Alipay Aims to Help 10 Million European Merchants Reach Over 2 Billion Potential Consumers in Five Years With Innovative Technology
Alipay, the world’s leading payment and lifestyle platform, today announced a new target to support 10 million small and medium enterprises in Europe over the next five years, through innovative technology that will empower these merchants to better serve and sell to over 2 billion potential consumers travelling to the region from around the world.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191114005332/en/
A Chinese tourist uses Alipay to pay for items at a store in Norway. (Photo: Business Wire)
The strategy to support these merchants was unveiled today during the Alipay Partners Global Summit held in London. This includes an expanded collaboration with the largest European acquirer Worldline, as well as a new initiative to serve airport shops around the world through in-app mini programs.
“Our aim is to improve the way in which individuals and businesses buy, sell and receive payments, and to do this, we need to draw upon the strength of our partnerships,” said Eric Jing, Chairman and CEO of Ant Financial, operator of Alipay. “Our growth has only been possible due to the network of partners we have established, and working together, we will make it easier for anyone to do business anywhere.”
“Our innovative solutions will continue to help merchants in Europe better serve the growing numbers of tourists as well as e-commerce shoppers coming to the region from all over the world,” Eric said.
Alipay is China's most popular digital payment service, according to market researcher Statista, with 87 percent of survey respondents in the country aged between 18 and 69 reporting that they use Alipay for their digital financial needs. Alipay currently serves over 1.2 billion users together with local e-wallet partners in the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Alipay is continually working with its partners around the world, leveraging technology to build a seamless ecosystem that allows merchants to better serve their customers, which will in return help boost their sales.
In a report published this year, Nielsen found that over 93% of Chinese tourists would be more willing to make purchases with their mobile phones and would even increase their spending if the option were available, while 60% of merchants surveyed that adopted Alipay reported growth in foot traffic and revenue.
Currently, Alipay collaborates with more than 120 financial institutions in Europe and is constantly adding more and more partnerships with travel service agencies and other types of third-party service providers. This will help merchants deliver enhanced experiences to their customers as they seize the growth opportunities in the global travel market.
More details on the new innovations unveiled today by Alipay:
- The first is the expanded partnership with Worldline, an existing acquirer for Alipay that will work with Alipay’s e-wallet partners from Asia for the first time, allowing European merchants to accept payments from them through their Alipay-enabled points of sale. This multi-wallet acceptance means merchants across Europe will be able to drive increased footfall and spending from tourists from across Asia.
-
Additionally, Alipay has developed mini programs to enhance tourists’ experience at airports around the world, offering services such as convenient payments and personalized recommendations. Alipay Mini Programs officially launched in July 2018, opening up the service to independent programmers and enterprises to create interesting and useful “lite apps”.
- How it works: The first airport mini program was launched by Hong Kong International Airport, allowing orders to be fulfilled as quickly as 90 minutes from ordering, so travellers can shop online and buy at their leisure, well before they reach the airport, and pick up their duty-free purchases as soon as they arrive.
- Additional features: The tailor-made airport mini program provides a range of services including flight information, transfer and entry tips, and other practical features including an instant chat within the mini program. It is also embedded with Alipay’s scenario solutions such as online transportation reservation and scan to order dining, as well as reminders of estimated time through security and boarding notices just by inputting flight details. Users can also receive electronic coupons and membership benefits offered by Alipay, as well as one-stop information and optimised route recommendations in the airport, allowing them to enjoy the airport’s services with ease.
