Chunghwa Post plans to start issuing contactless Visa debit cards in July that allow people to pay with their post office accounts.
The state-run company said it would also provide an instant pick-up service that allows people to pick up their new contactless debit cards only a few minutes after they apply, instead of having to wait for three to five days.
The service is not restricted to new applicants, but also available to those who have lost their cards or need to renew them, it said.
Chunghwa Post on Dec. 29 launched its mobile payment service, the HCE (hot card emulation) Smartphone Visa card.
The service allows Chunghwa Post Visa debit-card holders to pay with their phones through an app and can be used anywhere that has a contactless Visa card reader. It has more than 6,000 users.
To make the new contactless debit card more convenient, people will not have to sign when making purchases that do not exceed NT$3,000, the company said.
The payment will only go through if there is money in the account, it said, adding that this allows students and young people who do not have credit cards to enjoy the convenience without having to worry about accumulating debt.
The debit cards will have daily and monthly spending limits, and cardholders can raise the limit any time by making a phone call to Chunghwa Post, the company said.
Since the government has been promoting mobile payment, an increasing number of businesses now have contactless debit card readers, it added.
Chunghwa Post launched trial programs of the instant pick-up service at 24 post offices across the nation last year and received positive responses from the public.
Starting from July, more than 300 offices will provide the service.
In the past, all card applications had to be sent to the central office where the card would be printed, but in the future, each office will have their own card printer, allowing people to quickly get their new cards, the company said.
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