Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) has announced a strategic partnership with leading Asian payment platforms Alipay+ and Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) to enhance cross-border tourism spending in Malaysia. The collaboration comes as the country braces for a busy summer travel season and seeks to strengthen its position as a cashless tourism hub.

Through this partnership, tourists from China and across the region can now use their home e-wallets — including AlipayCN, Alipay+ partner apps, and Weixin Pay — to make payments at over 2.5 million merchants in Malaysia by scanning DuitNow QR codes. This eliminates the need to download extra apps, ensuring a seamless and familiar payment experience.

The summer campaigns launched by Alipay+ and Weixin Pay are expected to drive a 20% increase in sales for participating merchants, with a long-term goal of growing DuitNow QR transactions via these platforms by over 130% in 2025.

“This is what smart tourism looks like — seamless for travellers and transformative for MSMEs,” said Gary Yeoh, Chief Marketing Officer of PayNet. “By connecting tourists to Malaysia’s DuitNow QR network, we’re giving small businesses access to global spending power.”

Tourism Malaysia Director General, Manoharan Periasamy, highlighted that the initiative supports the nation’s goal of attracting six million Chinese tourists this year. “With DuitNow QR now accessible through Alipay+ and Weixin Pay, travel in Malaysia becomes more convenient, comfortable, and welcoming for international visitors,” he said.

The initiative also aligns with Malaysia’s broader digital economy agenda, making it easier for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt digital payments and tap into the growing influx of tourists.

PayNet’s DuitNow QR ecosystem is already interoperable with Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia’s domestic QR systems, facilitating wider regional payment connectivity.

As Malaysia continues to invest in digital infrastructure, the partnership between PayNet, Alipay+, and Weixin Pay represents a significant step toward strengthening the tourism economy and promoting inclusive digital growth nationwide.