Why Cashless?
Paying coins and paper money makes a transaction feel much more genuine. However, modern conveniences have made it possible to make swift payments in no time. In this technologically-advanced age, it’s best to go for cashless payment in Singapore. It’s less hefty and confirms your transactions faster.
Truthfully, Singapore is one of the best countries for utilizing financial technology or fintech to its full potential. If you’re looking for the best cashless facilities in Singapore, here are the most efficient ones from different banks, financial institutions, and trusted service providers.
Banks With Mobile Payment Facilities
1. DBS PayLah
The Development Bank of Singapore understands the great need for cashless transactions in Singapore. With the DBS PayLah app, which you can download from Apple’s App Store and GooglePlay, you can pay your bills, send or request payments from anyone using the DBS PayLah app, scan QR codes, and check your bank account’s balance. Additionally, you can book tickets for movies and shows from partnered merchants, buy meals, and enjoy additional rebates and bonuses exclusive to PayLah users.
2. UOB Mighty
Like DBS’ PayLah, the UOB Mighty intends to help you manage your banking on-demand, just like Netflix. You can check your bank account’s information at any time, which is useful if you’re waiting for a customer or friend’s payment. Furthermore, UOB partners with many merchants for online payment facilities, helping you address utility bills and buy items from online retailers conveniently. UOB partners with many merchants, giving you the best deals and rewards that you might find attractive and useful.
3. OCBC Pay Anyone
It’s convenient if you can pay anyone using your NRIC, mobile number, or QR scanner. Now, you won’t need to type in numbers and email addresses. With OCBC Pay Anyone, you can use your phone’s advanced facial recognition features or thumbprint to enter. You can then perform a myriad of cashless payments, such as mobile fund transfers, request payments from friends to request money for bill splits, and scan NETS QRs for convenient payments. OCBC’s Pay Anyone allows you to pay or request payments from anyone who owns a PayNow account.
PayNow Services
Paynow is a service that functions like the bank-operated fintech apps we listed above. With PayNow, you can instantly send and receive funds, but you won’t have exclusive deals, rebates, and other benefits. PayNow allows you to perform transfers up to S $1,000 without the need for a one-time password (OTP), which is an added security feature that is sometimes cumbersome for small transactions.
PayNow makes many bank services conveniently accessible to users. With one PayNow registration, you can access the following banking services.
1. BOC
Bank of China (BOC) Personal Online Banking Service and BOC Personal Mobile Banking App allow you to send funds to your PayNow account. Once you log in from the BOC Mobile Banking App, go to ‘PayNow’ to access the facility. You can choose to inject money into your PayNow account or cash out into your bank account.
2. UOB
Like the BOCs App, UOB’s mobile banking app makes it easy to transfer and send money to your PayNow account with its respective feature. UOB’s Mighty app has a ‘PayNow’ option that allows you to register your account. The app will ask you to photograph your registration documents and receive confirmation in less than a week.
3. Standard Chartered
SC’s PayNow corporate allows businesses to link their bank accounts to their UEN accounts from Standard Chartered. Like the other two software applications we mentioned above, SC has its ‘PayNow’ facility to help you register if you don’t have your PayNow account yet. However, since SC’s PayNow facility is for businesses, relationship managers and proper authorities can apply for PayNow integration.
4. Citibank
Citibank’s Citibank Online Service allows you to use PayNow to pay your credit cards and Citibank credit bills. Furthermore, it will enable you to do online banking all day and all week. Citibank Online gives you more than just an online payment facility. You can pay your other bills, reserve movie and event tickets, split bills with friends, etc. Additionally, you can benefit from selecting Citibank merchants with their timed promotions, rebates, and other bonuses.
