime minister of Canada from 2015 until the mid-2020s, is known for his progressive policies.
Some of Ms Perry’s fans have taken issue with the pairing, arguing it mixes politics and celebrity and could alienate parts of her audience.
Critics have since branded the pair a “woke” couple, while Ms Perry's ex-husband, comedian Russell Brand, mocked Mr Trudeau as a “globalist stooge”.
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