Payments in Taiwan are still a work in progress

If you want to reminiscence how the early days of non-cash payments used to be, go to Taiwan. It's still a decent amount of cash, stored-value card (EasyCard), and digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) here and there, combined with LINE Pay which no one outside of Taiwan cares about.

LINE ceased in Japan in 2025, and still exists as Rabbit LINE Pay in Thailand. PromptPay is Thailand's national payment system, so I'd wouldn't expect Rabbit LINE Pay to last more than a few more years given the minimal value-add.

Anyway ... EasyCard can be used for transportation (trains, buses, taxis) and at convenience stores. You will find the occasional taxi that claims their EasyCard reader is broken and asks for cash. The workaround for this problem is to use Uber with your credit card.

You can go to Trip.com and purchase a SIM card and/or physical EasyCard for pickup at the airport in Taiwan. I would recommend having both a local data plan - preferably via an eSIM - and the EasyCard since it's hard to live without either. You will find Google Maps helpful when navigating the alleys in Taipei or driving outside of Taipei.

If you don't have a phone that supports eSIMs yet, read how eSIM phones can save you money on your travels.

Topping up EasyCard requires cash, so you can see why there's still a need for cash. It's unlike China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea where you can be 99%+ cash-free.

There is no digital EasyCard option for tourists unlike the Apple Wallet Suica in Japan. A digital QR-code based version is available for locals with an ID card, bank account (to increase maximum stored value), and phone number.