TNG Set To Launch Upgraded Card With NFC Capabilities In Next Few Weeks

Alex Cheong Pui Yin

26th January 2022 - 2 min read

The chief executive officer of TNG Digital, Ignatius Ong has said that Touch ‘n Go (TNG) will be launching a new version of its card in the next few weeks. This updated TNG card will offer the ability to tap into near-field communication (NFC) technology, allowing users to top up their card balance using a NFC-enabled port via the TNG eWallet app.

“The Touch ‘n Go card that we have in circulation for the last 20 years does not have the capability to directly top up from the eWallet because you need a specific card reader to actually do the transactions for security reasons,” Ong explained during a panel discussion at the MyFintech Week 2022 event.

Aside from that, Ong did not share any other details about these upcoming NFC-enabled cards, such as the price and locations to obtain them. To note, TNG Digital had actually revealed its plan for this new version of the TNG card much earlier back in February 2021, with the intention to roll it out by the end of 2021.

With this latest update, TNG users can look forward to a more convenient experience when reloading their physical TNG cards; it is currently not possible for you to directly top up the credit of your physical TNG card via your TNG eWallet. Instead, you need visit a participating store or dedicated TNG kiosk at selected locations to perform the top-up – which can be a bit of a hassle.

Of course, there is the PayDirect feature that lets you link your TNG cards to the eWallet, allowing you to use the eWallet as a payment source instead of deducting money from the card balance. However, this is only applicable for parking and toll payments.

TNG had also previously made an unsuccessful attempt to roll out a card reload feature via the TNG eWallet app back in 2018. The process required users to first perform the reload on the eWallet, and then bring their cards to a dedicated terminal to “transfer” the credit to the physical card. Vastly unpopular with the public, this feature was eventually removed.

(Source: The Edge Markets)

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Alex Cheong Pui Yin

Previously covered recruitment-related stories and had a short stint as a copywriter for the property industry. She subsequently developed an interest in investment and robo-advisors.

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