Tag: UnionPay

Siam Piwat Expands Chinese Partnerships to Target 1 Billion Consumers

Bangkok mall developer Siam Piwat expanded its digital partnership network across China in September 2026 to reach more than 1 billion travellers before they depart for Thailand.

The tie-up connects the group’s OneSiam retail loyalty card to platforms run by Huawei, Alipay+, WeChat, UnionPay and streaming service iQIYI.

Under the agreement, Siam Piwat will integrate visitor passes and shopping discounts directly into Huawei’s operating ecosystem. That system covers 400 million mobile devices and 200 million wearable users. Chinese travellers can access shopping perks, browse luxury collections and settle transactions through Alipay+ and UnionPay before arriving in Bangkok. Participating malls include Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, IconSiam and Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok.

Payments and Pre-Trip Booking Integrations

Marketing campaigns, influencer content and booking services will sit directly inside Chinese digital channels to pull footfall into Bangkok. A separate collaboration with streaming platform iQIYI will pair Chinese entertainment intellectual property with offline pop-up events and retail promotions inside Siam Piwat properties.

Integrating the OneSiam Global Visitor Card into WeChat connects digital wallets, customer service and curated retail offers inside a single mini-program.

“Our goal is to drive quality tourism that prioritises ‘value’ over ‘volume’,” said Mayuree Chaipromprasith, president of corporate partnership and communications at Siam Piwat.

Competition For Inbound Luxury Tourist Spending

Thai retail landlords are racing to lock in Chinese tourist spend well before travellers land at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Central Pattana and The Mall Group spent two years expanding their digital payment checkouts. Siam Piwat is taking a different route. It bets that embedding its loyalty programme inside foreign hardware and payment apps will secure high-spending shoppers before departure.

Execution on the ground remains the main test. Funnelling overseas digital engagement into physical mall traffic requires luxury brands to provide dedicated inventory and multilingual staff on site. Without both, tourist spending disperses across competing retail strips in downtown Bangkok.

Earlier Ties Built During Pandemic Downturn

Siam Piwat first partnered with Huawei in 2020 to build a shared digital platform during the pandemic travel freeze. Teams tested IT systems during the lull before linking with regional payment operators. That infrastructure now manages cross-border data and loyalty perks across the developer’s core Bangkok shopping assets.

Technical teams at Siam Piwat and UnionPay will complete cross-border transaction testing ahead of the next regional holiday travel peak.

September 14, 2026
China and Indonesia Launch Innovative Pilot Program for Cross-Border QR Payments

In an exciting development for cross-border commerce, selected users from China can now engage in QR payments while visiting Indonesia, thanks to a collaborative pilot initiative between the two nations. This innovation allows users to make payments using the UnionPay and Alipay apps through Indonesia’s QRIS system, which stands for “Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard.” With more than 40 million QRIS merchants participating, this move promises to enhance the purchasing experience for tourists and business travelers alike.

As part of this initiative, the pilot program allows not just Chinese users but also selected merchants from China’s UnionPay and Alipay networks to accept QR payments from a variety of Indonesian mobile payment applications. It’s almost like creating a financial handshake between countries, all facilitated by the convenience of QR codes.

The payment processing will unfold in the local currencies of each country, adding another layer of efficiency to the transaction process, as confirmed in the recent press release. With the pilot phase currently underway, stakeholders anticipate that the QR payment system will be fully operational by 2025, making it a significant stride towards seamless cross-border transactions.

UnionPay International (UPI) has laid the groundwork for this ambitious project by signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Indonesian Payment System Association, Ant International, as well as the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Jakarta branch. The move solidifies the partnership, which is further cemented through separate agreements with four Indonesian switch networks: Rintis, ALTO, Artajasa, and Jalin. As the program progresses, it could transform how payments are made between these two vibrant economies, potentially sparking interest from other nations to join the QR payment revolution.

Questions & Answers

How does the QR payment system work between China and Indonesia?
Users from China can make QR payments in Indonesia using the UnionPay and Alipay apps, utilizing the QRIS system to facilitate transactions through 40 million participating merchants.

What currencies will be used in these transactions?
The QR payment linkages will be settled in the respective local currencies of China and Indonesia, ensuring a smooth transaction process for users.

When is the QR payment linkage expected to become fully operational?
The initiative is projected to be fully operational by 2025, following the current sandbox phase of the pilot program.