5. DBS/POSB
The beauty of PayNow is you can integrate your mobile phone number with virtually every bank. DBS integrates smoothly with the mobile number, NRIC, or UEN of any recipient. All you need to do is register the number in DBS’ application. Then, you can initiate an instant transfer to these accounts at any day and time. You can register with DBS’ Digibank App, which gives you numerous benefits. These include paying your bills using the app, reserving tickets for your next movie or event, and exclusive perks from DBS and its partner businesses.
6. HSBC
The bank’s online banking facility and the app both have exclusive features, such as reserving movie and event tickets, online shopping perks, and timed discount and rebate promotions, among others. Additionally, HSBC supports PayNow, allowing you to integrate your mobile number, NRIC, or UEN with its facilities. In doing so, you can interchange your payment method or inject cash into PayNow conveniently at any time of day.
7. ICBC
Both the financial institution’s e-Banking and mobile app allow you to register for PayNow using your existing mobile number. It has a dedicated “PayNow Manage” in its Remittance facility. In addition to the convenience of using PayNow, ICBC’s e-Banking and mobile app service make it easy to send money to anyone with or without an ICBC account. Furthermore, they can use it to pay for bills and online-sold items and integrate your bank accounts with popular payment methods aside from PayNow.
8. Maybank
Singapore’s Maybank allows its users to transfer money to mobile numbers with its facility. They can also access their Maybank account and pay any mobile number without using Maybank or PayNow’s app. They need to type a keyword combination with the phone number and their Maybank bank account through text. Maybank’s convenient cashless payment and access to PayNow makes it one of the best to use in addition to its utility payment, ticket buying, and online payment perks.
9. OCBC
The financier’s mobile banking app makes it easy to register and access your PayNow account. Additionally, OCBC’s mobile banking app gives you the latest fintech conveniences of banking 24/7, online payments, movie and event ticket reservations and discounts, and other perks that you’ll enjoy if OCBC’s line of preferred merchants suits your lifestyle and spending.
NETS Services
Fun fact: cashless payment services existed in Singapore since 1985. With the help of local banks, including DBS, OCBC, and UOB, they established the local debit network. The Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) is similar to Visa and Mastercard except for its Singapore exclusivity.
NETS remains widely implemented and greatly-performing in Singapore and remains the backbone of many cashless platforms. It serves NETSPay, eNets, FAST, PayNow, GIRO, and others.
1. NETS Bankcard Payment
NETS contactless cards function similarly as a debit card. You can tap your credit card to pay at the cashier. Most Singaporean banks, including DBS, OCBC, POSB, and UOB, have a Nets logo that allows you to tap into NETS terminals and pay without any money or physically interacting with any cashier individuals.
2. NETS Cashcard Payment
FlashPay is one of NETS’ ingenious cashless and contactless methods of payments. While they’re mostly used for government facilities, such as paying for ERP or expressway toll fees, they’re exceedingly useful for needing to take out actual cash outside. Unlike NETS Bankcard, it does not have a PIN safeguard. When you lose your FlashPay, you lose real money in the process.
3. e-NETS
NETS has its exclusive online cash management and payment facility called e-NETS. You can cash into your e-NETS account through your mobile banking application. DBS, OCBC, POSB, and UOB have integrated e-NETS features to cash inconveniently. The best advantage of using e-NETS is access to the numerous merchants that NETS partners with, making it convenient to cashlessly pay for their products and services.
4. NETSPay
Partnering with virtually every Singapore bank, NETSPay is the country’s most advanced system that allows you to register your digitization cards. In doing so, you won’t need to bring your wallet. You can start scanning QR codes and pay using only your mobile phone. Numerous NETSPay contactless terminals allow you to check QR codes for payment without taking out your phone.
5. PayNow
With PayNow, Singaporeans won’t need to use NETS or other mobile banking applications unless they needed to cash in for more funds. PayNow allows them to use their NRIC, UEN, or mobile number to receive money and payment from anyone. Virtually every Singaporean bank can inject cash into PayNow conveniently.
