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Hong Kong taxi drivers buckle in for switch to digital payments

As part of an industry-wide effort to enhance service quality, the city’s taxi drivers are now required to offer a minimum of two electronic payment methods starting April 1, 2026.

Published: 5:02pm, 31 Mar 2026

More than 47,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers had adopted systems to handle commercial Octopus payments or installed mobile card readers as of March 31, 2026. The rush to install digital payment options comes ahead of a new law going into effect on April 1, requiring drivers to offer at least two electronic payment options. Drivers have been ordered to accept at least one QR code-based payment method and one non-scanning alternative. Drivers who fail to provide digital options risk a HK$5,000 (US$640) fine and up to six months’ imprisonment.