September 16, 2025
UnionPay Makes Waste Reduction Fashionable with Jay The Rabbit Collaboration

UnionPay, a global payment brand, collaborates with Jay The Rabbit, one of Thailand’s favorite cartoon characters with over 1 Million followers across social media platforms to produce re-usable bags aim at reducing one-time plastic bags usage.

UnionPay Cardholders with a minimum spend of 1,500 Baht* can redeem a UnionPay x Jay The Rabbit canvas bag worth 899 Baht from now till 6 December 2020 at 10 participating department stores in Bangkok which include Central Chidlom, Central @ Central World, Central Ladprao, Central Bangna, Central Pinklao, Siam Paragon Department Store, The Emporium and EmQuartier, The Mall Bangkapi, and The Mall Bang Khae. There are over 4,000 bags to be redeemed. UnionPay X Jay The Rabbit on-ground activities will also take place at Central World on 14 & 15 November 2020.

Huiming Cai, General Manager of UnionPay International Southeast Asia said, “We hope that these specially designed limited-edition re-usable bags enhance the shopping experience of consumers while raising awareness on reducing the usage of single-use plastic bags.”

In Thailand, UnionPay partners Bangkok Bank, Bank of China, ICBC Bank, Kasikorn Bank, Kiatnakin Bank, Krungthai Bank, LH Bank and Krungthai Card Company to provide a wide array of payment products and services.

November 9, 2020
Wirecard Forms Strategic Partnership With UnionPay

Wirecard, a global financial technology company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UnionPay, the world’s largest card scheme, to form a global strategic partnership.

The agreement will support UnionPay’s ongoing international expansion and Wirecard’s growth in China and with Chinese businesses, both companies said in a media statement.

As the world’s largest card scheme in terms of card issuance, UnionPay will be one of our key alliances in Asia, said Georg von Waldenfels, EVP Group Business Development at Wirecard.

As a major tourist and business destination, China receives hundreds of millions of travelers every year, which means that the scope of our solutions will also address non-Chinese nationals and enable them to pay with UnionPay nationwide, added Waldenfels.

Union Pay has 7.59 billion cards issued under its brand, amounting to 57.6 percent of the world’s payment cards in circulation according to the Nilson Report. It is also an association for China’s banking card industry.

Larry Wang, Vice President at UnionPay International said that the cooperation between Wirecard and UnionPay will focus on expanding the global acceptance of UnionPay as a digital payment method across all channels.

In addition, the partnership will also launch a number of issuing projects, including corporate solutions such as payout products and SCP (Supplier and Commission Payments), and consumer-oriented products in the form of digital wallets for incoming tourists to China.

The initial stage of the partnership will focus on launching additional projects in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the U.S., where both partners already work together for several years. Additionally, a consumer solution for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is being planned to take advantage of the large number of tourists who will visit the country.

October 1, 2019
UnionPay To Launch E-Payment Solutions for SMEs at Bangkok Fintech Fair 2018
UnionPay International (UPI), a global payment network, will unveil its low-cost and easy implementable e-payment solutions at the Bangkok FinTech Fair 2018, held from 19 – 20 March 2018. Aimed at providing secure, cost effective and convenient payment solutions to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to capture the opportunities in a rapidly digitalising economy, UnionPay will be showcasing a range of mobile and wearable payment technologies that can be easily adopted by SMEs in Thailand.

The e-payment solutions on show include:

Wearable Payments: UnionPay provides a glimpse into the future of payments using Garmin, Huawei, Swatch and Tic wearable products. Consumers can easily digitise their credit or debit cards to enable hands-free payment with a tap of their wearable devices while leaving their cash and cards at home. Merchants can also streamline their payment operations by doing away with the use of cash, easing payment settlement for them.

Quick Response (QR) Code Payments: QR Code payments offer a quick and easy way to process e-payments.. To make QR payments at participating merchants in Thailand, UnionPay Cardholders can simply download a mobile application that supports UnionPay QR Code payments, link their cards to the app, and use the app to scan the merchant-presented QR Code, or generate a dynamic consumer-presented QR Code to be scanned by the merchant.

“As Thailand moves towards realising the vision of a cashless society, UnionPay International is working actively to develop and test more innovative e-payment solutions that are tailored to the needs of the SMEs,” said Mr. Wenhui Yang, General Manager, UnionPay International Southeast Asia. “These e-payment solutions are showcased at the Bangkok FinTech Fair 2018, and will pave the way for more payment innovations to come as we look to harnessing technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, biometric authentication and other innovations to enable quicker, safer and more seamless payments for consumers and small businesses alike,” he added.

