It is fascinating how we are getting used to the ways we pay. I always bring at least some cash with me when I am going away for a long time because it is not possible to pay by card for a minibus ride in Kyiv, leave a tip in a restaurant or buy a snack in a small stall.
But I much prefer contactless payments. Indeed, it was the main feature I looked for when upgrading my phone. Now I use it for about 90 percent of my purchases. It doesn’t feel futuristic anymore. It feels normal, as it should be. And it feels very ancient to pay by cash now for me when I have to.
During my trip to London, I haven’t used cash a single time. This city fully adopted a contactless way long before (even famous phone booths support PayPass). And this adds modernity much more than you think it may. The adoption of contactless eliminates many troubles with cash like currency exchange, fraud, and other inconveniences related to storing and managing coins. But the most important benefit is that I don’t need to think about bringing my wallet with me, just my phone. Such mobility became an essential attribute of a modern way of living in a city.
Technology is already there. The timing could not be better. Infrastructures that were building during decades should adapt to make use of it and become renovated.