Earnings of heartland businesses up 50% on Saturdays with DBS PayLah cashback initiative
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Heartland merchants said Saturdays have become much busier, with more customers and better sales thanks to the cashback initiative.
PHOTO: DBS
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SINGAPORE - Heartland businesses that are participating in an SG60 cashback initiative by DBS/POSB have experienced an increase in their earnings on Saturdays by an average of 50 per cent since its inception in July.
The bank’s PayLah SG60 initiative was launched on July 12
The bank said on Aug 16 that more than 400,000 people have redeemed some 800,000 cashback rewards since the initiative began.
The increase in earnings on Saturdays among participating merchants in 2025 surpasses the 40 per cent growth in takings through a similar scheme by the bank in 2024.
Wet market stallholders saw the biggest uplift in earnings, with the number of customers paying via PayLah on Saturdays tripling and total spend nearly doubling.
The bank said that the surge “reflects sustained customer demand for digital payment options and growing support for neighbourhood merchants”.
Market stallholder Allan Lee is one such merchant who has benefited from the PayLah initiative.
“In the past, it was mostly younger customers using PayLah, but with the recent cashback rounds, more older customers are giving digital payments a try,” said Mr Lee, who has been operating his stall in Tampines for 20 years.
“It is fast, convenient, and the cashback initiative has helped bring in both regulars and new shoppers. Each time DBS brings back the cashback, my customers and I are all very happy.”
Bakery employee Amy Ang said her shop also benefited from the scheme.
“On the first day of the cashback relaunch, the turnout was amazing. Some older customers even bring their kids along to teach them how to use PayLah,” said Ms Ang, who works in a bakery in Tampines.
“Overall, we’re seeing more customers and better sales – the cashback initiative really makes a difference,” she said.
The PayLah initiative is part of a slew of measures worth $23 million launched by DBS/POSB in 2025 to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday, and to ease living and business costs.
It also includes deals with brands such as Old Chang Kee and BreadTalk, and promotional rates for home loans.
Bringing buzz to the heartland
Also, the bank has partnered local gamification platform Sqkii to launch the #HuntTheMouse – DBS SG60 Edition game.
Players embark on a quest to uncover 200 gold coins, worth a total of $120,000, hidden in heartland areas across Singapore from Aug 14 to Sept 25.
Heartland businesses are integrated into the game – either as physical hunting stops or through in-game information pop-ups – providing them with greater visibility and footfall.
The game has attracted over 30,000 players on the first day alone, said DBS/POSB, with Jurong, Toa Payoh and Bedok the most visited places so far.
The roll-out of the game was commemorated at a community event in Tampines on Aug 16 attended by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Dr Charlene Chen, both MPs for Tampines GRC.