6. NETS QR
This is a feature unique only to NETS. A unified QR code allows any device and application that utilizes nets to pay or receive payment conveniently. DBS PayLah, OCBC Pay Anyone, and UOB Mighty are some of the banking platforms that use NETS QR codes
E-Wallets
These utilities function similar to NETSPay and PayNow but are not exclusive to Singapore. Third-party app providers and services operate and maintain these electronic wallets, which have numerous payment facilities enabling cashless transactions in Singapore. Here are some of the best ones.
1. WeChat Pay
WeChat’s e-wallet features numerous similarities to PayNow and NETSPay. The app generates your unique QR code, allowing merchants to scan from your phone using their device and take payment without taking out cash. Like PayNow and NETSPay, you can pay for numerous utility and commercial merchants’ services who have partnered with WeChat Pay.
2. AliPay
Another e-Wallet with significant feature similarities to WeChat, AliPay is Alibaba’s exclusive e-Wallet. It functions and has the same features as WeChat, including local bank funding integration. Furthermore, it highlights its extensive member protection, unparalleled claim investigation process, and full reimbursement for fraudulent transactions.
3. FavePay
If you still remember the cheap coupons service Groupon, they’re the people behind the cashless platform FavePay. With FavePay, you can pay in-application, which gives you vouchers and potential discounts from your favorite merchants. Truthfully, their restaurant, diner, and cafe options are numerous, and the timed discounts are fair game and beneficial for both customers and establishments.
4. Lazada Wallet
While Lazada’s e-wallet is convenient for shopping in its mobile shopping platform, it’s widely useful if you’re often getting your necessities and other needs from the store. Now, you won’t need to do cash-on-delivery, which limits your contact with your delivery couriers. Furthermore, the wallet gives you access to numerous discounts, freebies, and the ability to receive immediate refunds for any complex transactions.
Non-Bank Mobile Payment Services
1. Apple Pay
If you’re a heavy iOS user, Apple Pay is similar to the other e-wallets and digital payment facilities above but exclusive to ApplePay users. You can use ApplePay to pay using its facial recognition features, which eliminates the need for entering your PIN. You can generate your QR codes to send and receive payment too.
2. Android Pay
This is the mirror image of ApplePay on Android, and Google powers and maintains its operations. It has rebranded itself into Google Pay, which Android users access as a payment facility for in-app purchases and online shopping with supported merchants. Furthermore, it shares similar features with online banking facilities, such as paying or requesting payment, split bills, reserve tickets, etc.
3. Samsung Pay
Competing against both Apple and Google, Samsung has launched its own cashless transaction platform. With your Galaxy Phone, you can authorize payments through its secure fingerprint ID system. Then, just put your phone right next to the card reader, and you’ve accomplished amounts. A significant number of Singapore establishments have Samsung pay facilities for your convenience.
Credit Card Visa, MasterCard, and Others
PayWave or PayPass
Visa’s PayWave and MasterCard’s PayPass allows you to use your credit cards close to the terminals. The payment facility is always available in every establishment where both Visa and Mastercard payments are available. Unfortunately, these two facilities do not require you to input a PIN or OTP, making it a high-risk contactless channel for thieves who can place NRIC scanning devices near your card.
EZLink Cards
You need an EZLink card if you’re riding trains and buses from Singapore. These stored value cards have an equivalent in virtually every country worldwide. You can inject them with additional balance using your online banking facilities, PayNow, or NETS facilities. Furthermore, you can use EZLink at 7-11 and some hawker centers. These are exclusive payment facilities for Singapore transportation.
Singapore Has Limitless Payment Options for All Your Contactless Payment Needs!
In Singapore, you won’t need to worry if you’ve forgotten your wallet at home. As long as you bring your mobile phone or contactless payment cards, you can enjoy the convenience of paying without cash anywhere!
Short of cash? Feel free to look for Raffles Credit – licensed money lender in Singapore, for low-interest rate loan and quick approval.
