SINGAPORE, 25 July 2024: Alipay+ merchants in Europe saw a 27% year-on-year increase in transactions made from its partner e-wallets, many of which are mobile payment leaders in Asia.
Alipay+ is a cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation solution operated by Ant International. Its global merchant coverage has grown to 90 million, connecting them to users of more than 30 Alipay+ payment partners.
The number of tourists who paid with their preferred home payment app via Alipay+ rose by over 30% during June, spiking during the UEFA Euro 2024 hosted in Germany.
Mobile-savvy travellers from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Europe, Malaysia, and South Korea have led the European travel craze in terms of transactions and total spending.
“The surge in Alipay+ transactions during UEFA EURO 2024 shows the power of sports and major events to unite people and drive cross-border tourism,” said Ant International President Douglas Feagin.
“European merchants and partners embraced new digital payment trends with remarkable openness and agility. At Ant International, we will continue to expand merchant coverage for consumers and bring more international businesses to the doors of global SMEs.”
With Europe expected to be one of the top destinations during summer, Alipay+ will continue its momentum from its UEFA EURO 2024 drive, with more joint campaigns with partners to promote usage of their home payment apps in Europe and offering exclusive promotions at leading merchants, particularly in key destinations like the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Alipay+ expands in Asia
In China, Alipay+ and its partners continue to make travel more seamless, including the recent expansion of the International Consumer-Friendly Zone Programme to Chengdu and Chongqing, as well as Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Tourists visiting the Chinese mainland can pay across more than 80 million merchants by linking their international credit cards to the Alipay app or via 12 other Alipay+ partner payment methods.
In Japan, where more than 2 million merchants accept Alipay+, tourists from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong SAR, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand can enjoy special discounts at 300,000 merchants across the country, including airport shops, department stores, premium shopping malls, convenience store chains, electronics and appliances retailers, and health and beauty shops.
In South Korea, Alipay+ is rolling out summer promotions with leading retailers, theme parks, traditional market and transportation providers, including duty-free stores and department stores operated by Hyundai, Shilla, Shinsegae, Lotte World, ZeroPay Jeju market and Olive Young, for users of AlipayHK, GCash, Touch ‘n Go eWallet and TrueMoney.
Alipay+ expanded its acceptance for transportation in South Korea, making it easier for tourists to travel around. In Jeju, users of Alipay+ partners, including Alipay, AlipayHK, GCash, Touch ’n Go eWallet and TrueMoney, can simply use their own payment apps to pay for bus rides. The convenience extends beyond local transportation. Chinese tourists can book train tickets to travel across the country through a dedicated mini-program operated by Korail within the Alipay app. Through its collaboration with ZeroPay, South Korea’s national QR standard, Alipay+ is accepted by more than 1.9 million merchants.
In Southeast Asia, where Alipay+ is widely accepted, users of AlipayHK, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, GCash, and TrueMoney can purchase discounted travel packs at all Alipay+ merchants in the region. Through its partnership with national QRs in Singapore and Malaysia, Alipay+ merchants in the region include many micro and small merchants, like hawker stalls in Singapore, that will allow tourists to truly ‘travel like a local’.
Alipay+ is launching more campaigns via Alipay, one of its payment partners, through more than 30 of the most popular retailers, such as Central Retail, The Mall Group, and King Power in Thailand, Pavilion and Sunway Velocity in Malaysia, and Jewel, Resorts World Sentosa and Mandai Wildlife Group in Singapore.
Additionally, in Thailand, a popular destination for Chinese travellers, Alipay+ is enhancing its Alipay+ D-hub and Amazing Thailand e-card — a joint digital travel innovation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand — within the Alipay app to promote more cities, more merchants and offer more discounts.
About Alipay+
Alipay+ is a suite of cross-border digital payment, marketing, and digitalisation solutions that help connect global merchants to consumers. While travelling abroad, consumers can make seamless payments using their preferred payment methods.
