The Xi’an taxi industry and the Bank of Xi’an launched an e-CNY pilot program to accept e-CNY as fare, becoming the first city in China to accept digital renminbi as a taxi fare, a local newspaper reported.
Fast facts
- Ten cabs selected as pilot vehicles have QR codes posted, and passengers can scan the QR codes to pay the fare with digital yuan.
- Xi’an is among the second batch of pilot cities for e-CNY. The city is located in the northwestern part of China and is the starting point for the western route of the Belt and Road Initiative. In August, the province where Xi’an is located announced plans to accept digital yuan for expressway tolls. Meanwhile, according to local media reports, in Xi’an, e-CNY can be used to pay electricity bills, refuel, and purchase medicines.