Hongkongers may use Octopus Card in Japan later this year

Octopus Cards is in discussion with major Japanese payment platforms to enable Hongkongers to use Octopus cards in Japan as early as the third quarter of the year.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation, Japan recorded over 33.3 million visitors in 2024, with nearly 2.4 million of those arrivals coming from Hong Kong—a 13% increase from 2023. This shows that Japan remains one of the favuorite destinations for Hongkongers.

Octopus Cards’ product director Andy King said during a media luncheon that tourists will be able to scan QR codes provided by shops in Japan for payments, according to HKFP. These transactions will be automatically converted to Hong Kong dollars and deducted from their Octopus accounts. This follows Octopus' launch of Thailand's PromptPay QR code payment in its app in 2023 and the launch of Zero Pay in South Korea last year.

Meanwhile, Octopus’ CEO Tim Ying said the company is actively promoting the digitalisation of its cards and exploring overseas markets. For example, the Octopus app is expected to launch a peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer feature in the second half of the year. This will allow users to send money to each other face-to-face without having to know each other or enter phone numbers and other information, and there's no need to add each other as friends on the app.

Ying also said that Octopus Cards will introduce more designs featuring Octopus images aimed at the younger generation, as over one-third of its app users are from Gen Z. The company will offer a wide range of card designs, including classic cartoons, anime themes, and collaborations with local artists to meet the diverse personalisation needs of its users.

To promote cross-border travel, Octopus Cards will launch a new tourist card that can be used on public transportation in over 336 cities, including Macau. Additionally, there are plans to launch a city travel pass to help travellers explore the city more easily. The company will also launch a new set of tourist physical cards with three different card images featuring mainland and Hong Kong attractions, such as Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai, and trams in Hong Kong. 

Additionally, Octopus Cards will soon roll out a ride-hailing service within the Octopus app, allowing users to open the app, enter their destination, and choose their preferred vehicle type to book a ride. The fare will be deducted from their Octopus wallet balance, with automatic conversion to Hong Kong dollars for payment.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Octopus Cards for more information. 

Don’t miss: Octopus Cards launches digital yuan top-up as tourist spending grows

Back in February, Octopus Cards launched a digital yuan (e-CNY) top-up service, enabling mainland visitors to have a seamless payment experience in the city and pay like locals.

Users can go to the Octopus App for Tourists top-up page, enter their desired amount, and select "e-CNY App" as the payment method. After confirming, they'll be redirected to their e-CNY app to complete the top-up. They can also use e-CNY for deposits and topping up when adding a new Mobile Octopus in the app.

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