PayNet, Alipay+, Weixin Pay team up to drive tourist spending in Malaysia

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Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) has partnered with Alipay+ and Weixin Pay, also known locally as WeChat Pay, to drive tourist spending across Malaysia by enhancing cross-border payment experiences.

Timed with the summer travel season, the collaboration aims to simplify transactions for Chinese and regional tourists while giving local merchants, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), greater visibility through the DuitNow QR ecosystem.

According to PayNet, tourists using AlipayCN, Alipay+ partner apps, or Weixin Pay can now pay seamlessly in Malaysia by scanning DuitNow QR codes at over 2.5 million merchants nationwide.

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No additional apps or registrations are required, with users able to transact through the same e-wallets they use in their home countries. This enhanced interoperability spans restaurants, hotels, souvenir kiosks and tour operators, helping merchants tap into inbound tourist spending.

Alipay+ currently enables 15 international payment apps in Malaysia, including Alipay for Chinese travellers. During the peak December 2024 holiday period, Alipay+ transactions via DuitNow QR drove a six-fold year-on-year revenue increase for Malaysian merchants, according to PayNet.

To further fuel tourist engagement, the partners are rolling out a trio of campaigns designed to reward spending and promote local experiences. Alipay+ is running two initiatives: a lucky draw from 26 June to 14 July that gives users a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Hong Kong to watch Arsenal play Tottenham Hotspur, and a “Eat, play & save” campaign from 15 June to 30 September offering discounts across Malaysia’s F&B scene and tourist attractions.

Weixin Pay, meanwhile, is launching an interactive campaign from 15 July to 15 September where users earn digital badges, each themed around Malaysian cultural elements, through DuitNow QR transactions. These can be redeemed for discount coupons. In addition, Weixin Pay users can enjoy preferential foreign exchange rates year-round when paying via DuitNow QR in Malaysia.

PayNet said the joint initiative targets a 20% increase in sales for participating merchants during the summer campaign period. Looking ahead, the goal is to grow DuitNow QR transactions through Alipay+ and Weixin Pay by more than 130% year-on-year by 2025.

As tourist arrivals to Malaysia continue to grow, the partnership reflects the rising importance of digital payments in driving economic impact. By making travel experiences more convenient and digitally integrated, the campaign is also part of a broader push to position Malaysia as a cashless tourism leader in the region.

“This is what smart tourism looks like, seamless for travellers, transformative for our MSMEs. By enabling tourists to use their home wallets via DuitNow QR, we are opening up more than 2.5 million Malaysian businesses, many of them small and family-run, to global spending power. It’s a digital solution with real-world economic impact,” said Gary Yeoh, chief marketing officer at PayNet.

Echoing that sentiment, Manoharan Periasamy, director general of Tourism Malaysia, said the initiative brings both comfort and familiarity to travellers, while creating meaningful opportunities for local businesses.

“We believe that making travel simple, welcoming, and convenient is the key to attracting more visitors. With DuitNow QR accepted via Alipay+ and Weixin Pay, tourists can enjoy a smoother, more enjoyable travel experience,” he added.

The tie-up follows PayNet’s recent search for a media agency to support its full-funnel media planning and execution. The appointed agency will be responsible for driving brand awareness, educating the market on products including cross-border initiatives, and amplifying refreshed DuitNow and QR point-of-sale materials.

The scope of work spans digital, social, TV, radio, and out-of-home, with a dedicated team required to support nationwide campaigns including outreach to rural and regional areas.

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