TNG eWallet, the first Financial Media Network in Malaysia, offers valuable insights into Malaysian consumers’ shopping plans during festival preparations in its Pre-Festival User Behaviour Report 2025.
Advertising today is more competitive than ever. Consumers are constantly bombarded with content, so traditional advertising alone no longer captures attention. To make a lasting impact, brands must integrate into consumers’ daily digital routines.
In Malaysia, digital payments have reshaped how people transact, and e-wallets are at the forefront of this transformation. As Malaysia’s most preferred digital wallet, TNG eWallet connects close to 23 million verified users with more than 2 million merchants, creating a dynamic ecosystem that seamlessly integrates payment with digital experiences.
Ads on TNG eWallet reach users at key moments—whether they are shopping, transferring money to friends, or preparing for festive celebrations, ensuring higher engagement and impact in a trusted, high-intent environment.
What sets this platform apart is how it naturally blends financial data with digital media. By using verified user data and real transaction insights from both online and offline activities, TNG eWallet enables brands to target audiences not just by demographics but also by spending behaviour. This approach integrates finance with media, making it a data-driven platform that helps brands deliver more precise and effective messages.
In 2025, consumer spending is expected to rise, driven by wage increases and seasonal shopping patterns[1]. In Malaysia, festive seasons remain key drivers of high expenditure, with consumers actively preparing for celebrations weeks in advance. For brands, understanding these shopping behaviours presents a valuable opportunity to engage consumers at the right time.
Insights from TNG eWallet show that 84% of users begin their festive shopping at least 2-3 weeks in advance. The pre-festival window sees a surge in digital transactions, highlighting a clear pattern in consumer behaviour. For Chinese New Year (CNY) this year, Total Payment Volume (TPV) spiked by approximately 35% in the 2 weeks leading up to the celebration, before returning to normal levels on the first day of CNY. This suggests that consumers are more focused on pre-festival purchases, stocking up on essentials, gifts, and festival preparations well ahead of time.
A similar trend was observed for both CNY and Ramadan, where Daily Transacted Users (DTU), defined as users who made at least one transaction daily on TNG eWallet platform, increased by 10% in the two weeks leading up to the celebrations. This surge reinforces that consumers are most engaged in the weeks preceding festive periods, making it crucial time for brands to connect with their audience.
In the lead-up to the festive celebrations, Food & Beverage (F&B) and Dining remain the top spending category, accounting for up to 82% of total expenditures. This highlights the cultural importance of sharing meals during festive gatherings. Clothing and accessories follow closely, making up 56% of spending, as consumers refresh their wardrobes for the occasion.
Beyond shopping, social and family gatherings play a central role in festive traditions. 79% of users prioritise social gatherings, while 27% take on the role of hosting reunions, ensuring meaningful connections with loved ones. Additionally, 54% of consumers prepare traditional foods, underscoring the deep-rooted customs that define these celebrations.
The tradition of gifting has taken a digital turn, with more consumers embracing digital money packets during Chinese New Year. This year, the total number of Monthly Transacting Users (MTUs) who created and received money packets before and during surged by 254%, highlighting a growing preference for seamless and cashless festive gifting.
This shift reflects changing consumer habits, where convenience, security, and digital accessibility are becoming key drivers in how people celebrate and share prosperity during festive seasons.
Consumers are increasingly drawn to discounts and buy-one-get-one-free promotions, making them key factors influencing purchase decisions. Beyond immediate savings, deal seekers using TNG eWallet benefit from GOrewards points, which can be collected and redeemed for exclusive deals and vouchers through curated catalogues.
With these evolving consumer trends, brands could strategically capture the attention of targeted users through TNG eWallet at the most opportune moments.
As a leading fintech platform in Malaysia, Ads on TNG eWallet harness first-party data of real user transactions across both online and offline outlets. This marks the emergence of Malaysia’s first Financial Media Network, offering brands a unique, data-driven approach to reaching highly engaged consumers in a trusted digital ecosystem.
“In today’s fast-paced, attention-driven economy, engaging consumers effectively requires a blend of precision, relevance, and data-driven insights. A Financial Media Network leverages real-time transactional data and behavioural insights to help businesses connect with the right audience at the right time, making interactions more meaningful and impactful. As digital transactions continue to grow, brands that adopt a more strategic and data-informed approach will be better positioned to drive engagement and achieve measurable results,” said Wong Chee Mun, Head of Key Accounts, Business Development & Partnership at TNG Digital.
As Malaysia continues to move towards a cashless society, the role of digital wallets will only grow stronger. For businesses, adapting to this shift is essential. Those who leverage digital wallet advertising as part of their strategy will be better positioned to connect with consumers in real-time, ensuring relevance and impact in Malaysia’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
This research collected a total of 5,224 responses through user surveys and in-app push notifications. The study focused on active Chinese and Malay TNG eWallet users, including frequent transactors, aged 25 and above.
[1] The Edge, Malaysia’s consumer sector poised for growth in 2025 amid wage increases, economic expansion https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/739649
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