Goodbye to cash, the time is right.
On Christmas Eve the
Italia Cashless plan
starts
, of which the 'receipt lottery' is the project that has made people discuss and intrigued but whose heart lies in the urge to buy with apps or credit cards, even enticed by a small prize, the so-called 'cashback'.
"I am sure that when people start paying electronically, they will never go back, generating benefits for everyone" comments Alberto Dalmasso, CEO and founder of Satispay who followed the project by participating in the table with the Government.
When fully operational, using cards and apps to make purchases in physical stores there will be a refund of 10%, up to 150 euros per semester with at least 50 payments, with a maximum of 15 euros for each payment.
But from 8, the date on which the mechanism starts, to 31 December there is also the extra Christmas Cashback: 10 purchases with credit cards, debit cards, ATMs and Satispay are enough to get a 10% refund, up to to 150 euros.
With the Super Cashback every 6 months the first 100,000 citizens who make more transactions will have 1,500 euros.
So it is possible to earn up to 3,000 euros per year.
Next-generation banks, apps and the entire digital ecosystem have squared off.
"You need immediacy and transparency to allow people to perceive the value of the initiative and, therefore, change their payment habits" explains Dalmasso.
The first move is made by Pagobancomat which eliminates commissions on petty expenses, those up to 5 euros, a project that will have an initial duration of two years in line with the Government's Cashless plan, and pushes the use of cards for all operations in the daily.
Micropayments represent only 2.3% of transactions and the aim is to encourage the use of over 7 million Italians currently not active in digital payment activities but also to facilitate the adoption of the POS by merchants.
"Representing three quarters of the debit card market in Italy, Bancomat plays a central role in the challenge promoted by the Government which sees us involved in the front line with both PagoBancomat and Bancomat Pay" declares the CEO.
of Bancomat Alessandro Zollo.
But fintech companies have upped the ante by combining other initiatives with state cashback, first of all by allowing access to the program directly from their apps without having to re-register on Io, the public services app that has, as a barrier to entry, the obligation to register with Spid, the digital identity.
"Ease of use is crucial to accompany the population in this phase of change and thus fill the gap that separates us from other European countries.
According to the Ambrosetti 2020 report, in fact, Italy is today in 23rd position, out of 28 Countries of the European Union, in the race towards the so-called "cashless society", a company in which the use of cash is reduced to zero. There is still a lot of work left and Hype is ready to do its part "comments the CEO Antonio Valitutti.
"We want the largest possible number of citizens to take part in it, as it is a fundamental moment for the digitization of the country, accelerating the adoption of digital payments, with benefits for the whole system" says Roberto Catanzaro, Business Development Director of Nexi.
