Apple Pay OctopusHong Kong's popular Octopus card for transit and retail purchases now supports Apple Pay, allowing the card to be added to the Wallet app for contactless payments with an iPhone or Apple Watch.

As noted by the blog Ata Distance, Apple Pay support for the Octopus card was introduced today and is still rolling out to all users in Hong Kong. Express Transit mode is supported, allowing for tap-and-go payment without needing to authenticate the iPhone or Apple Watch with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.

To add a card to the Wallet app, tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner and follow the instructions.

2019 was a big year for Apple Pay with Express Transit mode, with major cities like London and New York City rolling out support. The feature is available in several other cities, too, including Chicago, Portland, Sydney, and Beijing.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Top Rated Comments

Klae17 Avatar
43 months ago

Weird name for a card. But it’s nice to see more cards accepted. I wish more store cards were supported though.
From Wikipedia:

The Cantonese ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantonese') name for the Octopus card, Baat Daaht Tùng (Chinese ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_characters'): 八 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%85%AB')達 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%81%94')通 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%80%9A')), translates literally as "eight-arrived pass", where Baat Daaht may translate as "reaching everywhere". Less literally though the meaning is taken as the "go-everywhere pass". It was selected by the head of the MTR Corporation, the parent company of Octopus Cards Limited, in a naming competition held in 1996.[15] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_card#cite_note-Milestones-15') The number eight refers to the cardinal and ordinal directions ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_direction'), and the four-character idiom ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengyu') sei tùng baat daaht (Chinese ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_characters'): 四 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%9B%9B')通 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%80%9A')八 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%85%AB')達 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%81%94')), a common expression loosely translated as "reachable in all directions".[16] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_card#cite_note-16') It is also considered a lucky number in Chinese culture ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_in_Chinese_culture#Eight'), and the phrase baat daaht can possibly be associated with the similar-sounding faat daaht, which means "getting wealthy" (Chinese ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_characters'): 發 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%99%BC')達 ('https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%81%94')) in Cantonese.

The English ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language') name Octopus card was also selected from the naming competition. Coincidentally, the English name coincides with the number eight in the Chinese name, since an octopus ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus') has eight tentacles ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tentacle').[17] ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_card#cite_note-MilestonesEng-17') The logo used on the card features a Möbius strip ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip') in the shape of an infinity symbol ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_symbol').
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adrianlondon Avatar
43 months ago
Octopus is a brilliant name for anything.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
henry72 Avatar
43 months ago
I can confirm it worked. If you’re not currently in HK, just change your iPhone region in Settings to HK, add the card and then change it back :)

PS: Pretty cool that the iPhone can read the Octopus card




https://www.apple.com/hk/en/apple-pay/octopus/

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Powermax Avatar
43 months ago
Great it worked! I changed my region to Hong Kong and then was able to add transfer my existing Octopus card to my phone. Now I am ready for my next visit to Hong Kong.
Sadly it looks like you can only add money via Apple Pay with cards from HK for now, I hope they will change that soon like with Suica where you can use every card in your wallet to top up.

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
konqerror Avatar
43 months ago

Changed region to HK, added card, "Your card does not support Apple Pay", changed region back to UK.

Oh well. Hopefully next time I go to HK I'll get a newer one. I've had this one for a few years now.
Yeah, there was a card replacement effort 2017-2019. The first gen ones aren't smartphone compatible.

https://www.octopus.com.hk/en/consumer/card-replacement/about/index.html
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Powermax Avatar
43 months ago
My card is from 2014 and I could add it without problems.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17

Warning: Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iPhone

Friday September 22, 2023 6:36 am PDT by
If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues. iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...
emojipedia 15 1 emoji

Emoji Coming to Future iOS 17 Update Include Shaking Head, Brown Mushroom, Lime, Phoenix and More

Tuesday September 19, 2023 12:43 pm PDT by
As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024. Mockup of new emoji from Emojipedia Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken...
iPhone 15 Pro Fingerprints

Apple Says Fingerprints Can 'Temporarily Alter the Color' of iPhone 15 Pro's Titanium Frame

Thursday September 21, 2023 2:48 pm PDT by
In a support document updated today, Apple indicates that fingerprints might "temporarily alter the color" of the titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Fortunately, Apple says this is not a permanent condition, as the fingerprints can be wiped off just like on any other iPhone to restore a clean finish. "For iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the oil from your skin...