SHANGHAI, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 15 June 2026 - On June 11, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and Bank Indonesia held the Second Governors' Meeting of the Joint Work Program in Shanghai, announcing a series of financial cooperation outcomes. The China-Indonesia cross-border QR payment linkage was officially launched in the presence of the governors of both central banks. With this milestone, the number of UnionPay QR merchants outside the Chinese mainland has surpassed 46 million. In attendance at the ceremony were Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International (UPI); Santoso Liem, Chairman of the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI); Ge Haijiao, Chairman of Bank of China; Larry Wang, CEO of UPI; and Yang Peng, CEO of Ant International.
Under the government-to-government (G2G) framework, guided by both central banks, and with participation from multiple industry stakeholders, the payment linkage has become a benchmark for digital finance cooperation between China and Indonesia, creating profound impact in the following ways.
First, the linkage delivers convenient, secure, and efficient cross-border payment services to the people of both countries, facilitating bilateral people-to-business exchanges and promoting trade relations.
Second, UnionPay has fully leveraged its role as the hub of the payment industry, collaborating with Ant International and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Jakarta Branch to set a prime example of Chinese enterprises working in concert for global expansion.
Third, the project pioneers bilateral local currency settlement, whereby transactions made by Indonesian wallets in the Chinese mainland are settled in RMB, and transactions made by Chinese wallets in Indonesia are settled in Indonesian Rupiah—effectively enhancing the acceptance and user stickiness of the RMB in international markets.
Fourth, the initiative creates a replicable, scalable framework for cross-border payment connectivity, paving the way for an expansion into more regions across the globe, such as Latin America and Europe.
With the full rollout, two-way cross-border QR code payments have achieved near-nationwide coverage. So far, payment networks in seven out of the eleven ASEAN nations are interoperable with UnionPay.
Chinese users can now use the UnionPay App, banking apps integrated with the UnionPay MobileWallet Connect, and Alipay to make QR payments at tens of millions of QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) merchant locations across Indonesia. Likewise, visitors from Indonesia can pay to UnionPay and Alipay QR merchants in the Chinese mainland with dozens of major Indonesian wallets, such as MyBCA, OVO, DANA, GoPay, Mandiri and ShopeePay.
In recent years, UnionPay continues to grow its global card and QR payment networks and enhance its cross-border payment ecosystem. To date, UnionPay has launched over 200 UnionPay-powered wallets in 37 countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland. Since the beginning of 2026, transactions made by these wallets in China have doubled year-on-year in both transaction count and value, while the number of QR payments made outside the mainland by the UnionPay App and Chinese partner wallets has surged over 300% year-on-year. Moving forward, UnionPay will remain committed to its strategic vision of "Trusted Ties, Shared Success", scale up two-way payment linkages, enhance user experiences, and deliver more benefits to consumers worldwide.
Hashtag: #UnionPay
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 15 June 2026 - Reinforcing its strategy to integrate value-added services into its clients' preferred digital channels, Citi is enhancing its digital engagement capabilities through the Citi Mobile® App with the introduction of "eVouchers." This new initiative is designed to deliver timely, relevant value aligned with how clients increasingly manage their finances and spending digitally.
Citi continues to see strong momentum in digital adoption. Over 90% of active cardholders now interact through digital channels, and more than 96% of wealth management transactions are conducted digitally, reflecting the central role of digital platforms in clients' financial lives. The launch of "eVouchers" is particularly timely. Spending data reveals a growing consumer demand for convenient, rewarding and experience-led consumption. Insights from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) highlight continued strength in travel, dining and lifestyle categories. This trend is mirrored in Citi's cardholder spending, which has seen a 34% year-on-year increase in travel and a 16% rise in shopping, indicating that customers are becoming more selective and intentional with their expenditures.
"We are strategically transforming the Citi Mobile® App into a dynamic hub that delivers both seamless convenience and highly personalized relevance, aligned with our customers' digital-first lifestyles," said Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales, Citibank Hong Kong. "By enabling instant voucher redemptions, we are making everyday spending more rewarding."
Early results are promising. Cardholders who engaged with "eVouchers" demonstrated significantly higher digital engagement and more than double the average spending compared to the broader portfolio, highlighting the feature's strong potential to drive deeper customer loyalty.
Sarah added, "'eVouchers' represents far more than a weekly promotion. It is a foundational element of our hyper-personalized digital ecosystem. Through strategic partnerships with a wide range of merchants, we are connecting customers with tailored offers that reflect their modern engagement and spending habits. This initiative strengthens daily client interactions through digital channels and supports local retail activity in Hong Kong."
Seamless Integration and Weekly Offers
Launched on June 5, "eVouchers" is a fully integrated, ongoing campaign within the Citi Mobile® App. The platform enables customers to easily browse, select, save and redeem "eVouchers" seamlessly for both online and in-store purchases. New offers are released every Friday on a first-come, first-served basis, redeemable at over 500 participating merchant outlets. This dual online/in-store capability allows Citi to engage customers at scale with broad offers while also delivering targeted campaigns for more meaningful, personalized experiences.
All Citi Cardholders are invited to log in to the Citi Mobile® App to explore the latest deals, which are organized into four categories:
- Weekly Flash Deals: Recurring offers available on a first-come, first-served basis. Highlights include an HK$8 tall-sized handcrafted beverage from Starbucks, an HK$50 S Coupon from Sino Malls (with minimum spend) and a free Asia 2-day Data SIM from Birdie.
- Weekly Brand Specials: Special deals from featured brands will be unveiled, including Beans, Dab-Pa, Decathlon, Keeta, QUE, Sephora and Singapore Airlines.
- Always-On Partner Offers: A curated collection of offers always available for redemption, with deals from partners like Birdie, Expedia, Hotels.com, iHerb, QUE, Starbucks and Tajimaya.
- Exclusive Rewards for Mastercard Cardholders: All Citi Mastercard cardholders can unlock additional exclusive rewards, including:
- IHG® Hotels & Resorts: Enjoy 15% savings on the Best Flexible Rate.
- Langham Hospitality Group: Enjoy one complimentary night per stay for at least 3 nights.
- Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts: Enjoy one complimentary night per stay for at least 3 nights.
Click HERE to download the photos
Picture 1 (from left to right):
- Chris Wong, Manager, Commercial and Consumer Market, Birdie
- George Robertson, General Manager Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines
- Helena Chen, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Hong Kong & Macau, Mastercard
- Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales, Citibank Hong Kong
- Bella Chhoa, Chief Commercial Officer, Sino Group
- Kenneth King, Regional Director, Strategic Partnerships and Affiliates, APAC, Expedia and Hotels.com
Picture 2:
Citi is enhancing its digital engagement capabilities through the Citi Mobile® App with the introduction of "eVouchers."
Discover all available rewards on the Citibank website via: citibank.hk/myvoucher
Hashtag: #Citi
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Citi
Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.
** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
