The Alibaba payments division Alipay is branching out and is taking its first step to offering non-yuan payment options with the release of a version of the app dealing in Hong Kong dollars.
Serviced by Alibaba’s financial services unit Ant Financial the new HK dollar AlipayHK app will be accepted from today at more than 2000 shops in Hong Kong. In due course the 8000 and more Hong Kong retailers that currently accept the yuan-based app will accept the service too.
Douglas Feagin of Ant Financial says: “Introducing local currency mobile payments to Hong Kong is an important step forward in Ant Financial’s mission to bring our services to more users in more markets.”
Alibaba is firing on all cylinders and is becoming ever more dominant in the Asia ecommerce arena. Lately they’ve expanded services in the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore. This advance in Hong Kong is part of that march forward.
