Ant Group has signed 11 partnerships with global e-wallets and card organisations as part of a programme to build international consumer-friendly zones in China. Ant Group, owner of mobile payments company Alipay+ and affiliate of Alibaba Group, has signed 11 partnership agreements with global e-wallets and card organisations as part of a programme to build several international consumer-friendly zones in China.

The programme was launched in Beijing and represents a nationwide attempt in China to build international consumer-friendly zones across major Chinese tourist and commercial sites. These zones will have the support of relevant local governments and authorities and will see Ant Group and its payments partners work with local merchants, commercial districts, and tourist sites to enhance international visitors' experiences by facilitating payments. More payment options for international tourists Ant Group’s new set of partners offers more means for international tourists to pay in China.

Through its Alipay+ platform, Ant Group offers a suite of cross-border mobile payments and digitalisation technology solutions so international travellers can pay with their home e-wallets while visiting the country. Through Alipay+, tourists can also bind major international bank cards, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club International to an Alipay app – making purchases without the need for a local bank account. By partnering with 11 new e-wallets and card organisations, Ant Group will effectively expand its payments solutions to more international travellers.

Its latest partners include AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), Changi Pay (Singapore), HiPay (Mongolia), Kakao Pay (South Korea), MPay (Macao SAR, China), Naver Pay (South Korea), OCBC Digital (Singapore), Toss Pay (South Korea), Touch 'n' Go eWallet (Malaysia), and TrueMoney (Thailand). A notable partnership is the one with Pakistani fintech platform NayaPay. This partnership marks the first time Pakistani travellers can leverage Alipay+ to make payments at over 80 million merchants across China.

The move comes as bilateral trade frequency and tourism rates from Pakistan to China have increased. .