In May 2017, UnionPay International announced its plan for a standardised QR code in Thailand to support Bank of Thailand’s cashless drive. Following the announcement, UnionPay will launch a QR Code payment pilot at Soi La Lai Sap Market in Silom in the second quarter of 2018. The QR Code pilot will involve hundreds of merchants, enabling small businesses who traditionally accept cash payments to experience a new low-cost electronic payment alternative, to accelerate Thailand’s push towards a cashless society. With the launch of the pilot, consumers will also be able to enjoy quick, convenient and secure payments by scanning the QR Codes on display at the participating merchants’ outlets at Soi La Lai Sap Market.

UnionPay has rolled out QR code payment at selected F&B outlets, hotels and retailers in Singapore, Vietnam and 10 other markets globally.
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March 19, 2018
AsiaMalls Management and UnionPay International partner to launch QR Code payments

AsiaMalls Management signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UnionPay International (UPI) to roll out acceptance of UnionPay QR Code payments across all six malls – Hougang Mall, Liang Court, Tiong Bahru Plaza, Tampines 1, White Sands, and Century Square when it reopens in 2018.

As the first large-scale partnership between a mall manager and a global payment brand to deploy QR Code payments across malls in Singapore, this form of QR Code payments is compatible with SGQR and compliant with EMVCo standards. UnionPay International is a member of the SGQR taskforce led by Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to develop a common, interoperable QR Code to accelerate the adoption of mobile payments locally. UnionPay is also part of the EMVCo Global Workgroup developing an international standard for QR Code payments.

This new partnership between AsiaMalls and UPI came from the mall management’s understanding of the shopper’s needs and the retail landscape, coupled with a mindset for innovation. AsiaMalls strives to go beyond meeting the basic necessities of their shoppers and the community around each mall by constantly seeking new and exciting retail experiences, of which this partnership serves as an example.

Tapping onto existing payment infrastructure from AsiaMalls’ rewards programme, AMperkz, the initiative will enable UnionPay Cardholders to enjoy greater ease of payment at all participating AsiaMalls merchants when the enhanced system rolls out in phases starting 2018. UnionPay QR Code payments allow merchant discounts and payment transactions to be processed via a single scan of the consumer-presented QR Code, providing added convenience and simplifying the payment process for both consumers and merchants alike. It will also open up opportunities for shoppers without NFC-enabled smartphones to make contactless mobile payments.

“With the nation’s move towards a cashless society, we saw the opportunity for AsiaMalls to anticipate our shopper’s wants and expectations, and to provide them with all the conveniences possible, by equipping our merchants with the ability to accept UnionPay’s QR Code payment option. This would allow the stores to expand their clientele base, and in time, enable them to be fully integrated and ready for the Smart Nation roll-out,” shares Tan Kee Yong, Managing Director, AsiaMalls Management.

“Today’s cooperation is significant in multiple aspects: First, we are able to establish the acceptance of UnionPay QR Code on a sizeable scale in Singapore for cross-border payment by leveraging on AsiaMalls’ strong footprint in the local retail industry, offering the same seamless mobile payment experience to Chinese tourists in both Singapore and in China. Second, we choose to promote UnionPay QR Code payment first in everyday spend merchants like shopping malls as this will not only help us localise our business, but also help issuers like Bank of China Singapore branch and other local

November 28, 2017
UnionPay Curates Over 80 of the World’s Finest Restaurants for New Global Dining Privilege Programme
UnionPay International has launched a new global dining privilege programme – the U Dining Collection – for Platinum and Diamond UnionPay Cardholders. Curating over 80 of the finest restaurants located in key cities around the world, including Michelin-starred restaurants, restaurants by famous chefs, chain restaurants and feature restaurants, the U Dining Collection will whet the appetites of even the most discerning palates with exclusive dining privileges that heighten overall dining experience.

To enjoy these privileges, UnionPay Platinum and Diamond Cardholders (card number starting with 62) can browse the curated list of fine dining restaurants in Singapore, Cambodia, China, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, at the U Dining Collection website, and make their reservations via the UnionPay Singapore Concierge hotline. By making the reservation process fuss-free, Cardholders can now enjoy the full dining experience with ease, complete with exclusive benefits such as priority seating, discounts, or complimentary dessert, wine and champagne.

