Alipay+ has partnered with Singapore’s leading payment services group, Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS), to integrate with SGQR, the world’s first unified payment QR code.
The SGQR integration will make the Alipay+ suite of digital payment solutions available at approximately 11,000 stalls across Singapore, including hawker centres, HDB coffee shops, wet markets, and JTC industrial canteens.
Alipay+ currently supports six partner e-wallets in Singapore, including Alipay from the Chinese mainland, AlipayHK from Hong Kong SAR, China, Touch ‘n Go eWallet from Malaysia, GCash from the Philippines, TrueMoney from Thailand and Kakao Pay from South Korea.
It is worth noting that Alipay+ has a target to surpass 1 billion regional and global consumers in the near future.
Dr. Cherry Huang, General Manager of Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services at Ant Group, commented that,
“With Alipay+’s integration into SGQR, it makes it more convenient for foreigners traveling to Singapore, by enabling them to pay with their home e-wallets which they are familiar with.
Tourists no longer have to worry about trying to find the right amount of cash to pay in a bustling environment like hawker centres. We look forward to continuing to partner with NETS to drive digital payments innovation and acceptance.”
NETS Group’s CEO Lawrence Chan stated that the collaboration with Alipay+ empowers small businesses to better serve customers while expanding their user base.
Ant Group has also partnered with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Changi Airport Group, Resorts World Sentosa, ComfortDelGro Taxi, and other local merchants to optimise traveling experiences in Singapore.
Data from STB reveals a month-on-month increase in international visitors from January to March 2023, with the majority of arrivals coming from Asian countries such as Malaysia, South Korea, the Philippines, China, and Thailand.