The new Enhanced Touch ‘n Go Card is probably the most sought-after plastic card in Malaysia right now as it allows users to reload the card instantly with no extra fees via an NFC-enabled smartphone. While this is a must-have item for those who are using the older Touch ‘n Go card, the lifespan of the new TNG card is actually shorter.
In case you didn’t know, the old classic Touch ‘n Go card without the NFC functionality has a lifespan of 10 years. However, for the new Enhanced version, the card only has a lifespan of just 7 years. This means if you purchased a card that was issued in 2023, it will expire in 2030.
When we got our Enhanced TNG card in April 2022 before the official launch, our cards has a printed expiry date of 02/29 which is 7 years of validity. However, after adding the card to our Touch ‘n Go eWallet, it showed an extended expiry date of 14/04/2032, which is an additional 3 years and 2 months.
Recently, Raymond has gotten himself the Special Edition GreenPossible TNG card which costs RM25 (RM15 more than the normal RM10 card). His card has a printed expiry date of 12/29 and he got 24/12/2029 as the exact expiry date after adding the card to his TNG eWallet app. Interestingly, his card is expiring 3 years earlier than our first batch of Enhanced TNG cards purchased in May.
We’ve reached out to Touch ‘n Go and they have confirmed that the new Enhanced TNG card and the TNG Charm both have a lifespan of just 7 years. The shorter lifespan was also stated in the respective FAQs for both the new card and charm.
Those who are expecting the cards to last for 10 years would probably be disappointed with the shorter lifespan. Upon expiry, users would have to purchase a new card and request a refund for the old card. In case you didn’t know, a TNG card can become dormant if there’s no activity for a long time. To prevent the card from becoming dormant, you can add the card to your eWallet.
As mentioned by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister (KPDN) Salahuddin Ayub recently, Touch ‘n Go must notify customers before the cards are expired and they should also speed up the refund process. Hopefully, within the next 7 years, the government will open up toll and public transport payments to other forms of digital payment such as credit and debit cards, as well as other eWallets.
When PLUS agreed to adopt TNG RFID in late 2019, CIMB’s former Group CEO Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz said they will champion democratisation in toll payments by making open payments an accessible reality to all Malaysians. It has been more than 3 years but Touch ‘n Go still remains the only cashless payment option to pay for tolls and public transport.
Related reading
- Enhanced TNG Card with NFC: Should you bother upgrading to this new card?
- Touch ‘n Go Charm Christmas Edition: Where to buy this NFC-enabled TNG tag online
- Govt wants TNG Visa card rebranded to avoid confusion, Works Ministry to look into full RFID implementation for tolls
- Touch ‘n Go Visa vs regular TNG card: What’s the difference and where can you use it?
