Over 47,000 cabbies adopt Octopus, card readers ahead of e-payment regulations

An industry leader has said Hong Kong cabbies are embracing the digital payment era.

Photo: Jelly Tse More than 47,000 registered Hong Kong taxi drivers have adopted the commercial version of the Octopus app or equipped their cabs with mobile card readers ahead of new electronic payment regulations taking effect on Wednesday, transport authorities have said.

The new measures require cab drivers to provide at least two e-payment options, as part of a broader government push to modernise the industry’s image and service quality.

The Transport Department on Tuesday said the three dedicated service stations at government car parks in Sheung Wan, Kwai Fong and Tsuen Wan would remain open until Saturday to provide last-minute support.

It said more than 3,000 cabbies had already booked appointments to ensure compliance with the regulations.

Chau Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said that cabbies were ready to step into the new era of embracing digital payments. “The association has been working tirelessly to train elderly drivers in digital payment systems,” he said. “For those owners and drivers who have already installed ‘all-in-one’ smart meters, we provided intensive hands-on instruction during the set-up process, and I am confident the vast majority now know how to operate them.” The all-in-one smart meters allow passengers to tap to pay without drivers having to manually input fares, a feature designed to assist elderly cabbies who may struggle with new technology.

The new regulations take effect on Wednesday.

Photo: Jelly Tse Chau added that about 6,000 smart meters developed by fintech firm Wonder, which supports 34 payment methods, alongside similar solutions from Dash, had already been installed in taxis across the city.

According to department figures, Hong Kong has 18,000 taxis and about 46,000 active drivers, with nearly two-thirds of those cabbies aged 60 or older.

The new regulations require taxi drivers to offer at least one QR code-based platform – such as AlipayHK, WeChat Pay HK, or BoC Pay – alongside a non-scanning alternative, which can include Octopus, credit cards or the Faster Payment System, better known as FPS.

Those who fail to comply with the measures face a HK$5,000 (US$640) fine and up to six months’ imprisonment.

The Transport Department on Tuesday added that more than 47,000 registered taxi drivers had installed the commercial version of the Octopus app or equipped their vehicl

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