Going cashless with Touch ‘n Go eWallet challenge: Easier than you think?

“Touch ‘n Go, boleh?” I asked the cashier. “Boleh,” she replied as she pointed the payment terminal towards my phone screen that was plastered with a QR code. A beep confirmed the transaction and my purchase. This has become a norm for me — firing up an e-wallet app, in this case, the Touch ‘n Go eWallet app, clicking on “Pay” and making a purchase. I believe life can be simple, fast, easy; a two-click process.

If you’ve been following my cashless journey, well, I’ve been doing this cashless thing for a while. Call me an early adopter (and that would be true), call me a believer in technology (that’s also true), or call me insane (OK, suit yourself), but I think we’re living in interesting times.

I say that because…you see, in Malaysia, we’re pretty lucky. We’ve got considerably pervasive connectivity and mobile phone penetration, we’re well-served by the banking industry, and we’ve got a supportive government pushing a digital agenda.

E-wallets have been a popular conversation piece lately, bolstered by the government’s ongoing MYR450 million e-Tunai Rakyat initiative that aims to spur digital payment adoption in the country.

It may be nascent days, but in just two years, there are already several clear leaders in the space; there’s Touch ‘n…