“Restaurant ANDRÉ is pleased to be part of UnionPay International’s U Dining Collection programme, one that connects gourmet diners to the best tables in the world by providing exclusive accessibility and services.” said Chef Andre Chiang, Chef/Owner of Restaurant ANDRÉ.

“By bringing together some of the most highly-acclaimed and Michelin-starred restaurants from around the world, U Dining Collection is designed to cater to the most discerning of palates, offering premium dining experiences to UnionPay Platinum and Diamond Cardholders. With a one-stop concierge service that simplifies the reservation process for these highly-popular restaurants, Cardholders can free their minds to enjoy the dining experience at some of the best restaurants from around the world,” added Mr Wenhui Yang, General Manager of Southeast Asia, UnionPay International.

The launch of U Dining Collection adds a new dimension to UnionPay’s global premium privilege programme, which features:
- The UnionPay Global Concierge Service – assists Cardholders with everyday and special tasks such as hotel, flight, transport and attraction recommendations and reservations; travel vaccination consultation and translation assistance.
- The UnionPay Global Assistant Service – provides travel and medical support to meet Cardholders’ overseas requirements, including assistance for lost passports, delayed/lost baggage, emergency legal aid, medical advice and transfers.
- The UnionPay VIP Airport Service – provides VIP services to Cardholders at airports around the world, including the complimentary use of VIP lounge facilities, access to the internet, drinks, snacks and more.
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August 23, 2017
China’s AliPay, UnionPay & WeChat Pay join LATAM Fintech’s payments revolution
The fintech dLocal that specializes in cross-border payments for emerging markets, has integrated AliPay, UnionPay and WeChat Pay – China’s three major digital payments providers – into its platform. The addition for Uruguay-based dLocal with a US presence is touted as enabling global merchants to reach some “300 million Chinese consumers.”

Collectively these three providers captured the vast bulk of the Chinese market for online payments (over 70%), which translated into $2.9 trillion (trn) of such payments in 2016.

According to the market research firm Analysys, for the first quarter of 2017 Alipay, which was founded by Alibaba Group in 2004 and its founder Jack Ma, accounted for around 54% share of mobile transaction value while WeChat Pay garnered a 40% share.

For the Uruguayan-based dLocal, which has largely been focused on the Latin American region and other emerging markets, it expands the company’s services to Asia. It is couched as enabling the firm to “offer a broader portfolio of payments and country coverage to global merchants” who want to reach some 2 billion (bn) emerging consumers in markets where payment methods are different of those in Europe and the US.

Chinese Cross-Border E-Commerce

Cross-border ecommerce in China reached an estimated RMB 259bn (c.$40bn) in 2015, equivalent to over 6% of China’s total consumer e-commerce. And, the growth rate has been put at more than 50% annually according industry figures and as highlighted recently by Chenan Xia, a principal at McKinsey in Hong Kong.

Lower prices, higher quality items, larger disposable incomes and the search for non-fake goods are among a factors contributing to the rise in online cross-border purchases, creating a huge opportunity for ecommerce and marketplace businesses.

China’s major e-commerce site, Alibaba’s Tmall, for example, has moved into the market with a cross-border site (Tmall Global), whilst smaller consumer rivals and start-ups have got in on the act.

US e-commerce behemoth Amazon has also become increasingly active in China, having opened its offshore shopping sites of late to Chinese consumers and offering users of Amazon.cn, its Chinese site, a selection foreign products described in the local language and with Chinese specifications.

On the flip side, Tmall Global has attracted major foreign retailers like US-based Costco and South Korea’s Lotte Mart, to its cross-border site.

“China is the global Mecca for ecommerce and we are unlocking the doors for cross-border purchases in this market by bringing all the pertinent payment options into one solution,” said Sebastián Kanovich, CEO of dLocal, who is described as a pioneer in emerging markets payments.

Chinese Payment Providers

As regards the background and timeline of discussions between dLocal and AliPay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay, last year dLocal had implemented bank transfers for China, However, as Kanovich pointed out “the conversion was quite low” as these are not the dominant forms of payment for ecommerce purchases in China.

The first item in dLocal’s 2017 Product Roadmap was to secure the top three payment methods – AliPay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay – so that they could start processing local debit and credit cards, as well as accept payments through the hugely popular e-wallets.

“From start to go-live – contract and integration – it has taken six months. For credit and debit card acceptance, the integration was pretty straight forward as it was completely API-based,” revealed Kanovich.

