Ant Financial’s Alipay now allows international visitors to China to pay using its popular mobile app, following up from its aggressive campaign to expand Alipay’s acceptance around the world for Chinese visitors.
Tourists to China may use their mobile phones to pay via QR code like vast numbers of Chinese residents who use Alipay for shopping, dining and accessing transit, according to a Tuesday press release.
Consumers may download the Alipay app and register for the “Tour Pass” for international visitors, which operates via a prepaid card provided by Bank of Shanghai. This card is linked to tourists’ mobile phone number, plus a payment card associated with any international card network, the release said.
To make purchases, users must load at least 100 Chinese Yuan (US$15) up to CNY 2000 (US$285). The card is valid for 90 days, and any unused funds will be refunded, according to the release.
More than 30 million international tourists visited China in 2018, Ant said in the press release.
