Octopus Expands Digital Cost in Hong Kong Taxis

[ad_1]

For the primary time, Octopus opens up its fee community to UnionPay, AlipayHK, and Alipay to allow QR funds for Mainland guests and Hong Kong passengers
Transaction charge waiver and referral programme to speed up driver sign-up

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 January 2024 – Right this moment Octopus Playing cards Restricted (Octopus) introduced that it’s going to allow 21,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers to simply accept QR funds from UnionPay, AlipayHK and Alipay by the Octopus App for Enterprise and Octopus Cell POS. From 25 January, Mainland guests and Hong Kong residents could have extra choices to pay for his or her taxi rides.

Tim Ying, Chief Govt Officer, Octopus Holdings Restricted introduced ranging from 25 January, Octopus opens up its fee community to to different QR funds in Hong Kong’s taxi market.

By opening its community to different fee platforms, the primary time within the firm’s historical past, Octopus makes it simpler and extra handy for town’s taxi drivers to take cell fee.

(From left) Andy Yip, Product Director, OCL, Roger Lee, Assistant Normal Supervisor, UnionPay Worldwide Hong Kong Department and Tim Ying, Chief Govt Officer, (From proper) Rita Li, Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Director, OCL and Keith Cheung, Head of Advertising and marketing, AlipayHK collectively to increase digital fee in Hong Kong Taxis

The inclusion of UnionPay, AlipayHK, and Alipay additionally solves one of many largest ache factors when paying for taxi rides in Hong Kong by offering extra decisions. Clients with an Octopus card can proceed to faucet and pay on the similar Octopus Cell POS.

Andy Yip, Product Director, OCL demonstrates how one can faucet the Octopus card or scan the QR code to pay the taxi fare.

Rita Li, Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Director and Andy Yip, Product Director of OCL deal with the questions from the media.

To encourage sign-up from taxi drivers, Octopus can even proceed to waive transaction charges for taxi drivers till the top of 2025.[1]

Tim Ying, Chief Govt Officer, Octopus Holdings Restricted mentioned: “Octopus’ mission is to make on a regular basis life simpler by quick, easy, and safe fee expertise. As our community already related with most taxi drivers, we noticed a possibility to make it much more handy for Mainland guests and Hong Kong residents to pay for his or her cab rides with the strategy they’re acquainted with.”

The Transport Division welcomes Octopus’ new initiative to widen the utilization of digital funds in taxis. It continues to keep up open dialogues with all gamers within the ecosystem, encouraging the adoption of extra non-cash fee means for the comfort of all passengers.

Enhancing Octopus App for Enterprise

Taxi drivers can begin accepting funds by updating their present Octopus App for Enterprise. After updating the App, taxi drivers simply must enter the fee quantity, and passengers can faucet their Octopus card or scan the QR code on the paired Octopus Cell POS to pay.

Referral programme for taxi trade

To additional increase taxi acceptance, Octopus is rolling out a referral programme to onboard extra taxi drivers to affix the Octopus platform. Ranging from as we speak to 31 March 2024, drivers who efficiently refer their friends to open an Octopus App for Enterprise account will obtain a HK$100 reward for every new referral. To qualify, the referred drivers should make at the very least 5 Octopus transactions value HK$22 or extra inside the first 30 days of opening an account. Drivers can earn a most of 10 referral rewards, as much as HK$1,000 in whole. Octopus can even give newly registered taxi drivers complimentary Octopus Cell POS units and waive their transaction charges.

Mr. Ying added: “By opening up our community for different fee service suppliers, Mainland guests now have an choice to scan and pay, along with tapping their Cell Octopus and Octopus playing cards – fixing a serious ache level for a lot of Mainland guests making an attempt to pay digitally in Hong Kong taxis.”

[1] Charge waiver began in 2018 and continues to 31 December 2025. Phrases and circumstances apply.

Hashtag: #Octopus

The issuer is solely accountable for the content material of this announcement.

About Octopus Playing cards Restricted (Licence Quantity: SVF0001)

Working beneath the Saved Worth Amenities Licence, Octopus Playing cards Restricted (OCL) supplies revolutionary offline and on-line Octopus fee companies to satisfy clients’ numerous fee wants.

Launched in 1997 by OCL, the Octopus system in Hong Kong is likely one of the world’s main and most extensively accepted contactless smartcard fee methods. Its aspiration is to carry variety and inclusion in fee to clients of all aspects of life.

Right this moment, greater than 20 million Octopus Playing cards and merchandise are in circulation; spanning companies together with public transport, parking, retail, self-help companies, faculties, and leisure amenities, and entry management for residential and business buildings. There are over 180,000 Octopus acceptance factors out there. Octopus’ software has been prolonged to on-line and cell fee arenas with companies together with Octopus Card on iPhone and Apple Watch, Octopus Card on Samsung Pay, Octopus Card on Huawei Pay, Octopus App, Octopus Pockets, Octopus Mastercard® and UnionPay, bringing new fee experiences to clients.

The Octopus Group exports its distinctive expertise and expertise abroad, providing consultancy companies internationally. The mission of OCL is easy: Making on a regular basis life simpler. For extra details about OCL, please go to www.octopus.com.hk.