Alipay+ Hang Seng deal brings QR payments to Hong Kong bank app

The Alipay+ Hang Seng partnership gives the Hong Kong bank’s mobile app users access to QR code payments at more than 100 million merchants across 55 countries and regions. Ant International said Friday that Hang Seng Bank is the first banking partner in Hong Kong to connect to its unified wallet gateway, extending the reach of a cross-border payment network used by digital wallets and financial institutions.

Hang Seng Bank said in a separate release that supported destinations include China, Europe, the United States, Australia, South Korea and Malaysia. The service is available inside the Hang Seng mobile app, allowing customers to pay abroad without switching to a separate wallet app, according to the bank.

What does Alipay+ mean for Hang Seng customers?

Alipay+ is a payment gateway operated by Ant International that links participating wallets and banking apps to merchants that accept its QR payment network. For Hang Seng customers, the connection means the bank’s app can be used for both “scan to pay,” where a customer scans a merchant’s QR code, and “show code to pay,” where the merchant scans a code displayed by the customer.

Before a transaction is completed, customers will be shown the payment amount based on the Alipay+ exchange rate, Hang Seng said. That feature gives users a quoted conversion amount before confirmation, while keeping payment records within the bank’s app, according to the release.

Rannie Lee, head of retail banking and wealth at Hang Seng Bank, said customers increasingly expect smooth payment options when travelling overseas. Lee said the Alipay+ link adds broad merchant acceptance to the bank’s app and gives customers a single place to pay and track spending.

How large is the Alipay+ bank and wallet network?

Ant International said the Alipay+ network now includes more than 50 digital wallets and financial institutions. Its banking partners include both established lenders and digital banks, with participants named by Ant International including Public Bank Berhad in Malaysia, Bank of the Philippine Islands and Asia United Bank in the Philippines, OCBC in Singapore, Kasikorn Bank and Siam Commercial Bank in Thailand, and Vietcombank in Vietnam.

Venetia Lee, general manager for Greater China at Ant International, said in Hang Seng Bank’s release that cross-border travel and commerce have increased customer demand for easier payment experiences. Lee said Alipay+ connects users and merchants globally and described Hang Seng Bank as the first Hong Kong bank to join the network.

The agreement comes during a broader expansion by Ant International in cross-border payments. The company said Monday that it had raised $1.2 billion in new funding to improve its cross-border payments and agentic commerce offerings. Ant International said the proceeds would support merchant payment, account management and other financial services for small and medium-sized businesses and enterprises globally.

This story draws on original reporting from PYMNTS.