About Alipay
Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is the world’s leading payment and lifestyle platform. Launched in 2004, Alipay serves over 1.2 billion users with its local e-wallets partners as of June 2019. Over the years, Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make appointments with doctors, or purchase wealth management products directly from within the app. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Alipay’s in-store payment service covers over 50 markets across the world, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 35 markets. Alipay works with over 250 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay currently supports 27 currencies.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191114005332/en/
Contact information
Media Inquiries
Yang Xinyun
Ant Financial
+8613816896301
xinyun.yang@antfin.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Bureau Veritas: Robust and Consistent Revenue Performance Delivered in Q3 2025; FY 2025 Outlook Reaffirmed23.10.2025 08:30:00 EEST | Press release
Bureau Veritas (BOURSE:BVI): This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251022995674/en/ Hinda Gharbi, CEO Bureau Veritas Q3 2025 Key figures1 › Revenue of EUR 1,583.7 million, up 2.3% year-on-year and up 6.3% organically › A very strong organic growth from Marine & Offshore at 16.2%; solid recovery of Buildings & Infrastructure at 7.1% organically; strong organic growth maintained for both Industry and Certification, at 6.9% and 5.9% respectively, against challenging comparables; moderate organic growth for Consumer Products Services at 3.5% and Agri-Food & Commodities at 2.5% › Positive scope effect of 0.8%, from the accelerated pace of bolt-on acquisitions (+3.1% contribution) realized, net of disposals (-2.3% contribution) › Negative currency impact of 4.8%, resulting from the euro’s appreciation against most currencies Q3 2025 Highlights › Continued progress in implementing the LEAP I 28 strategy, delivering results
Bureau Veritas Accelerating Its LEAP | 28 Strategy With Two Signed Agreements for Acquisitions in Buildings & Infrastructure and Renewables23.10.2025 08:20:00 EEST | Press release
Bureau Veritas, a global leader in Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) services, announces that it has signed agreements to acquire two companies in Europe, reinforcing its leading position and expanding into high-potential markets: Sólida in the renewables sector, and London Building Control in the Buildings & Infrastructure market. These agreements underscore Bureau Veritas’ commitment to growth within its LEAP I 28 strategy, increasing capability, reach, and technical expertise across growth markets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251022071543/en/ Hinda Gharbi, CEO Bureau Veritas Sólida is a top-tier provider of Owner’s Engineering, Technical Advisory, and Project Management services for renewable energy projects and electrical infrastructure. It acts as a trusted technical partner for leading developers, utilities, EPC contractors, investment funds and financial institutions. The Company has demo
Galderma Delivers Record Net Sales of 3.737 Billion USD in the First Nine Months of 2025 and 15.0% Year-on-Year Growth at Constant Currency, Raises Full-Year Guidance23.10.2025 08:00:00 EEST | Press release
Galderma Group AG (SIX:GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, today announced its financial results for the first nine months of 2025, delivering record net sales along with strong commercial and innovation momentum across its portfolio. Record net sales of 3.737 billion USD for the first nine months of the year, representing net sales growth of 15.0% at constant currency1, despite challenging market dynamics, driven primarily by volume growth complemented by favorable mix Widespread growth with acceleration across all geographies and product categories, including Injectable Aesthetics (+10.5%) with some phasing benefits in Neuromodulators, Dermatological Skincare (+8.2%), and Therapeutic Dermatology (+40.4%), all year-on-year for the first nine months of 2025 at constant currency Advancing future growth drivers across the portfolio, led by the strong commercial momentum of Nemluvio® as well as the ramp-up of multiple launches in flagship brands across Injectable Aesthetics
IFF Announces Appointment of Brett Icahn and Richard Mulligan to Board of Directors22.10.2025 23:15:00 EEST | Press release
IFF (NYSE: IFF)—a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences—today announced the appointment of Brett Icahn and Richard Mulligan, Ph.D., to its board of directors, effective Oct. 20. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251022380951/en/ Brett Icahn (Photo: IFF) These appointments follow the company’s previously disclosed cooperation agreement with Icahn Capital LP and its affiliates. Icahn serves as the Icahn designee to the IFF board, replacing Vincent Intrieri, and Mulligan joined as the mutually agreed independent director, replacing Margarita Paláu-Hernández. Intrieri and Paláu-Hernández stepped down from the board on Oct. 20. Icahn has been named to the Board’s Audit Committee and Transaction Committee, and Mulligan has been named to the Board’s Innovation Committee. “We are very pleased to welcome Brett and Richard to the IFF board,” said Kevin O’Byrne, chair of the IFF boa
OpenAI, Oracle and Vantage Data Centers Announce Stargate Data Center Site in Wisconsin22.10.2025 23:05:00 EEST | Press release
OpenAI, Oracle and Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced plans to develop a data center campus outside Milwaukee in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The new campus is part of OpenAI and Oracle’s previously announced partnership to invest up to 4.5 gigawatts of additional Stargate capacity and is the Midwest site that was recently announced as part of OpenAI’s Stargate expansion. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251022873578/en/ Vantage Data Centers’ $15B+ campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin represents the future of sustainable digital infrastructure. The campus will feature four cutting-edge data centers providing close to a gigawatt of AI capacity. Construction will begin soon and is scheduled for completion in 2028. The project expects to create more than 4,000 skilled construction jobs, most of which will be union jobs. Once complete, Vantage and Orac
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom