Maybank announced the expansion of its cross-border QR Pay service to China, one of the first in the market for a Malaysian bank, amplifying Maybank’s existing cross-border payment capabilities and enhancing the ease and efficiency of financial transactions.
This initiative aims to benefit over 8 million Maybank MAE app users “visiting China as well as more than 700,000 Maybank QRPay merchants in Malaysia via transactions made by visitors from China.”
Earlier in 2023, Maybank launched “the cross-border QR Pay feature made available for Malaysian MAE app users travelling to Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, allowing existing Maybank QR Pay merchants to accept payments from tourists and visitors who use supported payment apps from these countries.”
The recent addition of the China corridor “reaffirms Maybank’s commitment to fostering international financial connectivity.”
Dato’ John Chong, Group CEO of Community Financial Services Maybank expressed his enthusiasm, saying that Maybank’s active engagement “in the cross-border initiative demonstrates the Bank’s unwavering commitment to provide convenience to its customers, and aligning with Maybank’s M25+ strategic thrusts, to strengthen its regional presence.”
“Our entry into China offers an exceptional opportunity to access the dynamic and thriving Chinese market, further solidifying our international footprint. This is a significant milestone in our mission to deliver unmatched payment solutions that is seamless and secure, and we are excited to bring this new development to our customers.”
Consumers can now make a QR payment when you’re in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and China.
While in China, Malaysian MAE app users can “make cashless payments with AliPay merchants. Users will need to scan the QR code using the MAE app and subsequently enter the payment amount which will be converted to China’s local currency, Chinese Renminbi.”
This is followed by “an instant payment confirmation which details the exchange rate and deductible amount in Ringgit Malaysia.”
Similarly, merchants in Malaysia are now able “to accept QR payments from incoming travellers from China. It is fast, convenient and secure by scanning the DuitNow QR through Alipay, one of the preferred payment platforms in China.”
The strategic initiative is “a result of Maybank’s ongoing collaboration with Payments Network Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (PayNet) aiding Malaysians travelling to China, and in-bound Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia.”
Chinese tourists continue to be “a key target segment for Malaysia, with the Tourism Ministry announcing approximately 16 million tourists for 2023, of which 5 million are expected from China. Before the pandemic in 2019, Chinese tourists made a significant contribution of RM15.3 billion in tourist receipts.”