E-wallet is a type of electronic card which is used for transactions made online through a computer or a smartphone. Its utility is same as a credit or debit card. An E-wallet needs to be linked with the individual’s bank account to make payments.
E-wallet is a type of pre-paid account in which a user can store his/her money for any future online transaction. An E-wallet is protected with a password. With the help of an E-wallet, one can make payments for groceries, online purchases, and flight tickets, among others.
E-wallet has mainly two components, software and information. The software component stores personal information and provides security and encryption of the data.
The information component is a database of details provided by the user which includes their name, shipping address, payment method, amount to be paid, credit or debit card details, etc.
For setting up an E-wallet account, the user needs to install the software on his/her device, and enter the relevant information required. After shopping online, the E-wallet automatically fills in the user’s information on the payment form. To activate the E-wallet, the user needs to enter his password.
Once the online payment is made, the consumer is not required to fill the order form on any other website as the information gets stored in the database and is updated automatically.
Advantages of E-Wallet
1. Convenience
2. Security
3. Efficiency
4. Mobility
5. Trackable Expenses
6. Rewards and Cashback
7. Global Accessibility
8. Environmental Impact
#1. Convenience
E-wallets offer quick and easy access to your funds, allowing you to make payments, transfer money, and check your balance with a few taps on your mobile device or computer. At the tap of a button, you can transfer money from one entity to another, which is one of the biggest e-wallet advantages.
Moreover, the widespread integration of e-wallet services across shops, retail stores, and transportation services has made it exceptionally user-friendly, ensuring students can access, send, and receive money with ease, making this one of the greatest advantages of e-wallets.
#2. Security
They provide a secure way to store your payment information. E-wallets often use encryption and authentication methods to protect your financial data, reducing the risk of fraud. Every e-wallet app is passcode protected and has a pin which is unique and only known to you.
In fact, before you even install your e-wallet app, there is an entire authentication and verification process that you go through to ensure your legitimacy. This advantage of e-wallet is extremely reassuring and puts a sense of trust in users.
#3. Efficiency
E-wallets streamline transactions, eliminating the need for physical cash or credit/debit or forex cards. This results in faster, hassle-free payments, especially useful for busy individuals. This advantage of e-wallet is especially useful for busy students juggling coursework, part-time jobs, and extracurricular activities.
With the ability to make quick purchases and split bills among friends or roommates, e-wallets simplify financial tasks, allowing students to focus more on their academic and personal growth. This advantage of e-wallet makes it super easy for students to manage their expenses, access their funds, and track their spending, all from the convenience of their smartphones or laptops.
#4. Mobility
E-wallets are accessible anywhere with an internet connection. Whether you’re shopping online or at a physical store, you can pay with ease. With e-wallets, people can carry their entire financial world in the palm of their hand.
Whether you’re shopping online or grabbing a quick coffee, the convenience of making payments is a great advantage of an e-wallet.
For students, in an age where smartphones are constant companions, the biggest advantage of e-wallet is that students can quickly and securely make transactions with a few taps, providing a seamless and hassle-free experience on the e-wallet apps.
Moreover, e-wallet apps transcend physical boundaries, for people and students studying abroad or travelling, the ability to access their funds and make payments from virtually anywhere with an internet connection ensures that financial matters are the least of their concerns.
#5. Trackable Expenses
E-wallets help you keep track of your spending. Most e-wallet apps offer transaction history and categorization, allowing you to monitor your budget effectively. The ability of e-wallet apps to track expenses is a great advantage of e-wallet for individuals, particularly for students, who often have limited budgets and a need to make every penny count.
Another advantage of e-wallet apps is that it provide a comprehensive transaction history, allowing users to see exactly where their money is going. What sets them apart is their categorization feature, which can automatically sort expenses into different spending categories, such as food and lifestyle, transportation, or entertainment.
This level of detail empowers students to gain a deeper understanding of their financial habits and make informed decisions about their spending.
#6. Rewards and Cashback
Many e-wallets offer rewards, cashback, or loyalty programs. Users can earn benefits, discounts, or points for their spending, which can lead to significant savings over time. Rewards and cashback programs are among the best advantages of e-wallets, and they can be particularly beneficial for users, including students. Many e-wallet apps offer these incentives as a way to encourage and retain customers.
When students use e-wallet apps for their everyday expenses, from groceries to transportation and even online shopping, they accumulate rewards, discounts, or loyalty points. Over time, these advantages of e-wallets can lead to substantial savings and even free or discounted purchases.
For students, who often have limited budgets, this can make a significant difference in their financial well-being. Whether it’s earning cashback on textbooks or getting discounts on meals, these rewards and cashback programs enhance the overall value of e-wallet app usage.
#7. Global Accessibility
E-wallets are often accepted worldwide, making them a valuable tool for travellers or those who engage in international transactions. Global accessibility is a standout advantage of e-wallets, making them an invaluable tool not only for frequent travellers but also for people engaged in international transactions.
Unlike physical currencies or different banking methods, e-wallets offer a universal solution that transcends borders. Whether you’re exploring a new country or conducting business on a global scale, e-wallet apps allow you to make payments, transfer funds, and manage your finances seamlessly, regardless of your location.
This eliminates the hassle of currency conversion and ensures that you have a secure and efficient means of handling your money while abroad.
#8. Environmental Impact
By reducing the need for physical receipts and paper bills, e-wallet apps contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to finance. One of the biggest advantages of e-wallets is that they play a significant role in promoting sustainability and an eco-friendly approach to finance.
One of the key ways they do this is by reducing the need for physical receipts and paper bills.
Traditional financial transactions often involve the generation of paper receipts and bills, which contribute to deforestation, energy consumption, and waste. E-wallet apps digitize these processes, allowing users to receive and store digital receipts, make online payments, and track expenses electronically.
This helps decrease the carbon footprint associated with printing, shipping, and storing physical documents. Furthermore, as e-wallets reduce the demand for cash, they lessen the production and distribution of physical currency, which, in turn, lowers the environmental impact associated with minting coins and printing banknotes.
E-wallets have ushered in a new era of financial convenience and security. Advantages of e-wallets include effortless transactions, enhanced security, and real-time accessibility, and these are changing the way we manage money in our increasingly digital world.
From streamlining payments to offering rewards and loyalty programs, e-wallet apps provide users with a host of advantages that make life simpler and more efficient. As we continue to embrace the digital age, e-wallets are poised to play a central role in how we handle our finances, making our lives more connected and our transactions more seamless.
How does an E-Wallet work?
E-Wallets work just like a physical wallet, containing not only credit card and debit card data, but potentially loyalty card data, digital coupons, airline boarding passes and even driving licence information. An E-Wallet can make secure payments both online and in a physical store without the need to memorize individual passwords.
Different types of E-Wallets
E-Wallets are divided into two types of digital wallets: hot wallets and cold wallets. They work on the same principle, except that hot wallets are connected to the internet while cold wallets are not. Hot wallets are most often used to make fast and easy payments. A cold wallet, on the other hand, is generally used for storing digital or cryptocurrency.
A cold wallet is a physical device while a hot wallet takes the form of a software platform. Most people who use E-Wallets use both hot and cold variants. While hot E-Wallets store customer data in secure online servers, some prefer the additional security afforded by a physical cold wallet.
E-Wallet providers
Some of the most popular hot E-Wallet providers include
- ApplePay
- Google Pay (an amalgam of Android Pay and Googl E-Wallet)
- PayPal
- Samsung Pay
- Vodafone-M-Pesa
Cold E-Wallet providers include Trezor, Ledger, Keepkey and CoolWallet.