Users of Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG eWallet) and MyPB by Public Bank Berhad can enjoy seamless QR payments in Hong Kong with wider acceptance. The two Malaysian financial apps are among 14 popular overseas eWallets from 9 countries that can make cross-border mobile payments via the Alipay+ network. These eWallet and banking apps are accepted at over 90% of the local outlets in Hong Kong.
According to Ant International, users of 14 global eWallets can enjoy a smooth payment experience with transparent and competitive exchange rates in Hong Kong whenever they encounter a merchant with the Alipay+ or AlipayHK logo.
The 14 supported eWallets are MPay (Macam SAR, China), Changi Pay and OCBC Digital (Singapore), GCash and HelloMoney (The Philippines), Hipay (Mongolia), Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss Pay (South Korea), MyPB by Public Bank Berhad and TNG eWallet (Malaysia), TrueMoney (Thailand) and Tinaba (Italy). Similar to Alipay (Mainland China), these newly enabled wallets are now accepted at over 90% of the local outlets in Hong Kong.
AlipayHK CEO and Greater China General Manager of Ant International Venetia Lee said, “When we pay like locals, we can travel and experience the culture like locals. We are so excited to help users of our 14 wallet partners to expand their presence to over 90% of local merchants through AlipayHK’s network. This allows hassle-free payments, promotes the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry, and helps local merchants enhance the effectiveness of their promotional activities through digital technology.”
The latest integration represents the largest number of international payment apps introduced to the city’s offline commercial network through cross-border cooperation at a single time. Alipay+ and its eWallet partners have also announced a joint mechanism for customer services with the Alipay+ Service Collaboration Mechanism in Hong Kong. This is to support partners in improving cross-border payment experiences, enhancing operational efficiency and providing better services to global digital wallet users and merchants through operational collaboration and product innovation.
Commenting on the cross-border integration, TNG Digital CEO Alan Ni said “We are pleased to be recognized as one of Alipay+’s esteemed International eWallet partners. Through this collaboration, TNG eWallet users can conveniently make payments and immerse themselves in new cultures, such as the vibrant streets of Hong Kong, all thanks to Alipay+.
“Since the introduction of our overseas QR payment feature in Hong Kong in October 2023, we’ve observed steady growth that underscores our commitment to serving our users as the preferred eWallet in Malaysia. We remain dedicated to ensuring our users feel supported wherever they go, equipped with a familiar eWallet experience that truly makes them feel like they’re experiencing life like a local,” he added.
Since 2023, Hong Kong has seen a continued growth of inbound travellers following the global campaigns by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). In 2023, more than 34 million travellers visited Hong Kong and in the first quarter of 2024, a total of 11.23 million visitor arrivals were recorded. This marks a 1.5 times year-on-year increase and demonstrates the continued and gradual growth of visitor arrivals.
Alipay+ now connects over 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions to 1.5 billion consumer accounts across more than 25 eWallets and bank apps which enables consumers to travel and pay hassle-free globally. The cross-border solution has also enabled merchants to expand their cross-border consumer engagement and digital marketing.
Alipay+ has signed several extensive regional partnerships including collaborations with national QR schemes such as Singapore’s SGQR, Malaysia’s PayNet, South Korea’s ZeroPay, Sri Lanka’s LankaPay and Cambodia’s KHQR. As announced late last year, Malaysia’s DuitNow QR merchants can accept payments from 8 Asian eWallets via Alipay+ which include Alipay, AlipayHK, HelloMoney, Hipay, MPay, Naver Pay, Toss Pay and TrueMoney.
