More merchants are now accepting Alipay+ in S’pore – here’s a look at what it’s about

You might have seen Alipay+ advertisements as you roam on Singapore streets – as you walk along MRT stations, hop on a cab, go shopping at malls, or even head to Changi Airport to catch a flight. 

Their ads are plastered almost everywhere, and more stores in Singapore are also carrying Alipay+ signs as an indication that they now accept this payment solution. This is a strong testament that Alipay+ is actively growing its presence here, but what exactly is Alipay+? 

Unlike Alipay, Alipay+ is not a mobile wallet or banking app. 

Introduced by Ant Group in 2020, Alipay+ is a cross-border digital payments and marketing solution to connect digital payment users and global merchants. Simply said, it allows users to make payments in overseas markets using their local e-wallets. 

To date, Alipay+ is accepted by global merchants both online and offline across 70 markets, and adopted by over 2.5 million merchants worldwide. 

Pay with your home wallet when you see Alipay+

Recently, Ant Group expanded its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to make cross-border travel to Singapore more seamless and convenient. 

The latest phase of the partnership includes the ‘SingapoReimagine with Alipay+’ joint marketing campaign. As part of SingapoReimagine, it offers innovative experiences to travellers across Asia, while allowing transactions in Singapore through mobile wallets that they are already familiar with.

With more mobile apps partnering with Alipay+, cross-border payment is made so much easier and more convenient.

In particular, three new mobile wallets – namely GCash from the Philippines, TrueMoney from Thailand, and AlipayHK from Hong Kong SAR, China – are now accepted in Singapore through Alipay+. 

Other existing partners include Kakao Pay from South Korea, Touch ‘n Go eWallet from Malaysia and Alipay from the Chinese Mainland, bringing the total number of mobile wallets accepted via Alipay+ in Singapore to six. 

According to STB’s visitor arrival figures, these six different markets were ranked among Singapore’s top 15 markets from January to August 2022. 

Beyond Singapore, Alipay+ is also doubling down on its presence regionally, and this includes countries like Japan and South Korea. 

For one, Alipay+ has partnered with over a million merchants in Japan – the latest being Universal Studios Japan – to create seamless travel experiences for international tourists, as the country opens up to mass tourism. 

Separately, users of leading Asian e-wallets including AlipayHK, GCash, Touch ‘n Go eWallet and True Money, are now able to pay at over 120,000 merchants using their local mobile payment apps when they travel to South Korea. 

What do users get to benefit from paying with Alipay+?

In this fast-paced and digital era, users highly value convenience. In line with this demand, Alipay+ users can simply make payment through the wallet app without the need to exchange currency.

Beyond enjoying cashless travel, users of the six Alipay+ partner mobile wallets get to enjoy exclusive tourism offerings on hotels, attractions, retail and dining when they travel to Singapore.

They can transact with local businesses that accept Alipay+, such as retail shops at Changi Airport, ComfortDelGro taxis, hotels, and attractions such as Gardens by the Bay. Other notable participating merchants include Jumbo Seafood, Huggs, IJOOZ, Swensens, Paragon and Marina Bay Sands. 

Currently, when e-wallet users pay with Alipay+, they can enjoy the following deals: 

• S$1 off for every S$1.01 spent;
• S$3 off for every S$3.01 spent;
• S$8 off for every S$100 spent.

Alipay+’s rapid expansion in the region is in line with the boom of mobile payment usage. According to Statista, the total transaction value in the digital payments segment is projected to reach US$17.7 billion in 2022. 

So the next time you see an Alipay+ sign in Singapore or overseas, know that you can simply pay with your home e-wallet on your mobile. 

Be it getting your coffee fix at Huggs, feasting on a seafood dinner at JUMBO, or shopping for all your wants and needs at malls like Paragon and Marina Bay Sands, Alipay+ has got you covered, letting you pay with the apps that you use everyday. 

This article was written in collaboration with Alipay+.

Featured Image Credit: Alipay+