Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

More encouraged to go cashless as EZ-Link and NTUC launch partnership

SINGAPORE — In the latest effort to galvanise Singaporeans into going cashless, ez-link users who do cashless payments will now be able to earn LinkPoints on their Plus! cards issued by NTUC Link.

NTUC secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, who is also Minister in Prime Minister’s Office said he hoped the partnership will allow people to enjoy a more seamless experience when making their purchases. Photo: Toh Ee Ming/TODAY

NTUC secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, who is also Minister in Prime Minister’s Office said he hoped the partnership will allow people to enjoy a more seamless experience when making their purchases. Photo: Toh Ee Ming/TODAY

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — In the latest effort to galvanise Singaporeans into going cashless, ez-link users who do cashless payments will now be able to earn LinkPoints on their Plus! cards issued by NTUC Link.

The partnership between NTUC Social Enterprises and EZ-Link was unveiled at an event on Thursday (Feb 1).

Under the tie-up, ez-link card holders can now link up their fare cards with Plus! cards and start earning points at more than 30,000 locations, including food and beverage outlets as well as retail stores.

The LinkPoints can be redeemed for rewards or offset purchases at Plus! outlets. The tie-up will also be progressively rolled out to include concession cards for senior citizens.

Infographic on linking EZ-Link with Plus card. Photo: EZ-Link

NTUC secretary-general Chan Chun Sing, who is also Minister in Prime Minister’s Office, noted that cashless systems will become more commonplace going forward.

“We know that some people may have reservations, but cashless transactions can be easy, convenient and quick,” he said.

“As such, we hope that this partnership between NTUC Social Enterprises and EZ-Link will not only generate greater awareness about the benefits, but enable more people to enjoy a seamless experience when going cashless and making purchases.”

A press statement issued by NTUC Social Enterprises and EZ-Link noted that while cashless payments are “daunting” for people not used to paying via credit cards or stored value cards, even the “most resistant of people” have been using their ez-link cards for public transportation.

“By making this group of people aware that they can simply tap their EZ-Link to pay for items at participating merchants, and by rewarding them with LinkPoints when they do so, EZ-Link and NTUC Link are helping people to overcome the psychological barrier to cashless payment,” said the statement.

Every transaction made with ez-link cards from now till July will give Plus! cardholders a chance to win LinkPoints at monthly lucky draws. There will be a grand draw in July, with the winner standing to get 5 million LinkPoints valued at more than S$30,000.

Separately, in the second quarter of this year, Cheers customers who pay with cash will be able to top up their EZ- Link cards directly with spare change. Cheers is the convenience arm of NTUC FairPrice.

This is to give consumers more options to top-up their ez-link cards with ease and to reduce need for cashiers to handle cash, thus shaving off time spent during transactions, said the press statement.

Both tie-ups are expected to benefit some two million NTUC Plus card holders. More than 17 million ez-link cards have been issued.

How to convert loose change to EZ-Link value. Photo: EZ-Link

Despite the push to get more consumers to consider using EZ-Link as alternative mode when going cashless, most that TODAY spoke to were still adamant about using it for transport purposes only.

For seniors, they cited their fears losing their ez-link cards and the danger of it being prone to misuse, especially given that it is on an unsecured platform.

Noting that it is not “safe” for the older generation who might be less IT-savvy, retiree Beatrix Poh, 70, said she still feels most reassured through credit cards. “At least I know what I am paying for, I can sign and I can view my purchases, instead of just waving (the card),” she said.

“At our age, our memories are not very good, so if you are forgetful and lose your or can’t remember what you spent on, at the end of the day the damage has been done,” she said.

Ms Christine Ong, 57, who works in the banking industry said she still prefers cash.

“Unless there is one day where the whole of Singapore is totally cashless, then I would consider using EZ-Link (as a mode of payment),” she said, adding that there have been instances of  personal information being stolen online,

Having too many cards on hand was also too “troublesome and confusing”, said a retiree who wanted to be known as Mrs Ng, 71.

The younger generation too said they were not as comfortable with using EZ-Link as a mode of payment, instead preferring other methods such as Apple Pay or credit cards.

Citing how she often lost her EZ-Link card in the past, flight attendant Koh Wei Shan, 24, said she would keep it to “small payments”.

Fellow flight attendant Liana Mohd, 36, said she would also still choose a debit or credit card as it offers more “security”.

Acknowledging consumers’ concerns, EZ-Link’s chief executive officer Nicholas Lee said that users who register their EZ-Link card for the scheme can block their card in the event of a loss, so to “provide an added level of security”. They can also track their past transactions through the app or website, he said.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.