SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 January 2026 – When Thai tourist Naree visited Shanghai, she paid easily for coffee at a neighborhood café by scanning a Weixin Pay QR code using the same K PLUS mobile wallet as she used at home, because her mobile wallet was linked to her Thai UnionPay card.
Now international visitors from 11 countries and regions travelling to China’s mainland can enjoy the same seamless mobile payment experience just as Naree. The collaboration between UnionPay International and Weixin Pay (also known as WeChat) now supports 25 UnionPay-partnered international wallets. Users only need to link the local UnionPay cards or activate digital UnionPay cards in one of their digital wallets. Then they can make payments at restaurants, shops, and public transport systems across China’s mainland by scanning Weixin Pay or UnionPay QR codes. The funds will be automatically converted from their home currency into RMB, eliminating the need to download additional apps.
Since launching in December 2024, the program’s coverage has steadily broadened. As more UnionPay-Partnered international digital wallets join the network, a growing number of visitors to China can enjoy a smoother payment experience.
AMilestone In UnionPay’s Project Excellence
The cooperation between UnionPay International and Weixin Pay marks the latest milestone in UnionPay’s Project Excellence. Under Project Excellence, over 200 e-wallets across 37 countries and regions outside China’s mainland can link to locally issued UnionPay cards.
To further enhance the payment experience for overseas visitors to China, UnionPay has also launched the SplendorPlus Card, a product specially designed to meet inbound travelers’ unique needs.
In 2025, the number of QR code transactions made in China’s mainland using UnionPay-partnered e-wallets issued outside the Chinese mainland increased by 100% year on year, while the value of these transactions increased by 75%.
Hashtag: #UnionPay
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
