TNG eWallet and Kakitangan.com: A Game-Changer for Salary Payments in Malaysia
In a significant move for Malaysia’s workforce and digital economy, TNG Digital—the company behind the widely used Touch ‘n Go (TNG) eWallet—has partnered with human resources platform Kakitangan.com to enable direct salary payments into employees’ eWallet accounts. This integration is poised to revolutionize payroll processes, particularly for unbanked and underserved workers, by offering a secure, compliant, and accessible alternative to traditional bank accounts.
The collaboration leverages Malaysia’s advanced digital payment infrastructure and responds to the growing need for financial inclusion among migrant workers, gig economy participants, and those who face barriers to opening bank accounts. With over two million foreign workers already using TNG eWallet, the partnership is set to have a broad and lasting impact on the country’s labor market and digital transformation.
Why Salary Payments via eWallets Matter
For many Malaysians and migrant workers, accessing a traditional bank account can be challenging due to documentation requirements, minimum deposit thresholds, or language barriers. This has left a significant portion of the workforce—especially migrants and lower-income earners—reliant on cash payments, which are less secure and limit access to digital financial services.
The new integration between TNG Digital and Kakitangan.com addresses these challenges head-on. Employers using Kakitangan.com’s HR and payroll system can now disburse salaries in bulk directly to employees’ TNG eWallets via the DuitNow Bulk Transfer system. Each eWallet comes with a unique DuitNow account number, allowing users to receive funds from any bank or eWallet in Malaysia, functioning much like a conventional bank account.
This system is recognized by the Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Semenanjung Malaysia (JTKSM), the country’s Department of Labour, as a compliant salary account. This regulatory approval ensures that salary payments made to TNG eWallets meet all legal requirements, giving both employers and employees peace of mind.
Financial Inclusion: Bridging the Gap for the Unbanked
Financial inclusion refers to the effort to make financial services accessible and affordable to all individuals and businesses, regardless of their personal circumstances. In Malaysia, despite high rates of bank account ownership, millions remain unbanked or underbanked—especially among migrant workers and those in the informal sector.
By enabling salary payments directly into eWallets, TNG Digital and Kakitangan.com are providing a lifeline to these workers. Unbanked employees gain immediate access to their income and can use a suite of digital financial tools to manage, store, and spend their money. This not only enhances their financial independence but also integrates them into Malaysia’s rapidly growing digital economy.
Alan Ni, CEO of TNG Digital, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating:
“Financial inclusion has always been at the heart of our mission. With this partnership, we are addressing the real pain points of individuals who lack access to traditional bank accounts by providing them with a secure and accessible salary solution through the TNG eWallet.”
How the Integration Works: A Seamless Payroll Solution
The technical backbone of this integration is the DuitNow Bulk Transfer system, a national payment infrastructure that allows for instant, secure, and compliant fund transfers across banks and eWallets in Malaysia. Here’s how the process unfolds:
- Bulk Salary Disbursement: Employers using Kakitangan.com’s HR and payroll platform can initiate salary payments in bulk, sending funds directly to employees’ TNG eWallets using their DuitNow account numbers.
- Universal Accessibility: Employees do not need a traditional bank account. The DuitNow account number linked to each TNG eWallet enables them to receive payments from any participating bank or eWallet provider.
- Regulatory Compliance: The system is recognized by JTKSM as a compliant salary account, ensuring all statutory requirements are met.
- Immediate Access: Employees receive their salaries instantly and can use their eWallets for payments, transfers, remittances, and cash withdrawals.
This streamlined process reduces administrative burdens for employers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and ensures timely, automated, and secure salary payments for employees.
Benefits for Employers and SMEs
Kakitangan.com serves over 10,000 businesses across Malaysia, many of which are SMEs with diverse workforces. The integration with TNG eWallet offers several advantages:
- Automated Payroll: Reduces manual HR work and minimizes errors in salary disbursement.
- Statutory Compliance: Ensures all salary payments meet local labor regulations, even for employees without bank accounts.
- Enhanced Employee Satisfaction: Timely and secure payments improve morale and retention, especially among workers who previously faced delays or difficulties accessing their wages.
- Support for Digital Transformation: Empowers businesses to adopt digital payroll solutions, aligning with Malaysia’s broader push towards a cashless society.
Effon Khoo, Director of Kakitangan.com, highlighted the impact on SMEs:
“The integration with TNG eWallet makes our payroll offerings more inclusive and efficient, supporting Malaysian SMEs whose employees prefer digital wallets and enabling timely, automated, and secure salary payments.”
