You think you’re just buying coffee ☕, but every time you top up your Starbucks card or app, you’re stepping into one of the most profitable hidden systems in business.
Here’s how it works:
🔧 The eWallet Model
An eWallet is simply a digital wallet where you preload money to make payments. Touch ’n Go, GrabPay, Starbucks — same principle.
But the real genius is in how these companies make money far beyond the latte.
💸 1. Free Money (Float Income)
When you load RM100 into your Starbucks card, Starbucks has your money before you’ve even ordered a single drink.
- Multiply this with millions of customers = billions of RM in prepaid cash.
- Until you spend it, Starbucks can use it to finance operations or earn interest.
👉 It’s like giving them an interest-free loan.
🔒 2. Locked-in Spending
Once your cash is in Starbucks app, it’s Starbucks or nothing.
- You’re not buying Costa or Coffee Bean.
- They’ve secured your loyalty with your own money.
📊 3. Data Goldmine
Every swipe or scan shows them:
- What you drink,
- When you drink it,
- How much you spend.
This data shapes everything — from seasonal promotions to where the next Starbucks store opens.
💳 4. Transaction Margins
Touch ’n Go makes a cut when you use it at tolls, shops, or parking. Starbucks doesn’t run like Visa, but it benefits indirectly:
- Less reliance on banks,
- Lower payment processing fees,
- Higher control of customer spending.
🌐 5. Ecosystem Expansion
Starbucks app isn’t just about coffee:
- reward points,
- Exclusive seasonal offers,
- Push notifications for new products.
Touch ’n Go takes it even further — insurance, loans, and investments. Once you’re inside their wallet, they can sell you everything else.
🚀 The Big Lesson
Your Starbucks latte isn’t just coffee — it’s part of a systemized money machine.
- You think you’re buying a cappuccino.
- But really, Starbucks is using your money to finance itself, guarantee your return, and study your every sip.
The wealthy don’t just sell products.
They build systems that keep money, loyalty, and data flowing back to them — every single day.
👉 Next time you top up that card, ask yourself: Am I just buying coffee… or am I fueling an empire?
Salima
Just me thinking out loud over here