Singapore’s leading payment services group, Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS), has partnered with Alipay+, a suite of global cross-border digital payments and marketing solutions, to integrate the service into SGQR. Alipay+ is now available as one of the payment schemes at approximately 11,000 stalls at NEA hawker centers, HDB coffee shops, wet markets, and JTC industrial canteens in Singapore.
Users of Alipay+ partner e-wallets can pay via SGQR displayed at stalls by opening their home e-wallet apps and scanning the SGQR. SGQR is the world’s first unified payment QR code, which combines multiple payment schemes into a single SGQR label, providing consumers with a convenient and seamless payment experience.
Alipay+ supports six partner e-wallets in Singapore, including Alipay from China, AlipayHK from Hong Kong, Touch ‘n Go eWallet from Malaysia, GCash from the Philippines, TrueMoney from Thailand, and Kakao Pay from South Korea. Tourists traveling to Singapore can now pay with their home e-wallets which they are familiar with, enabling them to have a hassle-free experience while enjoying their visit to the country.
Dr. Cherry Huang, General Manager of Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services, Ant Group, said Alipay+’s integration into SGQR makes it more convenient for foreigners traveling to Singapore. “Tourists no longer have to worry about trying to find the right amount of cash to pay in a bustling environment like hawker centers. We look forward to continuing to partner with NETS to drive digital payments innovation and acceptance, connecting thousands of merchants in Singapore with digital consumers in the region,” Huang said.
NETS is committed to facilitating digitalization for hawkers by collaborating with partners such as Alipay+. “By facilitating digitalization for hawkers through collaborations with partners such as Alipay+, we are empowering small businesses to serve their customers better whilst providing them opportunities to expand their customer base,” said Mr. Lawrence Chan, Group CEO, NETS.
Ant Group, which owns Alipay+, has formed collaborations with partners such as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Changi Airport Group, Resorts World Sentosa, ComfortDelGro Taxi, and many other local merchants and brands to bring in digital payment solutions that enhance the travel experience in Singapore.
According to data from STB, more tourists are visiting Singapore. From January to March 2023, there was a month-on-month increase in the number of international visitors, with Asian tourists forming the majority of arrivals. Malaysia, South Korea, the Philippines, China, and Thailand were in the top ten for visitor arrivals to Singapore in the first quarter.