Empowering Employees: Features and Financial Tools
For employees, especially those who are unbanked or migrant workers, receiving salaries via TNG eWallet opens up a world of financial possibilities. Key features include:
- Cashless Payments: Use DuitNow QR and the TNG Visa Card for purchases at millions of merchants nationwide.
- Remittance Services: Send money abroad easily, a crucial feature for migrant workers supporting families in their home countries.
- Cash Withdrawals: Withdraw cash at ATMs using the linked TNG Visa Card, providing flexibility for those who still need physical currency.
- Digital Money Management: Store, track, and manage funds within the eWallet app, reducing reliance on cash and improving financial literacy.
These tools help users manage their finances independently and participate fully in the digital economy, regardless of their banking status.
Security and Trust: Regulatory Recognition
The recognition of TNG eWallet as a compliant salary account by JTKSM is a critical factor in building trust among employers and employees. This regulatory endorsement ensures that salary payments are protected by Malaysian labor laws, and that users’ funds are safeguarded within a regulated financial ecosystem.
TNG Digital is also regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia as an approved e-money issuer, further reinforcing the security and reliability of the platform.
The Broader Context: Malaysia’s Digital Payment Revolution
The TNG eWallet and Kakitangan.com partnership is part of a larger trend in Malaysia’s fintech landscape. Digital wallets have become a staple of everyday life, with 88% of Malaysians using eWallets in 2024. The government and private sector have actively promoted digital payments to drive financial inclusion, reduce cash dependency, and foster economic growth.
TNG Digital has been at the forefront of this movement, continuously expanding its ecosystem. Recent initiatives include:
- Zero-Fee Business Accounts: TNG Digital launched a mobile-first, zero-cost business account for micro-SMEs and gig workers, offering instant onboarding and real-time payments without paperwork or minimum balance requirements.
- Integration with Google Pay: TNG eWallet is now integrated with Google Pay, allowing users to make secure online payments via Chrome and other platforms, further embedding eWallets into Malaysia’s digital commerce landscape.
- Fuel Payments at PETRONAS: Through a partnership with Setel, TNG eWallet users can pay for fuel at over 1,000 PETRONAS stations, demonstrating the app’s versatility and convenience.
These developments underscore TNG Digital’s commitment to creating a comprehensive digital financial ecosystem that serves both consumers and businesses.
Financial Inclusion: A National Priority
Malaysia’s push for financial inclusion is not just about technology—it’s about ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or background, can participate in the economy. The World Bank and Bank Negara Malaysia have identified financial inclusion as a key driver of economic development, poverty reduction, and social mobility.
By making salary payments accessible to the unbanked, the TNG eWallet and Kakitangan.com partnership supports these national goals. It empowers workers, enhances business efficiency, and accelerates the shift towards a cashless, digitally inclusive society.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
While the integration marks a major step forward, challenges remain. Digital literacy, especially among older or less tech-savvy workers, can be a barrier to adoption. Employers and HR platforms must invest in education and support to ensure all employees can benefit from digital payroll solutions.
There are also broader issues of cybersecurity and fraud prevention. As digital payments become more prevalent, maintaining robust security measures and user awareness is essential to protect against scams and unauthorized transactions.
Nevertheless, the momentum is clear. With regulatory backing, strong industry partnerships, and a rapidly growing user base, digital salary payments via eWallets are set to become the norm in Malaysia’s evolving financial landscape.
In Summary
- TNG Digital and Kakitangan.com have partnered to enable direct salary payments into TNG eWallet accounts, transforming payroll for unbanked and underserved workers in Malaysia.
- The integration uses the DuitNow Bulk Transfer system, allowing employers to pay salaries in bulk to eWallets, which function like bank accounts with unique DuitNow numbers.
- TNG eWallet is recognized by Malaysian labor authorities as a compliant salary account, ensuring regulatory compliance and security.
- The solution empowers employees with immediate access to their income and a suite of digital financial tools, including payments, remittances, and cash withdrawals.
- Employers, especially SMEs, benefit from automated, efficient, and compliant payroll processes, supporting Malaysia’s digital transformation.
- This partnership is part of a broader trend towards financial inclusion and digital payment adoption in Malaysia, with TNG Digital leading innovations in the fintech sector.
- Challenges remain in digital literacy and security, but the initiative marks a significant step towards a more inclusive and cashless economy.
