Editing Octopus card (section)

== History ==
When Hong Kong's [[Mass Transit Railway]] (MTR) began operations in 1979, it used recirculating [[magnetic stripe card]]s as fare tickets. The [[Kowloon-Canton Railway]] (KCR) adopted the same magnetic cards in 1984. The [[Common Stored Value Ticket]] was a version that held a balance for use over multiple trips. In 1989, the Common Stored Value Ticket system was extended to [[Kowloon Motor Bus]] (KMB) buses providing a feeder service to MTR and KCR stations, and to [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]]. It was also extended to a limited number of non-transport applications, such as transactions and payments at photo booths and for fast food vouchers.<ref name="Tradelink">{{cite web |url=http://www.tradelink-ebiz.com/english/331n08or3m9a51l/newscast/ss_0412a.html |title=Our winning card |publisher=Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited |date=January 2005 |access-date=21 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104081758/http://www.tradelink-ebiz.com/english/331n08or3m9a51l/newscast/ss_0412a.html |archive-date=4 January 2007  }}</ref>

In 1993, [[MTR Corporation]] announced it would move to use contactless smart cards. In 1994 it partnered with four other major transit companies in Hong Kong, [[Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation]], [[Kowloon Motor Bus]], [[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus]], and [[Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry]], to create a [[Joint venture|joint-venture business]], then known as Creative Star Limited.<ref name="HoldingsHistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.octopus.com.hk/history/en/index.jsp |title=Our History |publisher=Octopus Holdings Limited |access-date=17 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516142729/http://www.octopus.com.hk/about-us/corporate-profile/our-history/en/index.html |archive-date=16 May 2012  }}</ref>

After three years of trials, the Octopus card was launched on 1 September 1997.<ref name="Clark">{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagofed.org/publications/economicperspectives/ep_4qtr2005_part3_clark_.pdf |title=Shopping without cash: The emergence of the e-purse |author=Carol L. Clark |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago |year=2005|page=12 |access-date=22 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621111847/http://www.chicagofed.org/publications/economicperspectives/ep_4qtr2005_part3_clark_.pdf |archive-date=21 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Three million cards were issued in the first three months. The system's quick success was because MTR and KCR required all holders of Common Stored Value Tickets to replace them with Octopus cards within three months or have their tickets expire.<ref name="Siu">{{cite web |url=http://www.ln.edu.hk/socsp/staff/luciaindex.php#publications |title=Coercing Consensus: Unintended success of the Octopus electronic payment system |publisher=the 6th International Conference on Politics and Information Systems, Technologies and Applications (PISTA) |author=Lucia L.S. Siu |date=June 2008 |access-date=30 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623093532/http://www.ln.edu.hk/socsp/staff/luciaindex.php#publications |archive-date=23 June 2008  }}</ref> Another reason was a coin shortage in Hong Kong in 1997. With the [[Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong|transfer of Hong Kong]] away from British rule, there was a belief that older [[Coins of the Hong Kong dollar|Hong Kong coins]] embossed with [[Queen Elizabeth II]]'s head would rise in value, so many people held on to them waiting for their value to increase.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sc.info.gov.hk/gb/www.fstb.gov.hk/fsb/ppr/press/p980218e.htm |title=Supply of new coins will continue |publisher=Hong Kong SAR Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau |date=18 February 1998 |access-date=25 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033404/http://sc.info.gov.hk/gb/www.fstb.gov.hk/fsb/ppr/press/p980218e.htm |archive-date=30 September 2007  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.info.gov.hk/hkma/eng/public/ar97/ch04.htm |title=Hong Kong Monetary Authority Annual Report 1997 |publisher=Hong Kong Monetary Authority |year=1997 |access-date=25 April 2007 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605021204/http://www.info.gov.hk/hkma/eng/public/ar97/ch04.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Octopus system was quickly adopted by other Creative Star partners. KMB reported that by 2000 most bus journeys were completed using an Octopus card.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kmb.hk/english.php?page=next&file=news/service/news3q03/news2003112701.html |title=Development of KMB's Octopus Payment System |publisher=The Kowloon Motor Bus Company |access-date=25 April 2007 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092725/http://www.kmb.hk/english.php?page=next&file=news%2Fservice%2Fnews3q03%2Fnews2003112701.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Boarding a bus in Hong Kong without using the Octopus card requires giving exact change, making it cumbersome compared to using the Octopus card. By November 1998, 4.6 million cards had been issued, and rising to 9 million by January 2002.<ref name="Siu" />

