Ant International’s Alipay+ can now accept cross-border payments by 13 international e-wallets of which 9 were recently enabled.
The nine newly added digital wallets include MyPB by Public Bank Berhad from Malaysia, Naver Pay and Toss Pay from South Korea, Changi Pay and OCBC Digital from Singapore, GCash from the Philippines, Hipay from Mongolia, MPay from Macao SAR, China, and Tinaba from Italy.
This move adds to the existing acceptance of Alipay (Chinese mainland) since 2015, and AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), Kakao Pay (South Korea), and Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia) since 2023.
With this expansion, all 14,500 7-Eleven outlets in Thailand can now accept payments from 13 different apps through Alipay+, in a bid to cater to the digital payment preferences of international tourists, particularly in anticipation of the Chinese New Year travel season.
The Chinese New Year period, starting 10 February, is expected to draw 1 million foreign tourists to Thailand, potentially generating about 28.4 billion baht (approximately US$800 million) in revenue, with a significant number of visitors anticipated from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong SAR.
Alipay+ operates in 57 markets and connects more than 88 million global merchants with 1.5 billion users across over 25 e-wallets and payment apps. The platform has been expanding its presence in Thailand, already including major retail chains and local brands.
To mark the occasion and boost tourist spending, 7-Eleven Thailand and Alipay+ are offering exclusive promotions with coupons of up to 50 percent savings to users of Alipay+ partner apps.
Sittipong Kittiprapapong, General Manager, Global Merchant Partnership, Thailand, Ant International said,
“Thailand is one of the most popular travel destinations globally and we’re excited to do more to support the digitalization of the vibrant tourism sector locally.
By working closely with local merchants and partners like the Tourism Authority of Thailand, we’re attracting more Chinese and Asian tourists to Thailand, creating a more convenient and worry-free experience for travellers, and helping more businesses benefit from tourism growth.”