EasyCard, Taiwan’s contactless smart card, will expand digital payment acceptance in the Ryukyu Islands in Japan beginning November 7. The initiative was announced by the EasyCard Corporation on Sunday.
This is the first time that Taiwan’s EasyCards will be usable overseas. They are used often as payment at Taipei’s metros, buses, taxis, convenience stores and other stores throughout Taiwan.
The cards will be accepted in more than 2,000 stores and will allow registered cardholders to make payments for small-value purchases of up to NT$1,500 (nearly US$50). The local value will be processed with real-time exchange rates with no additional processing fee. SuperCard holders will have a transaction limit of about US$300.
The new application is a collaboration with Japan’s Bank of the Ryukyus and is the first ever cross-border payment system for EasyCard. The program will also enable Japanese people to buy EasyCards in Okinawa and make purchases in Taiwan.
Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands. It’s a popular destination for Taiwanese tourists and is only 1.5 hours from Taipei by plane.