Bastille's In-depth Report: AlipayHK Helps Local Merchants Expand International Customer Sources

As electronic payments become increasingly widespread, AlipayHK has helped local merchants gain access to 21 overseas e-wallets, attracting global tourists to spend in Hong Kong. During the May Day Holiday this year, the visitor spending in Hong Kong increased by nearly 200%, bringing new impetus for development to local merchants.

The AlipayHK users can obtain unique experiences, including attending the fans-meetings with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and watching NBA games, etc. by using the A. Points they can earn from all the recognized transactions throughout the year. Photo source: AlipayHK

With the significant popularization of electronic payment in Hong Kong, AlipayHK stated that the consumption scenarios of its over 4.5 million active users are very diverse, covering local and cross-border payments, e-commerce shopping, food and beverage delivery, digital entertainment, payment and remittance, transportation and online ride-hailing services, etc., all of which have recorded significant growth in transaction volumes, reflecting the increasing recognition of the Hong Kong market for e-wallet application.

Photo source: AlipayHK

Plans to be transformed into a Super App, covering the aspects of transportation, financial management, travel payment, etc.

AlipayHK launched the Bonus Point Program in 2023, which allowed users to directly offset consumption amount, redeem coupons from different merchants, participate in mini-games, and even attend the fans-meetings with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and watch NBA games, etc. by using the A. Points they can earn from all the recognized transactions throughout the year.

AlipayHK stated that the company has now transformed from a payment tool App into a "Super App", providing services in multiple aspects such as "transportation", "payment", "Chill Life", "financial management", and "Travel +", etc.

AlipayHK pointed out that as a Super App, the company has collaborated with over 500 merchants this year, aiming to provide App users with diverse consumption choices from daily clothing, food and beverage, to transportation and travel. In order to let the cooperative merchants achieve better publicity effects and offer more high-quality services to consumers, AlipayHK will also provide various platforms to them.

AlipayHK had co-organized the Happy Shopping Festival with the Hong Kong Retail Management Association. Photo source: AlipayHK

Launched AlipayHK Online Shopping Discount Festival, spanning multiple popular shopping periods

AlipayHK mentioned that the company had co-organized the Happy Shopping Festival with the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, in which over 180 brands had participated and provided over one million coupons to consumers. In addition, AlipayHK has also launched the Online Shopping Discount Festival since October, spanning multiple popular shopping periods including Double Eleven, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, and building cooperation with various local merchants, such as Klook, IT, Sasa, Fortress and PARKnSHOP, etc. to provide discounts covering multiple online shopping categories including e-commerce, travel, in-game purchases, food and beverage delivery, insurance, etc., allowing users to gain additional rewards via AlipayHK, thus helps to stimulate the local consumption atmosphere.

AlipayHK has launched the Online Shopping Discount Festival since October. Photo source: AlipayHK

The visitor spending during the May Day Holiday has increased by nearly 200% compared to the previous year

Meanwhile, AlipayHK has continued to assist Hong Kong merchants in realizing digital upgrades, allowing more tourists from all over the world to make payments in Hong Kong. The local merchants cooperating with AlipayHK have earlier gained access to 21 e-wallets from different countries and regions with the support of Alipay+ under the Ant Group Global Enterprise, including Touch 'n Go eWallet from Malaysia, GCash from the Philippines, Changi Pay from Singapore, TrueMoney from Thailand, Kakao Pay from South Korea, Tinaba from Italy, etc. The overseas e-wallet users can scan the code to make payments at AlipayHK merchants after arriving in Hong Kong. According to the data from AlipayHK, the visitor spending of overseas e-wallets in Hong Kong has increased by nearly 200% during the May Day Holiday this year.

Since fraud cases have been on the rise recently, when asked how AlipayHK would enhance the App's anti-fraud measures, the company stated that users can start the account security safeguard installed in the App to strengthen the protection of their funds. The safeguard includes three core functions - verification of new device payment, protection of large amount transactions, and shielding of night transactions, ensuring that users can receive multiple identity verifications when using new devices and enhancing protection when they conduct transactions in the evening. Besides, users can also customize the transaction amount and time for triggering protection settings of the App, making every transaction more reassuring and reliable. To respond to the risks of fraud and money laundering, AlipayHK also provides the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the identity verification of users and continuously improve the App's anti-fraud mechanism. Moreover, the transaction risk prevention and control system installed in the App will also operate 24 hours a day to intercept suspicious transactions and conduct multiple verifications.

AlipayHK has collaborated with the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force to conduct the Campus Anti-Scam “Lemon Alliance” Campaign in 10 universities in September to raise young people's awareness of anti-fraud. Photo source: AlipayHK

AlipayHK mentioned that the company has collaborated with the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force to conduct the Campus Anti-Scam “Lemon Alliance” Campaign in 10 universities in September. Encouraging the students to set up safe payment settings, the event has also raised young people's awareness of anti-fraud by displaying anti-fraud publicity vehicles and distributing anti-fraud brochures to them.

Extending Closed Road Permit validity period and adjusting fees from January 1, 2026

The Transport Department (TD) announced today (December 10) that, starting from January 1, 2026, all submitted applications for a Closed Road Permit (CRP) for cross-boundary vehicles will be issued with a longer validity period to better align with the validity period of respective cross-boundary quotas or up to 60 months at most, whichever is shorter, providing additional convenience and efficiency for cross-boundary travel as quota holders need not apply for annual renewals.

In addition, from the same day, the CRP fees will also be adjusted based on the cost-recovery principle:

Vehicle type

Fee per month for CRP valid for less than 12 months

($) (Note)

Flat rate fees for CRP valid for 12 to 60 months

($)

Private car

62

744

Goods vehicle or bus

49

588

Note: Any part of a month counting as one month

For applications received on or before December 31, 2025, the validity period of the CRP issued will remain no more than 12 months, and the CRP fees will be kept at the existing levels.

To streamline processes, from January 1, 2026, cross-boundary private cars permitted to use more than one land-based boundary control point (BCP) will be issued with a single CRP covering all BCPs concerned.

A spokesman for the TD said that the Government is committed to enhancing the CRP arrangements to bring greater convenience to cross-boundary travellers. Under the new arrangements, most CRP holders will benefit from less frequent renewals and a lower aggregated amount of CRP fee payable. Of note, vehicles approved to participate in the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles, the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles or other designated cross-boundary driving schemes have been exempted from applying for CRPs and will not be affected by the fee adjustment.

For enquiries, members of the public may call the TD's hotline at 2804 2600 for details.

Source: AI-found images