UnionPay QR code payment debuts in North America

TORONTO, June 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International announced today that it has partnered with Bank of China (Canada) in enabling all the stores of Foodymart in Canada to accept UnionPay QR code payment. Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, Li Aihua, President of Bank of China (Canada), and Wei Chengyi, Chairman of Foodymart attended the launching ceremony. Some food and beverage merchants in California, the US, have recently started accepting UnionPay QR code payment too. This is the first time that UnionPay's QR code payment is launched in Canada and the United States. It is expected that the number of merchants accepting UnionPay QR code payment in North America will reach 5,000 within this year.

North America is a major destination for Chinese outbound tourists. China has been the largest source of international students for the US and Canada for many consecutive years too. Through cooperation with major institutions in North America, UnionPay International has continued to improve its local acceptance network. So far, almost all ATMs in the US accept UnionPay cards for cash withdrawal. Over 80% of merchants in the US accept UnionPay credit card. In Canada, with the top five banks have all carried out UnionPay cards acceptance, 90% ATMs and over 160,000 merchants accept UnionPay cards.

Based on its expanding acceptance network, UnionPay International is expediting rolling out mobile payment services such as UnionPay mobile QuickPass and QR code payment to expand the usage channels of the "UnionPay" app. So far, about 80,000 POS terminals in the US accept UnionPay mobile QuickPass, and this figure is expected to grow to 250,000 within this year. There are also thousands of daily consumer merchants in Canada that have accepted UnionPay mobile QuickPass. After the launch of UnionPay QR code payment this time, users of the "UnionPay" app can conveniently scan and pay at the Foodymart stores in Toronto and Vancouver, as well as at restaurants such as Hai Di Lao Hot Pot in San Francisco.

Cai Jianbo said, to follow the increasing trend of personnel exchanges between China and US, Canada, as well as more and more using "UnionPay" app domestically, UnionPay is expanding the scope of acceptance of mobile payment services outside of mainland China and pushing the debut of UnionPay's QR code payment in North America, which opens new perspectives for the promotion of the "UnionPay" app. UnionPay International is expediting rolling out its innovative payment services by improving the linkage between different markets. Firstly, we are expanding the acceptance scope of UnionPay's mobile payment services, focusing particularly on the fields of daily consumption and transportation. Secondly, we are exploring collaboration opportunities on e-wallet development with switch networks, issuers and retail groups to offer global customers mobile payment services that are based on UnionPay cards. Thirdly, we will encourage those who favor UnionPay mobile payment services to use them domestically. Fourthly, we have built platforms to support payment innovation, and have completed drawing up the technical framework of UnionPay innovative business, which has effectively promoted the launch of our innovative services globally.

Li Aihua said that, Bank of China (Canada) is actively practicing the development strategy of building a world-class bank in a new era. As the leading acquirer of UnionPay in Canada, we continue to develop new technologies and services in order to enhance the customer experience. Our launch of QR code payment service together with UnionPay International will better serve the growing number of Chinese visitors to Canada. This will further enrich the mobile payment products in Canada too and provide more payment services for people traveling between China and Canada.

To date, users of the "UnionPay" app can enjoy secure and convenient mobile payment services in 26 countries and regions outside mainland China. UnionPay QR code payment has been accepted in 21 countries and regions outside mainland China. In Southeast Asia, in particular, it is increasingly smooth to pay with UnionPay QR code. Via the "UnionPay" app, users are also able to activate UnionPay mobile QuickPass service, which are accepted at more than one million POS terminals in Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, etc.