Foreign visitors to China can now access Alipay for the first time, without needing to have a local bank account.
Ant Financial, an associate of Alibaba Group Holding, announced on Tuesday that it will allow visitors to China up to 90 days’ usage of its Alipay smartphone application without requiring it to be tied to a Chinese bank account.
The company will introduce an application that will enable short-term visitors to China to make payment for online purchases through its so-called international e-wallet for the first time ever, the company's statement said in a statement on Tuesday.
Tapping on Visitors Market
Ant Financial Services Group, which operates one of two most popular e-payment platforms Alipay, has removed a major hurdle facing outsiders when trying to taking part in China’s growing cashless economy. Foreign visitors have been prevented from using any of China’s mobile payment systems because their e-wallets must be linked to a local phone number and Chinese bank account.
Through this move, Ant Financial can tap into the growing visitors market to China. Last year, China received 30.5 million foreign visitors, an increase of 4.7 percent from the previous year. Tourists spending in areas such as hotels, shopping and food rose 5.1 percent to $73.1 billion last year, Ant Financial said.
Link To Prepaid Card
Starting immediately, visitors can download Alipay for both iOS and Android devices and register for the international version of the app with their overseas mobile phone numbers. Visitors can use their international debit or credit cards to load funds onto a prepaid card provided by Bank of Shanghai, it said.
The minimum top-up for each card is 100 yuan, with the balance capped at 2,000 yuan. The card is valid for 90 days, after which the balance will be refunded.