He added: “To process payments through the AliPay and WeChat Pay e-wallets, we had to develop QR-code technology, which is how AliPay and WeChat Pay operate. This was a new capability we had to develop, because none of the payment option providers in the markets we’re in are utilizing QR codes.”

The user experience for a payment via QR code works as follows. During the checkout process, when the user indicated that they want to pay with AliPay or WeChat Pay e-wallets, dLocal generates and displays a unique QR code to the shopper which they scans to be redirected to pay with AliPay or WeChat Pay.
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June 27, 2017
UnionPay launches QuickPass in Hong Kong and Singapore
Following a debut in China late last month, UnionPay International is extending its UnionPay QuickPass QR code mobile payment service to Hong Kong and Singapore.

The first merchants providing this new service are three stores of Colourmix at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong and two stores of BreadTalk in VivoCity and Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore.

Next, UnionPay mobile QuickPass QR code payment will be introduced in the travel destinations favored by Chinese tourists, including Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.

The new service supports NFC contactless payment with UnionPay chip cards, smartphones and wearable devices. Outside mainland China, mobile QuickPass is now accepted at about 500,000 POS terminals across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Russia, the UAE, etc. Customers can pay easily by tapping mobile phones. The newly launched QR code payment is a significant supplement to NFC payment.

“We are accelerating the rollout of various mobile QuickPass products and services outside mainland China so that we can bring faster, more convenient and secure payment options for our customers,” said Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International.

“We choose to launch UnionPay QR code payment first in daily spend merchants to meet the diverse tourist payment needs resulting from the Chinese tourists’ preference shift from group tours to free-and-independent traveling. I believe that in the near future, customers outside mainland China will also be able to enjoy this safer and easier QR code payment service.”

With the launch of Consumer Presented QR Code in Hong Kong and Singapore, China cardholders can add their UnionPay cards to the “UnionPay Wallet” APP, press “Payment Code” and choose “Overseas Payment Code” to generate a QR code, and then have it scanned by the cashier to complete payment.

In Hong Kong, the service supports the combination of payment code and e-coupon code. Customers using the UnionPay cross-border marketing platform, u·plan, can get an exclusive e-coupon code from the u·plan zone in the “UnionPay Wallet” APP, and have it scanned by the merchant to enjoy discount while making payments.

Compared with other QR code payment products, UnionPay mobile QuickPass QR code has three major features: Firstly, it is with global interoperability. Secondly, this payment mode provides greater safety as it uses the tokenization technology. Thirdly, it provides comprehensive services including risk compensation mechanism.
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June 10, 2017
Mastercard, UnionPay International and Visa Make E-Payments in Thailand Easier

Mastercard, UnionPay International and Visa today introduced a Standardized Quick Response (QR) Code for payments, accelerating Thailand’s transition to a cashless society.

The Standardized QR Code supports the Bank of Thailand’s cashless agenda to drive innovation, interoperability, and security in payments.

In order to pay, consumers holding a Mastercard, UnionPay, or Visa card can simply use a mobile application with Standardized QR Code support to scan the merchant-presented QR code. QR Code works on both smart phones and feature phones with camera function.

By establishing standard specifications for QR code payments, consumers and merchants in Thailand now have more options to pay electronically without compromising on security and convenience. The Standard QR Code is simple to set up and use and provides three key benefits.

First, consumers will not need to scan different QR codes to make payments with Mastercard, UnionPay and Visa. Merchants will only need to display one QR code at the storefront or through the acquiring bank’s mobile application.

Second, by routing the transactions through global-standard processing networks, consumers can enjoy a fast, convenient and secure payment experience.

Third, the standards are intended to be globally interoperable and with the right mobile application consumers will be able to use the same standard QR code to make payments everywhere the standards have been adopted.

The Standardized QR Code is intended to be implemented by banks and merchants across Thailand by the third quarter of 2017 and will contribute to the financial sector’s Electronic Data Capture (EDC) expansion initiatives under the National e-Payment Roadmap introduced by Ministry of Finance.

A readily accessible and secure payment processing option for all stakeholders, the Standardized QR Code for payments will contribute to the growth and speed of electronic payment adoption across the country, lowering the cost for accepting electronic payments.

In the future, Thai consumers will benefit from being able to make QR code based payments when traveling outside of Thailand.

