Ant International’s cross-border mobile payment solution, Alipay+, has reached a significant milestone by connecting two million merchants across Japan, enhancing the payment experience for both local businesses and international tourists. With the cherry blossom season drawing tourists from around the world to Japan, this development comes as a boon, enabling seamless transactions for travellers through their preferred e-wallets.
As merchants in Japan prepare to welcome visitors, the integration of Alipay+ facilitates a frictionless payment experience, accepting 16 e-wallets and bank apps from various countries. This suite of cross-border digital payment solutions has witnessed a surge in transaction volume, with e-wallet and bank app transactions in Japan soaring over 200% in the first three weeks of March compared to the same period in 2023.
Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International said, “We are grateful to our over 40 local acquiring partners in Japan, including both big institutions as well as small ones that only have several employees, for their tremendous support to promote a seamless, transparent and efficient experience together for local businesses and international travelers.
“By working with these partners, Alipay+ provides global tourists with a seamless digital payment experience that is the same as in their markets. Without any extra efforts, tourists can make purchases by simply scanning the QR code at merchants of all sizes, without worrying about foreign currency exchange or any language barriers.”
Mr. Akito Kimura, Manager of the Inbound Business Division for Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, said, “Starting with connecting Alipay to make Chinese customers more at home, we are pleased to expand our partnership with Ant International by integrating with Alipay+. This will allow us to accommodate the preferred payment methods of our international customers through simple integration. We look forward to working together to drive more innovation, ensuring all customers can enjoy a memorable and peace-of-mind shopping experience at our stores.”
Ms Venetia Lee, CEO of AlipayHK, said, “Japan is the first foreign destination of AlipayHK as it is one of the most favourite travel destinations for Hong Kong residents. Powered by Alipay+, Hong Kong people can now use AlipayHK to make purchases at local stores and use car-hailing in Japan, which is settled in Hong Kong dollars with competitive exchange rates in the market. With the increasing acceptance of Alipay+ among local merchants in Japan, the daily transaction values and volumes of AlipayHK in the country in the first quarter have surged 3.5 times and 5 times over the previous quarter. I am confident that the usage of AlipayHK will continue to grow in Japan on the back of the strong adoption of Alipay+ services among Japanese merchants.”
Mr. Ren-Ren Reyes, president and CEO of GXI (G-Xchange, Inc.), the mobile wallet operator of GCash said, “Our long-standing partnership with Alipay+ has allowed us to be an indispensable companion for Filipino travellers in now 47 countries and territories around the world. We are glad to continue strengthening our collaboration with Alipay+ to ensure every Filipino has a seamless and secure cashless payment option when they travel abroad.”
Mr. Won-Keun Shin, the CEO of Kakao Pay, a major acquirer in South Korea, said, “We are glad that users can easily and conveniently pay with Kakao Pay at 2 million large and small merchants in Japan, one of the most visited countries by Korean tourists. Through discussions with Alipay+ as well as several e-wallet partners representing each country, we will accelerate global expansion and provide more benefits.”
Mr. John Sun, Chairman and CEO of Macau Pass, stated, “As the leading mobile payment e-wallet in Macao, MPay, together with Alipay+ which has launched a suite of innovative digital cross-border solutions, strives to create a smart e-wallet that facilitates Macao residents to travel globally, this could also solve the issues they encounter with payment while travelling overseas, thus improve travellers’ payment and shopping experience. MPay will continue to expand in e-payments, lifestyle services, and marketing technology services to develop more open and diversified intelligent payment business scenarios.”
Mr. Alan Ni, Chief Executive Officer of TNG Digital Sdn. Bhd., the operator of TNG eWallet, said, “As Malaysia’s top eWallet provider, we’re committed to serving users locally and expanding globally. Our partnership with Alipay+ has seen transactions surge sixfold this year, specifically in Japan, a true testament to our dedication to innovative payment solutions. With over half of Malaysia entrusting TNG eWallet as their preferred digital payment and financial services provider, we aim to be the ultimate travel companion, ensuring easy and safe transactions wherever our users go.”
Ms. Monsinee Nakapanant, Co-President of Ascend Money, the operator of TrueMoney said, “Japan ranks as one of the most popular destinations with approximately 1 million Thai travelers each year. We are pleased to work with Alipay+ to create more inclusive cross-border payments and enable Thais to enjoy safe, real-time, and cost-effective payments with their accustomed home wallet TrueMoney. Enabling the travellers to connect with Japanese merchants of all sizes will also expand their experiences of local culture and people which would make their trip more memorable.”
Introduced in 2020, Alipay+ now connects over 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions, bridging cross-border payment barriers and enhancing consumer experiences globally. With its extensive regional partnerships and commitment to innovation, Alipay+ continues to redefine the landscape of cross-border payments, offering convenience and efficiency to merchants and travellers alike.