More than just a card: How Touch ’n Go built culture into its brand

For decades, Touch ’n Go cards served a singular purpose. They sat quietly in wallets, helping Malaysians pay for tolls, parking and public transport with little thought given to their appearance.

Today, however, the humble payment card has become something else entirely.

From Pokémon and SPY x FAMILY collaborations to partnerships with local artists such as Bichi Mao, Loka Made and Nothingwejun, Touch ’n Go (TNG) has spent the past year transforming its cards, charms and RFID tags into collectibles that spark excitement, social conversations and even queues from fans travelling across states.

According to Praba Sangarajoo, chief executive officer of Touch ’n Go, the shift began with a simple observation: consumers were no longer purchasing cards purely for function.

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When utility meets emotion

The turning point came at the end of 2024 when Touch ’n Go launched its first intellectual property (IP) collaboration.

"What surprised us was seeing consumers buy cards as collectibles rather than purely for use," said Sangarajoo in an exclusive interview with A+M. "That insight opened an exciting opportunity for us to reposition the Touch ’n Go card as something aspirational."

Until then, Touch ’n Go's special-edition releases had largely centred on corporate partnerships and internally developed designs. However, the strong response to its first IP collaboration revealed an opportunity to move beyond utility and into culture, fandom and self-expression.

In 2024, Touch ’n Go rolled out a steady stream of collaborations spanning global brands and local creative talent. These included partnerships with Inside Scoop, Loka Made, Hot Wheels, Mister Potato, Transformers, Barbie and Bichi Mao, among others, turning what was once a simple payment card into a sought-after collectible.

The company doubled down in 2025, rolling out a steady stream of limited-edition releases spanning global franchises such as Pokémon and SPY x FAMILY, alongside even more collaborations with Malaysian artists and creators including Quirky Qing, Nekojin and Wonders of Eqa.

Beyond commercial gains, the strategy has also created opportunities for local artists and creators. These collaborations with homegrown names have provided a platform for Malaysian creative talent to reach wider audiences, while allowing Touch ’n Go to tap into authentic cultural interests.

At the same time, Touch ’n Go experimented with product innovation beyond artwork alone. Transparent cards, LED-powered cards that light up upon tapping, extendable charms and themed RFID tags featuring cats and Pokémon gave consumers new ways to personalise their daily commutes.

The strategy reflects a broader shift in the brand's positioning. Previously, Sangarajoo said, TNG's relationship with consumers was largely transactional. Today, the goal is to create emotional resonance by turning everyday travel moments into something more enjoyable.

"We wanted to bring delight into daily journeys," he explained.

Consumers are looking for products that combine utility with nostalgia, emotion and self-expression.

That evolution appears to be resonating. Some of the brand's biggest launches, including its Pokémon collection and the interactive "You light up my life" LED card, sold out within hours on the company's online store.

Perhaps more tellingly, many buyers never activated the cards for payment use at all. "We realised consumers were collecting them and keeping them unopened," Sangarajoo said. "That showed us people now see Touch ’n Go cards as more than just a payment tool."

Building communities, not campaigns

The transformation extends beyond the products themselves. Alongside its growing portfolio of collectible cards and charms, Touch ’n Go's social media presence has evolved into a more vibrant, youth-centric platform that taps into fandoms, lifestyle interests and online communities.

The brand has also leaned into creator-led storytelling to connect with younger audiences. One notable example is its collaboration with content creator Arwind Kumar on the "JALAN JALAN x MY FANS" series, which highlighted how Touch ’n Go's RFID technology simplifies one of Malaysians' favourite pastimes: the weekend road trip.

Through a mix of travel, humour and real-life experiences, the content showcased the convenience of seamless toll payments while making the brand feel more relatable and culturally relevant.

According to the CEO, each collaboration TNG engages in, brings with it an existing fan community, allowing the brand to create content tailored to shared passions and cultural moments. The result has been strong engagement across social platforms, with consumers posting photos of their own collections, suggesting future collaborations and even attending physical launch events.

In some cases, fans have travelled from states such as Johor and Melaka to Kuala Lumpur solely to purchase limited-edition releases. Sangarajoo shared that the excitement from fans felt genuine.

As a result of the strong engagement that built up over the two years, Touch ’n Go's own in-house “Malaysian brekkie edition” also struck a chord with commuters. The collection marked a clear evolution for the brand, moving beyond 2D charms and keychains into more tactile designs in the form of plush collectibles.

The series reimagined familiar local favourites as soft toys, including ikat tepi (takeaway tea), nasi lemak (coconut rice), kuih bahulu (egg sponge cake) and a classic teh tarik mug.

What stood out wasn't just the volume of engagement, but the quality of it.

This year, the company has continued experimenting with new formats and partnerships. Its 2026 releases span a wider range of merchandise, from pouches, bags and tumblers, to more unexpected lifestyle extensions.

New product formats include a pickleball paddle developed in collaboration with Monkiddo and The Paddle Club, as well as new LED-light charms created with Bunga dan Bintang, building on the strong reception of its earlier Pokémon LED card release.

For Sangarajoo, the bigger ambition is crystal clear. Rather than being seen solely as infrastructure that powers mobility, Touch ’n Go wants to occupy a more personal place in consumers' lives.

"When consumers start seeing a Touch ‘n Go card or charm not just as a payment tool, but as something they’re proud to own, collect, or gift then that’s when we know we’ve delivered on our brand promise," he said. 

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