Still Loading: The Reason NZ’s Digital Systems Lag Behind
New Zealand has always punched above its weight in tech. I remember when I first arrived in the country in 2007 and was genuinely amazed by EFTPOS . I'd spend even $1 or 50c using the card machine. Back in India , we would never have done that; you'd always use cash for such small change. EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) machines were first trialled in NZ in the mid-1980s but spread rapidly in the 1900s once there was a mass critical of both cards and machines. By 1997, EFTPOS had become the dominant payment method in New Zealand. (Image Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand ) Fast forward to 2025 . While India has moved way ahead in developing payment solutions, from instant QR code systems to seamless bank-to-bank transfers , New Zealand's digital infrastructure feels like it's still buffering. The irony is stark: New Zealand was the early mover in the 1980s. EFTPOS was literally a world-class innovation built right here, a system that th...