Mr. Donald Ong, Country Manager, Thailand and Myanmar, Mastercard, said, “The launch of the Standardized QR Code signals exciting times for Thailand as consumers move quickly to adopt new payments technology. Our own research, for example, shows that 50% of young consumers across South East Asia would use the QR code straightaway, and we believe this reflects the demand in Thailand. This demand will grow further as the technology is rolled out at small shops across the country, and includes bill payments and cash on delivery as well. Developed in line with global standards, this QR code solution means Mastercard users have even more peace of mind, as well as extra convenience when paying for goods and services. This is yet another strong offering as Mastercard supports Thailand’s evolution towards a cashless society.”

Mr. Wenhui Yang, General Manager for UnionPay International Southeast Asia, said, “UnionPay now chairs an international workgroup with other payment networks to develop a global QR Code Standard for payments. As an international payment network, UnionPay aims to provide payment solutions that are tailored to the needs of the local market, to enable choice and ease of payment for consumers and businesses alike. The Standardized QR Code is an innovative step forward in the right direction for Thailand’s payment industry. By enabling consumers and merchants to pay and process QR codes easily and securely, this will accelerate the development of the local payments industry, as we continue to work with the Bank of Thailand on payment solutions that will benefit the people of Thailand. We believe the Standardized QR Code has the potential to support and strengthen the Thai economy and help Thailand become a truly cashless society.”

Mr. Suripong Tantiyanon, Visa Country Manager, Thailand, said, “Visa is proud to have contributed to the development of Standardized QR Code in Thailand as we believe it has the potential to significantly accelerate the growth of electronic payments acceptance in the country. This is especially true for consumers as well as small merchants, as it lowers cost and is easy to implement, eliminating the need for traditional POS hardware. The success of mVisa worldwide has proven a QR code solution to be scalable, secure and easy to use. Increased use of electronic payments has contributed to meaningful economic growth, with more than USD 3.18 billion or about THB 113 billion added to Thailand’s GDP from 2011 to 2015. We look forward to continuing to partner with our clients, merchants and the government to innovate and expand access to digital payments in Thailand, driving inclusive growth for everyone, everywhere.”

May 10, 2017

UnionPay International’s Cross-Border Marketing Platform

With the May Day holiday approaching, tourism in Asia is set to experience another peak. In anticipation of the increased tourist arrivals around the world, UnionPay International announced the expansion of its cross-border marketing platform, U Plan, to 1,600 stores in nine countries and regions around the world.

With U Plan, UnionPay Cardholders around the world can enjoy more savings when shopping with UnionPay Cards locally and overseas. To take advantage of the U Plan benefits, Cardholders can simply download the UnionPay International mobile app on iOS and Android phones prior to their travels. Through the app, Cardholders can access all the latest merchant discounts and promotions available at their travel destinations, and download exclusive U Plan discount coupons to be presented at the participating merchant’s point-of-sales counters together with their UnionPay Card (card number starting with 62), to enjoy additional savings on their travels.

Since the launch of U Plan in July last year, the cross-border marketing platform has expanded to 300 stores in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Thailand in November 2016. With this latest expansion, the platform now covers 1,600 stores across the globe, as well as merchants in countries including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the USA.

Some of the new merchants that have come on board U Plan include:

Country/Region	Merchant	U Plan Benefits
Thailand	ShowDC	Enjoy 5% and an additional THB100 off when you spend a minimum of THB1,000 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Thailand	Emporium, EmQuartier, Paragon Department Stores	Enjoy 10% off with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Korea	Doota Mall	Enjoy KRW30,000 off when you spend a minimum of KRW150,000 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Korea	Doota Duty Free	Enjoy KRW20,000 off when you spend a minimum of KRW200,000 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Japan	Mitsui Outlet Park, Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport (Toyosu, EXPOCITY), DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, Coredo Muromachi	Enjoy 10% off with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Japan	Matsumoto Kyoshi	Enjoy 7% off when you spend a minimum of JPY30,000 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
USA	Macy’s	Enjoy 20% off with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Australia	JR Duty Free	Enjoy 10% off with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
Australia	T Galleria Sydney	Enjoy AUD25 off when you spend a minimum of AUD500 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan Coupon
New Zealand	JR Duty Free	Enjoy 10% off with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan coupon
New Zealand	T Galleria Auckland	Enjoy NZD25 off when you spend a minimum of NZD500 with UnionPay Cards upon presentation of U Plan Coupon

U Plan is the world’s first open cross-border marketing platform launched by UnionPay for Cardholders. By bringing together service providers in the finance, tourism and retail industries, U Plan provides a one-stop marketing platform for UnionPay and its partners to market products and services to Cardholders across geographical borders. Through the use of mobile applications and location services,U Plan enables a high-level of precision for UnionPay and partners to reach out to potential travelers prior to their travels, to promote special privileges and discounts that UnionPay Cardholders can enjoy at their travel destinations.

