What Does 'Pay Like a Local’ Really Mean?

How you pay can change the moment you cross a border. 

In one country, tapping a card may be second nature. Somewhere else, cash is still useful. And across many markets, scanning a QR code has become part of everyday life. 

For international travellers, that can mean adapting not only to a new currency, but to a different way of paying altogether. 

So what does it really mean to “pay like a local”? 

Different places, different ways to pay 

Payment habits are shaped by everything from local infrastructure and technology to merchant preferences and consumer behaviour. 

In markets such as the UK and US, cards and digital wallets are a familiar part of everyday spending. Contactless payments have made paying increasingly seamless, whether the card is in your wallet or stored digitally on your phone. 

Travel elsewhere and the mix can look very different. 

Japan, for example, combines long established payment habits with a growing range of digital options. Cards, transport based payment methods and QR payments can all form part of the experience, while cash can still be useful in certain situations. 

Across parts of Asia, QR payments are especially prominent. Rather than reaching for a physical card, customers can simply open an app, scan a participating merchant’s QR code and complete their payment digitally. 

The important point for travellers is simple: there is no single universal way to pay. 

Why QR payments matter when you travel 

QR payments can make an unfamiliar payment experience feel surprisingly straightforward. 

There is no need to enter lengthy payment details or work out which card to use. At a participating merchant, you simply scan the QR code, review the transaction and pay through your phone. 

And if you already bank with iFAST Global Bank, you have another way to do exactly that when travelling. 

Your iFAST account can travel with you 

Worldwide Scan & Pay lets you make eligible cross currency QR payments directly from your iFAST Multi Currency Current Account. 

When you see a participating QR code overseas, open the iFAST GB app, scan the code and follow the steps to pay. 

That means the same account you already use to hold and manage multiple currencies can become another way to spend while you are abroad. 

No separate card or payment wallet to set up. Just another way to access the money already held with iFAST. 

One account. More ways to spend internationally. 

Worldwide Scan & Pay sits alongside the other international features available through your iFAST account. 

Your Multi Currency Current Account lets you hold and manage different currencies in one place. When you need to make international payments, your account is already designed around moving and managing money across borders. 

Worldwide Scan & Pay extends that experience to everyday spending. 

So whether you are paying for lunch, picking something up while shopping or settling a bill with a participating merchant, you have another way to use your iFAST balance while overseas. 

Open. Scan. Pay. 

Paying like a local does not have to mean completely changing the way you manage your money. 

Sometimes, it can be as simple as opening the account you already have and scanning a QR code. 

With Worldwide Scan & Pay, eligible cross currency QR payments can be made directly through the iFAST GB app, helping your iFAST account work harder wherever your journey takes you. 

Scan & Pay is for cross currency payments only. Availability of QR payments may vary by country and merchant. T&Cs apply.