Increasing e-wallet’s application for public transportation and cross-border payment
Merchant and e-wallet users increased to 50,000 and two million respectively
(6 March 2019 – Hong Kong) As a fast emerging TechFin brand, AlipayHK has led and driven the adoption of the e-wallet in application in Hong Kong. Since the formation of Alipay Payment Services (HK) Limited (“APSHK”), the joint venture between CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (“CK Hutchison”) and Ant Financial Services Group (“Ant Financial”) in March 2018, the company’s flagship product AlipayHK has extended its coverage to 50,000 merchants and more than two million users. This year AlipayHK will focus on widening the e-wallets adoption across public transportation providers and expand its cross-border payment services by strengthening collaboration among merchants. Its overarching goal is for people in Hong Kong to enjoy the benefits of smart mobility and the convenience that comes with using its e-wallet.
AlipayHK revealed the e-wallet’s new features, EasyGo, at the Smart Mobility, Boundless Living exhibition which marked the first anniversary of the company. Guests were amazed by the speed and convenience of using EasyGo to pass through tickets gates and AlipayHK for cross-border payments. By simply scanning a QR code users could also enjoy special currency exchange rates and the additional perk of a HK$20 Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area discount on cross-border purchases during the promotion period.
Special guests who officiated the ceremony included: Mr. Canning Fok, Group Co-Managing Director of CK Hutchison and Chairman of APSHK, Mr. Eric Jing, Chairman and CEO of Ant Financial, Mr. Howard Lee, Deputy Chief Executive of Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Ms. Jennifer Tan, CEO of APSHK.
Smart Mobility expands local coverage and goes global
Smart Mobility is an important initiative of AlipayHK to drive the development of Smart Cities. As part of this, AlipayHK is widening the adoption of smart mobility solutions to a range of public transport providers. For example, in January it launched EasyGo on a minibus line and AlipayHK will now be extending this service to other minibus routes and transportation providers.
Smart Travel is another major initiative for AlipayHK as part of its strategy to offer Hong Kong people a premium consumption experience when they travel overseas. Last month, AlipayHK launched its innovative connection service across the Greater Bay Area which covered popular shopping destinations, as well as essential services such as medical and education and provided a more convenient experience for people living in and traveling to the Greater Bay Area. When travelling to Japan, a popular destination for Hong Kong travelers, AlipayHK users can now use their e-wallets in the Daimaru Tenjin store in Fukuoka and the service will soon expand to the whole country. AlipayHK aims increase the coverage of this service to other retailers around the world so Hong Kong people can enjoy the convenience they experience from their e-wallets at home, and also when they travel overseas.
Mr. Canning Fok said, “It is encouraging to see such a growth in the number of AlipayHK users in only a year. AlipayHK was the first e-wallet to become an official partner of the MTR Corporation and this disrupted the traditional payment methods for public transportation. As the Greater Bay Area develops, AlipayHK is poised to capture the opportunities from cross-border payment services among the nine cities within its cluster with the aim extending our coverage to the whole country. I hope the continuous development of AlipayHK will bring more innovative retail experiences to users as we broaden its application and user base across the globe.” Mr. Eric Jing said, “Hong Kong is a key market for Alipay’s globalization. We will continue to support AlipayHK by bringing the best products and technology know-how to Hong Kong, in order to create unique value for users and merchants. In the future, we will also connect e-wallets from other regions around the world with merchants in Hong Kong, enabling them to benefit from mobile payment.”
Ms. Jennifer Tan said, “As an e-wallet provider in Hong Kong, AlipayHK always aims to pioneer positive change for Hong Kong citizens in order to make their lives easier. We would like to thank people in Hong Kong for their support. Without it, we would not have achieved such an impressive growth in users and merchants. We will continue to further develop solutions for public transportation service and cross-border payment to enable smart mobility and living.”
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