Gen Z drives rise of prepaid cards, bill-splitting apps in Asia

Shifting priorities a boon to new services but a challenge for traditional banks

20230829N Wowpass

Wowpass prepaid cards offer travelers to South Korea many of the conveniences of a credit card without all the risks. (Photo courtesy of Orange Square)

MISAKI MORIKAWA, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- From reservations about credit cards to discomfort over owing cash to others, Generation Z's attitudes about money are helping a variety of new financial services take off in Asia.

Tourists arriving in South Korea can easily obtain a Wowpass prepaid card at one of many ATM-like machines that have popped up at Incheon International Airport. In exchange for their passport information, customers can load up the cards using their home currencies and use them to pay at South Korean stores. No credit checks are required.

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