To date, U Plan has been well received by merchants and UnionPay Cardholders around the world. Moving forward, UnionPay International plans to expand the platform to more merchants in Europe and the USA, providing a wider range of gifts, discounts and VIP shopping booklets to enhance the overall experience for UnionPay Cardholders.

April 29, 2017

Amazon Japan adopts UnionPay to attract Chinese shoppers
Amazon.com Inc.’s website in Japan will start accepting UnionPay cards, as the web retailer steps up efforts to sell more merchandise to Chinese shoppers across Asia.

China UnionPay Co., with more than 6 billion cards in circulation, is now a key rival to Visa Inc., Mastercard Inc. and other issuers and has become an important way for retailers around the globe to attract Chinese tourists and consumers. UnionPay can now be used across Amazon Japan’s website from Wednesday, the Seattle-based company said.

Amazon, which debuted in Japan in 2000, rolled out a Simplified Chinese-language version of its website last year to cater to booming demand by shoppers seeking everything from Japanese books and music to cosmetics and baby products. The number of online customers from the mainland rose fivefold since early 2016, according to Jasper Cheung, president of Amazon Japan. Amazon’s revenue in the country rose 31 percent to $10.8 billion in 2016.

“We continue to drive more selection available for export, and we’ve increased it by 50 percent,” Cheung said. “The biggest-selling categories have been books, health and beauty, baby products and kitchen appliances.”

Amazon Japan is catering to an emerging class of consumers who are willing to shop online within Asia, and offers reduced shipping rates to homes and businesses in mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. E-commerce demand from China to Japan alone is projected to almost triple to 2.34 trillion yen ($22.5 billion) in 2019, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Chinese tourists, now a constant presence in Tokyo’s stores, often stock up on authentic Made-in-Japan products during their visits to the archipelago. The number of Chinese tourists in Japan rose 28 percent last year to 6.4 million visitors.
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March 24, 2017
Myanmar to adopt UnionPay chip card standard
The Myanmar Payment Union (MPU) and UnionPay International (UPI) have teamed up to implement a common UnionPay chip card standard in the country.

The UnionPay chip card standard complies with the global EMV chip card standard, and will be adopted by all banks operating in Myanmar.

The UnionPay chip card standard emerged as the standard of choice after stringent reviews and extensive consultations with Central Bank of Myanmar, MPU and major financial institutions.

Following this process, the current local chip card standard will be upgraded to the new UnionPay chip card standard which offers enhanced security. In addition, Myanmar Cardholders can use the locally-issued cards featuring the new UnionPay chip card standard anywhere in the world, at locations that accept the EMV chip card standard.

This announcement follows the implementation of the UnionPay chip card standard in Thailand and Laos in recent years. In Thailand, all new locally-issued debit cards will need to carry the Thai Bank Chip Card Standard starting August 2017, a chip card standard licensed by UPI and run by Thai Banker Association. In Laos, UnionPay provides support for the construction, operation and maintenance of the local payment systems.

In 2016, UPI also signed a chip card standard licensing cooperation agreement with seven other member institutions of Asian Payment Network. With this collaboration, the major switch networks in Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines will adopt UnionPay chip card standard in card acceptance and card issuance.

Acting Chairman of MPU, U Zaw Win, said, “The UnionPay chip card standard brings the Myanmar Payments industry to the world stage as it complies with international EMV standard and security. The tripartite collaboration on the chip standard lays a strong foundation for innovation, value-added services, and increase convenience for Myanmar consumers and businesses.”
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February 9, 2017
Public Bank and UnionPay International Launch PB UnionPay Lifestyle Debit Card
UnionPay International (UPI), a global payment network, has reaffirmed its presence in Malaysia by inking a first-of-its-kind partnership with Public Bank (PB), the third largest bank in Malaysia. The two collaborated to launch the PB UnionPay Lifestyle Debit Card in December 2016, targeted at customers and businessmen who are frequent travelers to Asia.

