Title: NayaPay Partners with Alipay+ to Enable Cross-Border Payments in China, Ant Group Launches International Consumer Friendly Zones
Beijing, April 9, 2024 – In a significant development, NayaPay, a leading fintech platform in Pakistan, has forged a partnership with Alipay+ to facilitate direct payments at 80 million merchants across China through its NayaPay app. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first direct payment channel between Pakistan and China, strengthening commercial ties between the two nations.
The collaboration was announced at the launch of a nationwide initiative by Ant Group, the parent company of Alipay+, to establish International Consumer Friendly Zones across China’s main tourist and commercial cities. This initiative aims to enhance the payment experience for international visitors and stimulate local consumption through seamless cross-border transactions.
Under the partnership, NayaPay becomes the 11th overseas and the first Pakistani payments platform to integrate with Alipay+, joining other platforms such as AlipayHK, Changi Pay, and Kakao Pay. This move not only facilitates convenient payment options for Pakistani travelers in China but also signifies a milestone in bilateral trade relations.
Danish A. Lakhani, CEO of NayaPay, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, emphasizing its significance in fostering joint innovation between Pakistan and China. He highlighted the efforts of Ant Group, NUCC, and NayaPay, in collaboration with the People’s Bank of China and the State Bank of Pakistan, in realizing this milestone.
Furthermore, to enhance the payment experience for international tourists in China, major international card organizations such as Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club International have been integrated into the Alipay app. This allows travelers to access a wide range of local services without the need for a local bank account or phone number.
YIN Xiaolong, Vice President and General Manager at Visa mainland China, reiterated Visa’s commitment to improving payment experiences for international tourists. He emphasized the importance of offering diverse payment options to cater to the preferences and needs of travelers, ultimately boosting economies and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Chao Zhan, Vice President of NUCC of China, affirmed NUCC’s support for mobile payment services for international visitors, emphasizing efforts to improve the business continuity of binding international cards to domestic payment apps and expanding the acceptance of mobile payment services at point of sales.
Jake Xue, General Manager of Global Business Services at Ant Group, highlighted the critical role of seamless payment experiences in facilitating international travel and fostering cultural and economic exchange. He pledged to continue working with partners to expand cross-border technology and service cooperation.
Introduced in 2020, Alipay+ has connected over 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions to 1.5 billion consumer accounts, enabling worry-free global travel and boosting revenue for merchants through digitalization tools.
In conclusion, the partnership between NayaPay and Alipay+ and the launch of International Consumer Friendly Zones by Ant Group signify a step forward in enhancing cross-border payment experiences and fostering economic collaboration between Pakistan and China.
