Seniors in Singapore are increasingly turning to digital payments for online shopping and overseas travel, with the number of digital payment transactions made by customers aged 60 and above through OCBC’s mobile app rising by nearly 60 per cent in the year to 30 June 2026.

The number of seniors using the app for digital payments also grew by nearly 30 per cent over the same period, according to data released by OCBC on Wednesday.

The bank said the growth reflects a broader shift in how older customers use digital banking, extending beyond everyday transactions to e-commerce and travel.

Use of PayNow by seniors to make payments on e-commerce and livestream shopping platforms, including Shopee and TikTok Shop, was 1.5 times higher than a year earlier.

Overseas QR payments also recorded strong growth. The number of transactions made by seniors using OCBC's Scan & Pay feature more than doubled during the same period. China was the most popular destination, accounting for almost 80 per cent of overseas QR payment value among senior users.

OCBC's Scan & Pay feature supports QR payments in more than 55 destinations, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea. The service operates across six cross-border payment networks: Alipay+, DuitNow, PromptPay, QRIS, UnionPay and Weixin Pay.

For 63-year-old OCBC customer Tay Chai Hoon (Picture), digital payments have become part of both her everyday shopping and overseas travel.

Tay said she uses PayNow to buy household and kitchen items on TikTok Shop and has used Scan & Pay while travelling in China.

She said the ability to make cashless payments and track transactions through the app has made it easier to manage her spending.
«I started by using PayNow for simple money transfers, but over time I became comfortable using the OCBC app for everything from everyday purchases to online shopping and even payments overseas,» she said.

Digital Literacy Efforts

OCBC said the rise in digital payment use among seniors comes alongside its efforts to improve digital literacy among older customers.

Since 2022, more than 150,000 seniors have taken part in over 180 workshops and engagement events organised by the bank. The sessions cover basic digital banking functions such as checking account balances, making PayNow transfers and paying merchants through QR codes.

OCBC said the growing use of digital payments by seniors across activities including online shopping and overseas travel underscored the need to continue providing older customers with digital skills, safety knowledge and accessible banking tools.