Pre-Paid Card Transactions

Consumer mobility is evolving as urbanisation, sustainability and growing technological savviness are driving demand for travel supported by dynamic payment solutions. Euromonitor International introduces the Digital Payments in Mobility Index to…

As of July 2023, 10 pre-paid card issuers had had their payment clearing license revoked, according to PBOC (People’s Bank of China). In fact, the majority of these issuers voluntarily cancelled their licenses, affected by stringent government…

EZ-link, the leading open-looped pre-paid card in Singapore, has significantly benefited from the resumption of regional travel. Not only has EZ-link gained traction among tourists visiting Singapore, who find it a convenient payment solution for…

Octopus has established itself as the most widely used and popular open loop pre-paid card in Hong Kong, offering a myriad of convenient features and services. Recognising the growing interest among local residents to explore the mainland during…

The pre-paid cards category has continued its strong performance in 2023, with the category seeing positive growth in terms of both volume and value transactions, as in the previous year. Pre-paid cards has been particularly impacted by the revival…

In the review period, pre-paid cards showed progression to online (mobile, smart watch, etc...) payment, especially within transportation pre-paid cards such as Suica and PASMO cards. More people opted to use smartphone app versions of pre-paid cards…

Despite the rise of digital wallets, physical credit cards and pre-paid cards still play a significant role in payments. Notably, digital wallets often cannot link to popular pre-paid cards like EasyCard, the largest transportation card in Taiwan,…

The performance of pre-paid cards is supported by the growth of e-commerce – notably since the era of the pandemic. In fact, prior to 2020, transaction numbers in pre-paid cards were showing a negative performance, in sharp contrast to what is seen…

Despite increased competition from other payment methods, pre-paid cards retains the potential for growth as Malaysia continues to shift towards a cashless society. With the use of cash in long-term decline, a trend accelerated by the Coronavirus…

Pre-paid cards are largely used for commuting and travelling in Thailand, with a considerable amount of closed loop pre-paid card usage accounted for by electronic ticketing on the Thai capital’s public transportation systems BTS and MRT. During the…

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to a series of government aid initiatives distributed through pre-paid cards. This contributed to rising awareness among consumers about these financial products and their convenience, especially for…

In 2022, South Korea witnessed growth in both the issuance and usage of pre-paid cards in line with greater mobility outside of the home. Shinhan Card, in particular, played a role in driving this growth, reporting a remarkable increase in the retail…

Pre-paid card transactions witnessed healthy double-digit growth in transaction volumes over 2021-2022. However, in 2023, the category witnessed a decline in volume of transactions as consumers became increasingly inclined to choose alternative…