Alipay+, Ant International’s global wallet gateway, has expanded to over 100 countries and regions, connecting merchants to 1.8 billion users of 40 international payment partners. In the first half of 2025, over 6.5 million consumers used Alipay+ cross-border payments, presenting new opportunities for global merchants. Transactions via national standardized QR almost doubled, enabling local SMEs to benefit from tourism growth.

To empower global tourism, Alipay+ has significantly expanded its payments and digital services ecosystem in three ways:

  • Payments: Growing cross-border payment acceptance for Alipay+ to more than 100 markets, and expanding its partner ecosystem to 40, representing 1.8 billion users
  • Partners: Supporting [new] Bluecode (Europe), PayPay (Japan), and KBank (Thailand) users to pay with their banking and wallet apps when traveling abroad
  • Services: New services include (i) Alipay+ Voyager, a built-in AI travel agent, integrating partners like Trip.com, Agoda, and Grab, (ii) Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, an AI-as-a-Service solution for digital wallets to build AI-native solutions, and (iii) Expanded Global Blue in-app tax refunds for more partners, creating an end-to-end digital experience

“Travel has a significant impact on local economies, and we believe that mobile wallets can be a catalyst for growth, connecting travelers and businesses in more ways than ever,” said Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “Alipay+ aims to support the travel ecosystem with AI-powered payments and digital services to enable online and offline merchants, tourism partners, and other fintechs to create customer-centric engagements for mobile-savvy consumers. Through greater collaboration, we can create a new future of travel —one that enhances the consumer experience and promotes growth and connectivity.

Travelers are embracing the use of their trusted home payment app, with more than 6.5 million digital wallet users using Alipay+ cross-border payments for the first time in the first half of 2025. Transactions across online travel agents and in-store merchants increased by more than 30%. Not only can travelers pay “like a local” more conveniently, but businesses can also reach more customers easily.

To ensure inclusive growth at scale, Alipay+ is deepening its collaborations with national payment networks. Alipay+ transactions via national standardized QR codes have almost doubled, as travelers can easily make payments at SMEs and merchants in smaller cities, including destinations such as South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and more.

Travelers are seeking greater value when they travel by going to places closer to home, looking for deals, and spending at local merchants.

Asia is expected to lead global travel growth in 2025, with intra-Asia travel being a significant contributor. China, Japan, South Korea, and particularly Southeast Asia, are among the most popular travel destinations globally, with intra-Asia transactions by Alipay+ partners increasing 32 percent year-over-year.

Travelers want to save when they can, without compromising on their experience of local destinations. Redemptions via A+ Rewards, an in-app marketing platform where travelers can browse local promotions and coupons, increased 57 percent. Travelers are also spending more at local businesses, with transactions under USD10 rising 37 percent.

While hotspots within Europe, such as France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom, remain popular, destinations like Hungary, Greece, and Norway saw the most significant growth in transactions, as travelers aim to explore new places while maximizing their budgets.

Travelers are spending across a more diverse range of travel scenarios beyond retail. While transactions for attractions and F&B continue to show significant growth, spending on local services, including beauty, medical, and education, has become a key aspect of travel. For example, K-beauty transactions in South Korea increased 115 percent year-on-year.

Travelers are also traveling more independently, with transactions on ride-hailing platforms doubling and those on public transport increasing by nearly 50 percent. The expansion of Alipay+ acceptance across merchants and different modes of transportation has made it easier for travelers to visit smaller towns, including Shikokuchūō in Japan, Jeollabuk-do in South Korea, Semporna in Malaysia, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province in Thailand.