We are seeing more media articles in South East Asia focusing on the impact of Covid-19 on the exchange of physical money.
Contactless payments via NFC and QR codes have grown exponentially, and this has influenced the merchant and consumers not to accept “dirty cash” that may pass on germs.
Governments in South East Asia are encouraging eMoney operators to equip taxis, buses, and rail with “scan to pay” for accepting QR codes. Users pay by snapping QR codes, and the fare is deducted from their eMoney wallet. Although there is a long way to go for cashless, Covid-19 has undoubtedly kick-started the transition.