- China's UnionPay has announced a partnership with Thai e-wallet app Dolfin to offer exclusive rewards to customers who use the services - including vouchers for retailers such as Starbucks.
- It comes after a push by the Bank of Thailand to encourage a countrywide shift towards cashless payments – and to that end, the new partnership will focus in particular on QR codes.
- “This is an exciting partnership for Dolfin as we continue our mission to provide a convenient and secure digital solution to facilitate e-payments by merchants and consumers,” said a spokesperson for Dolfin.
UnionPay, a major payment services provider based in China, has confirmed that it will collaborate with a Thai app.
The firm will work alongside Dolfin, which offers e-wallet services.
The two companies will offer e-coupon rewards until the end of September.
Dolfin users who place an online money transfer transaction through a UnionPay card linked to the Dolfin app will get a range of benefits.
E-coupons will be available to the value of up to 200 Thai baht for those who use QR codes to pay.
100 baht and 50 baht coupons will also be made available in some circumstances.
Links have been made to retailers such as Starbucks and Tops.
It comes as part of a push from the Bank of Thailand to help improve cashless payments in the South East Asian economy.
In a statement, a senior figure at UnionPay said that the company has a long history of working in the payments innovation field.
Huiming Cai, who is the general manager of UnionPay International Southeast Asia, said that it was part of the firm’s goal to boost access to mobile payments.
“UnionPay has always been in the forefront of payments innovation as we continue to expand cashless payment by increasing access to mobile payment in Thailand,” he said.
“This partnership with Dolfin is an example of how we continue to bring more payment conveniences and benefits to our cardholders and continue to promote e-payments in Thailand."
Dolfin owner Central JD Fintech Group's head of marketing explained that the company was on a mission to enhance the range of e-payment options available to sellers and customers.
Usanee Laohavaranun said that her company wanted to play its role in helping Thailand reach a “cashless and contactless” payments world.
“This is an exciting partnership for Dolfin as we continue our mission to provide a convenient and secure digital solution to facilitate e-payments by merchants and consumers,” she said.
“Together with UPI, we will work towards our common goal of propelling Thailand towards a cashless and contactless payment experience, ready to move Thailand into a full digital society."
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