“Believing in progress does not mean believing that any progress has yet been made,” says Franz Kafka, legendary Bohemian novelist widely considered one of the significant figures of 20th-century literature.
Ahoj! Today, we turn our spotlights to one of Europe’s most potent and beautiful gems, “Bohemia”; a.k.a the stunning Czech Republic, and the payment methods in the Czech Republic. Before opening the box for payments, we better take a closer look at its unique culture and lifestyle to observe better.
Czechia is a landlocked country located in Central Europe, and the country’s beauty has a plethora of aspects that attract a high amount of tourists, digital nomads, and expats every year. Let’s start with some cool facts you can impress your Czech friends at a house party.
The Czech Republic hosts a population of 10,755,560 people, and it shares borders with Germany to the West, Austria to the South, Slovakia to the Southeast and Poland to the Northeast. The capital of the Czech Republic is the breathtaking city of Prague, which tempts around 8+ million tourists each year and is on the bucket list of many travellers worldwide.
Have you ever been to Prague? We can tell you that Prague, actually the entire Czechia, has another aura than any European country. The city is like a film set popped out from Tim Burton movies. No matter where you turn your head, you will be amazed and stoned by the extremely mysterious atmosphere.
Prague’s first interesting spot might be the Charles Bridge, built by Charles IV. In addition to its spectacular view, it follows a series of mathematical sequences along with astrological symbols carved on it. It is a stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava River and holds 30 historical statues mounted to the balustrade. If you ever visit Prague, remember to walk over Charles Bridge and kiss your partner while doing so. It is way too charmed for an overpass.
“And what can life be worth if the first rehearsal for life is life itself?” says Milan Kundera, the Czech writer considered one of the best novelists in contemporary literature worldwide.
The next attraction is the Astronomical Clock Tower with a melancholic legend. Prague Orloj is an incredibly detailed mediaeval astronomical clock in Old Town Hall. The one-of-a-kind magnificence of this mesmerising building brought sorrow to its creator. It is spoken that Old Town councillors blinded Hanus Carolinum, who created the clock tower, in order to avert him from constructing a similar clock tower in another city. Was it worth it? We highly doubt it. Mediaeval times were indeed not the finest time to be alive!
Last but not least is the gorgeous cafés and restaurants of Prague. This city has a rich café culture maintaining deep origins. The first café in Prague dates back to the 16th century, called the Golden Snake. Another one is Café Louvre, which opened its doors in 1902 and was the first co-working space hosting up to 700 guests at a time.
If this tribute to Prague is enough, let’s talk about life routine in the Czech Republic. This lovely country is on the list of the 15 most delicate countries in the world, and the crime rate is significantly low. The Czech Republic is regarded as an advanced economy with high living standards. While you must have health insurance coverage to reside in the Czech Republic, most healthcare is gratis if you’re insured. Education is also accessible free of charge in Czechia, except the private schools.
With “nearly” free universal healthcare and education on top of low crime rates, the Czech Republic can be viewed as a superior location to live in. This is why the country draws expatriates, digital nomads, and students from all over the world. Even if the living standards are not as excellent as in the Netherlands or France, Prague’s mystical atmosphere would be adequate to convince you to live there. Who would say no to sipping their morning coffee, overlooking the Charles Bridge or buying a pair of famous Bohemian Crystal earrings? Definitely not us!
Choosing Payment Methods in The Czech Republic
The widespread payment approaches operated in the Czech Republic are similar to the rest of Europe. Since cards are highly in circulation, as expected, credit and debit cards are ubiquitous in online purchases. On the other hand, when we look at the high Internet penetration reaching up to 78%, digital wallets may replace card transactions in the near future.
What Are The Different Types of Payment Methods in The Czech Republic?
In this part of our article, we have listed the most preferred payment methods and practices in the Czech Republic to guide our readers, whether they are expats, travellers or remote workers. Seeing the available alternatives with their swings and roundabouts can help you tremendously.
Payment practices in The Czech Republic
- Cash in The Czech Republic
Cash is the most widespread way of in-store purchases in the Czech Republic. The local currency is the Czech Koruna or Czech Crown (Kč / CZK). Even though the Czech Republic is a part of the European Union, it still has not embraced the Euro. But no reason to worry!
You can smoothly exchange your money for Czech koruna in any exchange office. Moreover, it is also possible to withdraw Check koruna straight from ATMs if your bank has an arrangement with banks in the Czech Republic. It is not obligatory to use cash, though it is definitely recommended for small in-store transactions. So if you are in a luxury store of Crystalex, the largest Czech producer of Bohemian Glass (or Czech Glass), simply use your cash.
- Credit Card in The Czech Republic
Credit cards and debit cards are top-rated among the residents of the Czech Republic. Major credit and debit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and American Express are admitted, and you should have no problem using your card in the Czech Republic, especially in major cities such as Prague, Brno and Ostrava.
While utilising the cash for in-store payments is delightful, cards are prevalent in usage. Additionally, for online payments, credit cards carry up a significant percentage of total online transactions. According to the latest statistics on Czech consumers’ tendencies, the results show that 67% of the entire population own one or more than one plastic card in their wallet.
- Digital Wallets in The Czech Republic
Digital wallet usage in The Czech Republic has been expanding with time over the last couple of years. Technology improvements change how we pay, and as people take up credit card usage, digital wallets will likely be the following popular payment ways. Digital wallets are one of the best online payment methods thanks to their guard and benefits. There are numerous digital wallet alternatives obtainable for the Czech Republic, and you can discover one that will fit your needs the best without a doubt.
- Cryptocurrency in The Czech Republic
Nobody can deny the rising dominance of cryptocurrencies. Due to their high volatility, they are placed into every curious investor nowadays. It is possible to state the Czech Republic is a cryptocurrency-friendly country. It is absolutely legal to buy, sell and trade cryptocurrencies on multiple available platforms. However, just like in many European countries, cryptocurrencies are not regulated as legal currency here.
The Czech Republic has around 70 cryptocurrency withdrawal machines to connect to a digital wallet or exchange. This is a giant step in terms of normalisation and adaptation of cryptocurrency usage, and the Czech Republic will definitely be one of the leading countries that embrace this recent form of payment more.
If you are a complete beginner to the cryptocurrency world, find a convenient exchange platform that is fully licensed and contains the Czech Republic in its jurisdiction. Once you have a trustworthy one, start safely buying, selling, and trading crypto coins and enjoy your profit.
Jeton Wallet in the Czech Republic!
Ahoj, Česká republika! Jste na správném místě!
Once you become closer to Bohemia, fraternised with Art Nouveau, it is tough not to be spelt by its unique beauty. Since our first day in the Czech Republic, Jeton Wallet‘s inner circle has adored this land more and more. After all these years in the market, we have gathered massive amounts of financial data referring to Czech payment habits and concerns.
Today, our cutting-edge Jeton Wallet services carry the prints of our long experience and the demands of consumers. Our company offers straightforward and swift money transfers overseas. Plus, the Czech Korona is one of the +50 fiat currencies listed in our portfolio. Did you know that it is totally gratis to send/receive money between two Jeton users? So say “Bye!” to expensive transfer fees and exchange rates.
In Europe, our e-wallet comes with a Visa-based debit card, Jeton Card, to use in any in-store or online store. The card will be linked to your Jeton App; therefore, users can reach their transaction history through a few clicks.
Are you looking for more details regarding our seamless payment services? Simply go to jeton.com and discover more about our comprehensive benefits. We assure you a premium venture exceeding your expectations through our right-to-the-point solutions!
