Through their Octopus card, the MTR in Hong Kong also functions a bit like a personal financial services company
Although it’s nominally for transit, there were few places that did not also accept it as a form of payment for restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing, and all sorts of general merchandise
Imagine the revenue a transit operator could generate from getting a small percentage of every one of those transactions
Through their Octopus card, the MTR in Hong Kong also functions a bit like a personal financial services company
Although it’s nominally for transit, there were few places that did not also accept it as a form of payment for restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing, and all sorts of general merchandise
Imagine the revenue a transit operator could generate from getting a small percentage of every one of those transactions