Mobile Payments

To the Forumosans who have lived in Taiwan in the past few years: how’s the penetration of mobile payments over there now? My last time visiting was over a year ago (damn Covid…) and, apart from Google Pay at 7-11 and card at shopping malls, it was still pretty much all cash.

I read a lot about EasyCard and LinePay. Not sure about the former (I used to live in KH so I kept using my old iPass), but the latter seems to me like another typically Taiwanese banking nightmare. Any recent experiences to share?

Most small private businesses are still cash.

Google Pay and other mobile payment methods are getting wider reception.

I still favor EasyCard. I can store all receipts on them digitally. It can be linked and synchronizes them to the official tax office digital receipts account, where you can set up the receipt lottery winnings to automatically go to your bank account. No more wasting time with physical receipts.
They also have EasyWallet now that is an app for your phone and pays with NFC. I haven’t tried it yet.

I think the younger generation is embracing the digital payments, but older folks still use cash everywhere.

Recently I’ve seen many small shops and some night markets using the electronic payment option of JKOPAY 街口支付

This APP can link the account of many local banks

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There are more digital and card payments now.
The problem ?
Some vendors including most restaurants and a minority of coffeeshops still only accept cash. So you still need to carry cash.

Each vendor prioritises different payment methods. So you always have to ask. Mafan.

I’m getting my parents on saving their receipts digitally with the bar code thing.

I only recently started using Pi pay as the new job had me open up an Yu Shan account and Pi pay had high instant cash back, something like 4%. My phone is a bit old, so it runs slow when opening up the app, but other than that, I rarely have to pull out the wallet to grab cash. I usually only take 5000-8000NT out a month for those places that only take cash or for friend outtings.

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Thanks guys. Hopefully the digital revolution is not only in Taipei :rofl: I will be back in the South and I am too used to mobile payments that I might go mad bringing cash and tons of coins again :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

Has anyone tried out this LinePay that seems to be a big thing in Japan?

I know one that accepts most. And continuing adding. Pi is mafan as you need a Yushan account.

Of course, it’s quite big in Taiwan too and I have used it myself , but not every vendor accepts it either.
Basically you still need to bring cash with you in Taiwan unless you plan to exclusively eat in a convenience store and travel by mrt. Some trains can utilize easy card also.

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Because the conditions are shitty.

After I tried LINE Pay, I can’t go back. Paying at stores is such a breeze–show your barcode for the lottery receipts and then barcode for payment. I also use it to pay my electric and water bills, just scan the barcode and pay.

Electronic payments have increased this year due to the pandemic , specially in small shops like Tea shops , which have about 60% of the consumers use electronic payment.
This year the number of electronic payment users has increased by 4.11 million

Some information from the latest Press Release of the Financial Supervisory Commission 金融監督管理委員會 (FSC )

Electronic Stored Value Card:

  • As of July 2020, four specialized electronic stored value card institutions and one commercial bank were engaging in electronic stored value card business in Taiwan.
  • The number of effective cards totaled 129.49 million (128.44 million at the end of June 2020 ).
  • The number of cards in using was 13.92 million (13.31 million for June 2020 ).
  • The amount of monthly retail sales was approximately NT$7.73 billion (NT$7.22 billion for June 2020 ).
  • The balance of stored value was NT$10.81 billion (NT$10.57 billion at the end of June 2020 )

Electronic Payment Institutions Business:

  • As of July 2020, there were five specialized electronic payment institutions, and twenty-three electronic payment institutions were concurrently engaging in other businesses (included dual-status banks, Chunghwa Post Co, Ltd, and electronic stored value cards issuers).
  • The number of users totaled 9.66 million (9.03 million at the end of June 2020 ).
  • The amount of funds collected & paid as an agent for real transactions was 5.27 billion (4.57 billion for June 2020 ).
  • The amount of funds for transfer between e-payment accounts was 2.08 billion (1.93 billion for June 2020 ).
  • The amount of stored value funds was 6.7 billion (6.04 billion for June 2020 ).
  • The balance of the e-payment accounts in the e-payment institutions totaled 2.87 billion (2.66 billion at the end of June 2020 )

Sources:

https://www.fsc.gov.tw/en/home.jsp?id=54&parentpath=0,2&mcustomize=multimessage_view.jsp&dataserno=202009080004&aplistdn=ou=news,ou=multisite,ou=english,ou=ap_root,o=fsc,c=tw&dtable=News

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Nice! Did you need to open an account with a specific bank and/or have a credit card or any would do?

IIRC any bank will do. But some banks like 中國信託 (CTBC) have special debit cards for LINE Pay, though idk what the benefits are.

And the other main reason I like LINE Pay is its decent English interface.

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Recently the government asked to register EasyCard’s when using the MRT to allow contact tracing.

1621930882273

If your card is registered, you can also view your transaction history online:
https://ezweb.easycard.com.tw/search/CardSearch.php

1621930976391

‘Asked’, as in ‘suggested’, not ‘demanded’, right?

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How do you register the easy card? Can you do it online?

Yes, you can do it online: https://ezweb.easycard.com.tw/eccl2/apply.action

Does JKO work with Gold Card? I’m unable to register as it thinks my Gold Card is not an ARC :sob:

Have you tried photoshopping the color?

Worked. Holy shit :joy:

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