Pay in stores using your phone For most things in Singapore, you can get by without even carrying your card if you should choose to do so. As long as you have your phone, and set up Apple Pay¹°, Google Pay¹¹ or Samsung Pay¹² you can make payments using the same near field communication used by contactless cards.

In 2026, Singapore is arguably the easiest city in Asia to navigate entirely without physical currency. The nation has successfully integrated digital payments into almost every facet of daily life through its "SGNQR" unified payment code system. Travelers can use Apple Pay, Google Pay, or contactless credit cards to "tap and go" on all public transport (MRT and buses) without needing a separate travel card. While the famous hawker centers once required cash, nearly all stalls now accept PayNow or SGQR scans. However, for a 2026 traveler, it is still wise to carry about $20–$50 SGD in cash for very small neighborhood shops or in the rare event of a digital terminal outage. Most major attractions, from Gardens by the Bay to retail malls in Orchard Road, are 100% optimized for a cashless experience.