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UnionPay Partners With Cambodia, Thailand to Make Payments Easier

Published: Mar. 17, 2025 7:19 p.m. GMT+8

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The Chinese state-owned company is partnering with local authorities across Southeast Asia to facilitate QR code payments.

UnionPay International Co. Ltd. has expanded its QR code payment interoperability initiative to include Cambodia and Thailand, advancing its efforts to facilitate payments between China and Southeast Asia.

The partnership between China’s state-owned UnionPay International and the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) will allow users of the central bank’s Bakong e-wallet to pay by scanning UnionPay QR codes in Cambodia and China, as well as 46 other countries and regions covered by UnionPay, according to a joint announcement last week. It also allows Bakong’s e-wallet users to scan WeChat Pay’s QR codes in China.

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UnionPay International has expanded QR code payment interoperability between China, Cambodia, and Thailand, enabling easier cross-border transactions.
In Cambodia, the initiative allows Bakong e-wallet users to scan UnionPay and WeChat Pay QR codes for payments in multiple countries.
In Thailand, the partnership with NITMX enhances payment convenience for Chinese visitors using PromptPay QR codes, mirroring similar initiatives in Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

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Who’s Who

UnionPay International Co. Ltd.: UnionPay International Co. Ltd. is a state-owned Chinese company that is expanding QR code payment interoperability in Southeast Asia. It collaborates with local financial institutions in countries like Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia to facilitate cross-border digital payments. This initiative aims to enhance financial inclusion, international trade, and tourism by allowing users to make payments using UnionPay's platform in multiple countries.

WeChat Pay: The article mentions that the partnership between UnionPay International and the National Bank of Cambodia allows Bakong e-wallet users to scan WeChat Pay QR codes in China. This integration aims to enhance payment interoperability and facilitate cross-border transactions between Cambodia and China.

National Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange Co. Ltd.: National Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange Co. Ltd. (NITMX) is a Thailand-based company governed by the Bank of Thailand. It operates the country's mobile payment system, PromptPay. NITMX is involved in a collaboration with UnionPay International to facilitate digital payments, allowing Chinese visitors to make payments by scanning PromptPay QR codes using UnionPay's payment app or banks' apps linked to UnionPay's platform, contributing to Thailand’s digital payment ecosystem.

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