In 2000, the [[Hong Kong Monetary Authority]] granted a deposit-taking company licence to the operator. This increased the proportion of permitted non-transport–related Octopus card transactions from 15% of turnover to 50%.<ref name="BIS">{{cite web |url=http://www.bis.org/publ/cpss48.pdf |title=Survey of electronic money developments |publisher=Bank for International Settlements |date=November 2001 |access-date=16 April 2007 |archive-date=6 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206214422/http://www.bis.org/publ/cpss48.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr00-01/english/hc/papers/ls-1.pdf |title=Legal Service Division Reports on Subsidiary Legislation tabled in the Legislative Council from 7 June to 26 June and on 4 October 2000 |publisher=Legislative Council of the HKSAR |page=36 |date=4 October 2000 |access-date=16 April 2007 |archive-date=31 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031211835/https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr00-01/english/hc/papers/ls-1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> About HK$416 million was deposited in the Octopus system at any given time as of 2000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Octopus Card in Hong Kong |publisher=China-community de |url=http://www.china-community.de/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=45 |access-date=15 May 2007 |language=de |archive-date=23 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123213622/http://www.china-community.de/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=45 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 6 November 2005, Octopus Cards Limited launched Octopus Rewards, a program that allows cardholders to earn rewards with participating merchants.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopus.com.hk/release/detail/en/20051105.jsp |title=Octopus Rewards Grand Launch |publisher=Octopus Holdings Limited |date=5 November 2005 |access-date=17 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523213829/http://www.octopus.com.hk/release/detail/en/20051105.jsp |archive-date=23 May 2007  }}</ref> Founding partners for the Octopus Rewards program included [[HSBC]], [[UA Cinemas]] and Wellcome.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/en/index.jsp |title=Earning |publisher=Octopus Rewards Limited |access-date=17 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402220830/http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/en/index.jsp |archive-date=2 April 2007  }}</ref> The rewards are in the form of points, or ''reward dollars'', stored on the card.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/works/en/index.jsp |title=How It Works |publisher=Octopus Rewards Limited |access-date=17 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210015251/http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/works/en/index.jsp |archive-date=10 February 2007}}</ref> The rate at which reward points are earned per dollar spent differs between merchants.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/where/en/popWellcomeDetails.jsp |title=Wellcome |publisher=Octopus Rewards Limited |access-date=17 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526173707/http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/where/en/popWellcomeDetails.jsp |archive-date=26 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/where/en/popWatsonsDetails.jsp |title=Watsons |publisher=Octopus Rewards Limited |access-date=17 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928080724/http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/earning/where/en/popWatsonsDetails.jsp |archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> Reward points can be redeemed as payment for purchases at partner merchants for at least HK$1 per reward dollar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/redeeming/en/index.jsp |title=Redeeming |publisher=Octopus Rewards Limited |access-date=17 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402161609/http://www.octopusrewards.com.hk/redeeming/en/index.jsp |archive-date=2 April 2007  }}</ref>

[[File:HK 藍田站 Lam Tin MTR Station Octopus Card Exchange machine Jan 2017 IX1.jpg|thumb|right|Octopus Service Point at MTR [[Lam Tin station]]]]

New cards with greater levels of security were launched in 2015. Holders of first generation cards could voluntarily replace their cards at an Octopus Service Point without charge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.octopus.com.hk/release/detail/2015/tc/20150805.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924054822/http://www.octopus.com.hk/release/detail/2015/tc/20150805.html |url-status=dead |title=八達通卡更換計劃 為現時流通的第一代租用版八達通提供技術更新|archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=第一代租用版八達通進入最後換卡階段|url=http://www.octopus.com.hk/tc/corporate/media/press-releases/2017/20171017.html|website=www.octopus.com.hk|publisher=八達通|access-date=25 October 2017|language=zh-hk|date=17 October 2017|archive-date=7 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107002904/http://www.octopus.com.hk/tc/corporate/media/press-releases/2017/20171017.html|url-status=live}}</ref> From January 2018, first generation cards started to become unusable.

In March 2024, Octopus Card Limited launched a version of the Octopus card with support for the [[China T-union]] network, allowing the holder to pay for public transport fares in 336 cities of [[Inland China]]. The card is topped up using HKD and automatically converted into RMB when taking non-Hong-Kong public transport.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-25 |title=Octopus introduces new card for customers to pay for transport fares in over 336 Chinese cities |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/214733/Octopus-introduces-new-card-for-customers-to-pay-for-transport-fares-in-over-336-Chinese-cities |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=The Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Octopus – China T-Union Card |url=http://www.octopus.com.hk/en/consumer/octopus-cards/products/cross-border/china-t-union.html |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=www.octopus.com.hk |language=en-hk}}</ref>