Alipay+ expands global merchant coverage for partner E-wallets for UEFA EURO 2024

As official payment sponsor of UEFA EURO 2024, Alipay+, the cross-border mobile payment and digitalization technology solutions operated by Ant International, alongside global partners, is gearing up for an action-packed summer.

In a statement on Thursday, Alipay+ announced an expansion of its cross-border mobile payment acceptance in the region and has introduced exclusive campaigns with offers and benefits for Alipay+ partner users in anticipation for the surge in travel.

As of June 2024, more than 400,000 merchants in Europe now accept cross-border mobile payments through Alipay+ from 14 international e-wallets and banking apps.

Most recently, users of over 370 banks in Germany and Austria will be able to pay digitally via a partnership between Alipay+ and Bluecode.

Alipay+ partner users can also make payments across top categories that are key to elevating the travel experience, including department stores like KaDeWe in Berlin, chain retail store dm-drogerie markt, as well as convenience stores, at airports, duty-free, and F&B outlets and attractions.

“Europe is already a popular destination for global tourists, and we expect this summer to be one of the busiest as sports fans travel from around the world to enjoy the UEFA EUROs and Paris Olympic Games,” said Danny Chung, General Manager of Alipay+ Europe, Korea, Middle East, and Mongolia, Ant International.

“We hope international visitors enjoy their time in Europe, sampling the cuisine, incredible shopping experiences and exploring hidden local hot-spots for unmissable cultural insights,

“Alipay+ will enable more merchants to benefit from this unprecedented influx of fans, athletes and tourists via our seamless and convenient mobile payment technology and suit of digital solutions,” he added.

It is noted that Alipay+ coverage has also expanded in other popular European destinations.

In Paris, ahead of the Summer Olympic Games, Alipay+ is accepted by French retailers, hotels and restaurants, more than 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) situated close to the Olympic stadium, and the number one EU taxi company, G7.

Meanwhile, through a partnership with DNA Payments, more than 50,000 additional UK merchants can now accept Alipay+, on top of Harrods, Liberty London, and Selfridges.

In Spain, Alipay+ users can enjoy the best local fare at the famous Boqueria Market Barcelona, or shop their favorite brands with special discounts at department store El Corte Ingles.

In Italy, Alipay+ expanded its partnership with Worldline Italia to upgrade all its Android POS terminals, benefitting Asian tourists visiting thousands of stores, restaurants and tourist attractions.

From February to May, Alipay+ and its partner e-wallets have been running campaigns for UEFA EURO 2024, through AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), DANA (Indonesia), GCash (The Philippines), Kakao Pay (South Korea), MPay (Macao SAR, China), OCBC Digital (Singapore), Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), and TrueMoney (Thailand).

These initiatives featured a ticket raffle for UEFA EURO 2024, an in-app football mini-game, vouchers, exchange rate benefits and more, for shopping locally or internationally.

These promotions reached over 700 million engagements, with 780 tickets being distributed to the lucky-draw winners, 8 million vouchers claimed over the three months, and 1 million participants playing the football mini-games in just one month after its launch.

It is noted that Asian destinations in Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and the Chinese mainland are also expected to continue to be amongst the favorite for tourists this summer.

Alipay+ has wide acceptance across Asia, with millions of merchants including through its integration with national QRs in Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea, more than 2 million merchants in Japan, and over 80 million merchants in the Chinese mainland.

In Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, users of AlipayHK, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, GCash, and TrueMoney can buy discounted voucher packs for use at duty-free shops like King Power, Shilla, and Eraman, supermarkets like BigC and Cold Storage, and even attractions like Resorts World Sentosa.

According to the statement, Alipay+ acceptance continues to grow in Southeast Asia to cover more tourist needs, such as the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS), which will begin to accept payments via Alipay+ from June, offering a more convenient way to travel around one of the most popular cities.

In Japan, more than 20 brands and about 300,000 merchants are offering discounts as part of the summer campaign including airport shops, department stores, electronics and appliances retailers, health and beauty shops, convenience store chains, and premium shopping malls.

In South Korea, Alipay+ will roll out summer promotions with renowned retail locations such as Daiso, OliveYoung, Starbucks, Shinsegae Simon Outlets, The Hyundai Seoul and Myeong Dong Commercial Area.

In the Chinese mainland, Alipay+ partnered with five leading international e-wallets including Touch ‘n Go eWallet, Kakao Pay, TrueMoney, AlipayHK and MPay to introduce diverse promotional activities. Foreign visitors can make payments either by downloading Alipay App and linking an international bank account or by using their home e-wallets to scan a Alipay+ QR code.

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