BANGKOK, 3 April 2024: As merchants in Japan gear up to receive cherry blossom tourists from around the world, Ant International says its cross-border mobile payment solution Alipay+ has connected 2 million merchants across the country, enabling them to better serve global visitors through a seamless payment experience with their home country e-wallets.
There are 16 e-wallets and bank apps accepted in Japan via Alipay+, a suite of cross-border digital payment and digitalisation technology solutions, namely Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR China), MPay (Macao SAR China), South Korea’s Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss, Singapore’s OCBC Digital, Changi Pay and EZ-Link, Malaysia’s Touch ‘n Go eWallet and MyPB by Public Bank Berhad, the Philippines’ GCash and HelloMoney, TrueMoney (Thailand), Hipay (Mongolia), and Tinaba (Italy).
Powered by Alipay+, transaction volume made by e-wallets and bank apps in Japan jumped over 200% in the first three weeks of March compared with the same period in 2023. Alipay, AlipayHK, Kakao Pay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, GCash and TrueMoney are among the most popular e-wallets used by travellers to Japan, while MPay, Naver Pay and Toss are seeing rapid growth. Transaction value is estimated to account for about 10% of users’ total spending during their stay in the country.
Ant International President Douglas Feagin reported during a press conference in Tokyo: “By working with these partners, Alipay+ provides global tourists with a seamless digital payment experience that is the same as in their markets. Without extra effort, tourists can make purchases by scanning the QR code at merchants of all sizes, without worrying about foreign currency exchange or language barriers.”
For example, in Asakusa, a Tokyo district famous for having the oldest underground shopping street, small souvenir shops and snack stalls are leveraging the simplicity of QR codes to do business. The monthly cross-border mobile transaction volume is more than five times higher on average, reflecting the growing trend of cashless payments when visiting Japan.
