Users of 14 popular overseas e-wallets from 9 countries and regions can now make payments in Hong Kong using their home apps through Alipay+, a suite of cross-border mobile payment technology and digitization solutions operated by Ant International.
With the support of Alipay+, users of these popular e-wallets will enjoy a smooth payment experience with transparent and competitive exchange rates in Hong Kong every time they encounter the Alipay+ / AlipayHK logo at merchants in the city. Local merchants, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), can seamlessly accept payments from 14 global e-wallet companies through existing AlipayHK payment codes, thus further expanding their business without the need for additional investment.
Popular e-wallets and banking apps recently brought to the city by Alipay+ include MPay (Macao SAR, China), Changi Pay and OCBC Digital (Singapore), GCash and HelloMoney (Philippines), Hipay (Mongolia), Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss Pay (South Korea), MyPB by Public Bank Berhad and Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), TrueMoney (Thailand) and Tinaba (Italy). Similar to Alipay (Mainland China), these newly activated wallets are now accepted at over 90% of local stores in Hong Kong.
“Known for its breathtaking scenery, vibrant city and community life and East-meets-West culture, as well as shopping, dining, sightseeing and public services, Hong Kong is an exciting place not to be missed. no world lost”. said Venetia Lee, CEO of AlipayHK and General Manager of Ant International for Greater China.
“When we pay like a local, we can travel and experience the culture like a local. We are very excited to help users of our 14 wallet partners expand their presence to over 90% of local merchants through AlipayHK’s network. This enables seamless payments, promotes the growth of Hong Kong’s tourism industry and helps local merchants improve the effectiveness of their promotional activities through digital technology,” said Lee.
This represents the largest number of international payment applications introduced to the city’s offline commerce network through cross-border cooperation at the same time. Meanwhile, Alipay+ and its wallet partners also announced that they will establish a joint mechanism for customer services — Alipay+ Service Collaboration Mechanism — in Hong Kong to support partners in improving cross-border payment experiences, improving operational efficiency and to better serve global digital wallet users and merchants through operational collaboration and product innovation.
“As Alipay+ helps more payment partners expand into larger markets, we must always uphold our shared commitments to consumers and merchants and support our partners to provide more reliable, smooth and high-quality experiences to cross-border users. Through this proactive Alipay+ Service Cooperation Mechanism, we can solve problems more effectively, create greater values for users and help partners improve their operational efficiency,” said Jake Xue, General Manager for Global Service and Business Support , Ant International.
Introduced by Ant International in 2020, Alipay+ now connects more than 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions with 1.5 billion consumer accounts in more than 25 e-wallets and banking applications, enabling consumers to travel and pay seamlessly globally and for marketers to expand cross-border consumer engagement and digital marketing.
The service also builds on Alipay+’s extensive regional partnerships, including partnerships with national QR programs such as Singapore’s SGQR, Malaysia’s PayNet, South Korea’s ZeroPay, Sri Lanka’s LankaPay and Cambodia’s KHQR.
From online to offline, digital payments supported by Alipay+ are widely accepted by key merchants from Asian and European markets, covering sectors such as food and beverage (F&B), tourism and hospitality, retail and transfers.
In addition to Hong Kong, Alipay+ partner wallets are already accepted in several major global destinations, including the Chinese mainland and Macau SAR, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Europe and the Middle East.
Ant Group now offers two mobile payment alternatives for overseas visitors to mainland China. A total of 11 overseas e-wallets and banking applications have already been activated for payment to Alipay+’s extensive network of 80 million merchants in mainland China.
Travelers can also choose to link major international bank cards, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover® and Diners Club International, to an Alipay app to access a rich range of local Alipay services, from shopping, dining, driving to public transport while in mainland China, without the need for a local bank account or phone number.
AlipayHK, the most popular e-wallet in Hong Kong with approximately 4 million active users, is widely accepted in more than 90% of local offline stores for seamless payments.