Kyrgyzstan is moving its national payment app beyond local payments after IPC linked ELCARD Mobile to Alipay+ for overseas QR transactions.
Backed by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, the rollout allows users in Kyrgyzstan to pay merchants abroad through the Alipay+ network without needing a separate app.
IPC and Alipay+, Ant International’s unified wallet gateway, introduced the service as part of efforts to expand cross-border payment connectivity for ELCARD Mobile users.
IPC, a subsidiary of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, operates the country’s national payment system and connects local banks and financial institutions through the ELCARD payment standard.
ELCARD Mobile already supports local card and QR payments, along with other digital financial services.
The Alipay+ integration adds overseas payment capabilities for users travelling or spending abroad.
Almaz Baketaev, Chairman of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, said,
“Our citizens now have access to a payment system covering merchants worldwide. Wherever they are, they can make payments in any currency easily and without any complications.
I would like to congratulate our citizens from now on, payments abroad have become truly simple and accessible.”
Pan Yan, Head of Strategic Partnership for Alipay+ at Ant International, said:
“Through our partnership with IPC, and with the support of the National Bank of Kyrgyz Republic, we are proud to help bring greater global connectivity and convenience to users in Kyrgyzstan.
At Ant International and Alipay+, we believe interoperable digital payment systems are essential to enabling inclusive growth, empowering consumers and helping local economies participate more fully in global commerce.”
The partnership adds to Alipay+’s work with national payment systems in markets including Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Alipay+ connects more than 2 billion user accounts through 50 international payment partners to more than 150 million merchants across 220 destination markets worldwide.
Featured image: (From left) Altymysh Turatbekov, Chairman of the National Interbank Processing Center; Pan Yan, Head of Strategic Partnership for Alipay+, Ant International
