Alipay opens up bricks and mortar payment options for Chinese visitors in US

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Rachel Doyle
Rachel Doyle
Senior Content Specialist
Rachel has over 10 years’ communications and writing experience, having started her career in financial services where she spent nine years working in various roles. She started out in fund… Read more
  • Links with Blackhawk network to enable digital wallet payments to be accepted in US stores

  • Saves on expensive money transfer payments through banks and finding accepted payment methods when travelling in US

  • Alipay solution will enable Chinese tourists to make payments using their digital friend

Alipay, the mobile wallet app has announced a partnership with Blackhawk network that will delight many of its 520 million users. The link deal will enable Chinese visitors to the USA to be able to buy goods in some retailers using their Alipay digital wallet. As more people turn their backs on cash, with 1 in 5 no longer carrying it in their wallet, alternative payment options such as digital wallets are growing in favour. The ease of a digital wallet, which saves carrying around large amounts of cash, especially when on holiday, makes it a more convenient way to travel. This saves on often expensive methods of sending money abroad. For example, if payments are used with a bank card, there are often expensive transactional fees as well as less than favourable exchange rates involved. Being able to use a digital wallet as payment for goods in store is much more convenient too.

This is a welcome partnership as typically Chinese tourists have not had an easy way to find out which payment methods will be accepted by US retailers. Alipay is the largest digital wallet in China, where payments are made using your smartphone. Retailers who subscribe to Blackhawk technology will be able to sign up to the deal and offer this as a payment method in store. This comes off the back of another recent announcement where Alipay links up with Lacoste in US to accept payments in certain stores.


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