Poised as the best travel companion, the PB UnionPay Lifestyle Debit Card which is issued upon opening of a PB UnionPay Savings Account, will give Cardholders access to a range of perks and benefits. A PB UnionPay Lifestyle Debit Cardholder can access the Priority Lane at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, to expedite the submission and processing of visa applications. Besides, discounts of up to 10 percent are offered to these Cardholders at duty-free shops in 100 participating international airports. PB UnionPay Savings Account offers a flat interest rate of 0.5 percent per annum, and a monthly cash rebate of RM10 (S$3.21) for accounts with a minimum of RM10,000 (S$3,221) month-to-date average balance and no over-the-counter transactions for the month.

In conjunction with the launch, Public Bank is offering complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounge Malaysia so visitors can partake in a host of facilities that will make traveling more comfortable and satisfying. A panda neck pillow and eye mask resembling the card design will be given to new PB UnionPay Savings Account holders with a minimum deposit amount of RM2,000 (S$643) which is earmarked for three months. Gifts are available while stocks last.

Public Bank is the third largest banking group in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Bank entered its 50th year of operations in 2016 with a total group asset size of RM363.76 billion (S$116 billion) as of end 2015. With an extensive reach to its customers via a network of 259 well distributed branches and over 2,000 self-service terminals in Malaysia, this partnership between UPI and PB aims to provide PB customers with greater mobility within the region through the use of its high quality and secure cross-border payment services.

”°We are excited to have Public Bank on board as our strategic partner for our issuing in Malaysia,”± said Mr. Wenhui Yang, General Manager of UPI Southeast Asia. ”°UnionPay International is fully aligned with Public Bank”Æs focus on providing the most efficient services to its customers through the innovation of new banking services, and we believe that this partnership will put us in a good position to serve the needs of consumers and businesses in Malaysia.”±

”°We are proud to be the first local bank in Malaysia who had launched UnionPay Card which offers various solutions to fit our customers”Æ financial and lifestyle needs. With the expanding business alliances between China and Malaysia, Public Bank continues to progress and expand in order to become the first choice of expatriates and students from China for their banking service needs as this card serves them well whenever they are in China, Malaysia or any other 160 countries and regions that accept UnionPay Cards.”± said Y. Bhg. Dato”Æ Chang Kat Kiam, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Public Bank.
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GoSwiff Partners UnionPay International to Increase Mobile Transactions in Thailand
GoSwiff, a global leader in digital payments, announced a partnership with UnionPay International (UPI), a global payment network, to enable merchants on Nimmanahaeminda Road in Chiang Mai to accept UnionPay cards. Using GoSwiff’s mobile point of sale (mPOS) solution, micro merchants can now accept and process secure PIN-based card transactions in Thailand.

Merchants and shoppers on Nimmanahaeminda Road, a street popular with both locals and tourists visiting Chiang Mai, will reap significant advantages with the launch of mPOS. Merchants will benefit from the convenience of digital payments, while consumers can pay with their UnionPay cards, minimizing foreign exchange costs from ATM withdrawals and reducing the risk of carrying cash. All the banks within the UPI network can now connect to mPOS, and leverage NFC, HCE and PIN payments for the first time in Thailand.

“We see great benefits in this partnership with GoSwiff in the Thai market,” said Wenhui Yang, General Manager, UnionPay International, Southeast Asia. “We are not only enabling small merchants to accept micro-payments securely, but also supporting our customers who prefer to pay with cards. With the help of our contactless mobile payment solution, we are confident this will lead to a wider adoption of cashless payments in Thailand and Southeast Asia alike.”

On Nimmanahaeminda Road, small and mobile merchant stalls are not able yet to provide PIN-based card acceptance through regular electronic data capture platforms. There are constraints on telephone and electricity lines and investment requirements on the bank’s side.

“Thailand has seen an enormous increase in mobile payment acceptance in recent years thanks to the very active approach from the banks to roll out mPOS services to their clients. The Bank of Thailand has encouraged all debit cards to include a PIN code, which will create even more interest from the merchants to use mPOS”, said Svyatoslav Garal, Head of Asia Pacific and CIS, GoSwiff. “We have implemented mobile payment solutions for banks and Mobile Network Operators across the globe and boosted electronic payments in the emerging markets. The payment ecosystem greatly benefits from our mPOS solution with UnionPay, as well as the expansion of payment acceptance locations, especially in countries where the card penetration is increasing.”
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