Grab and Alipay offer Chinese travellers an easier way to pay for rides in Singapore and Thailand

SINGAPORE – Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing company, and Ant Financial Services Group, the parent company of China’s largest third-party payment platform Alipay, announced on June 21 a partnership to provide a seamless cross-border payment solution to Chinese travellers visiting and residing in Singapore and Thailand. Alipay users can pay for their taxi and private-hire car rides booked through the Grab app with their Alipay accounts.

 

Prior to this, Chinese travellers would have to pay for their rides either by connecting their dual currency credit cards or making a payment via cash. With the Alipay payment option added, all Chinese travellers can pay for their fares in Renminbi, without having to worry about currency exchange. Grab and Alipay plan to make the Alipay payment option available in other Southeast Asian markets that Grab currently operates in.

 

“We are constantly looking at ways to improve our app experience for local and international users. Providing multiple payment options that suit our customers’ preferences is a key focus area for us. Our partnership with Alipay allows Chinese travellers to use Grab to book taxis or private cars for a hassle-free way to get around the city – and they can use a payment method they are familiar with, go cashless and pay in Renminbi,” said Joel Yarbrough, Group Product Manager, Grab.

 

Sabrina Peng, Vice President of International Business at Ant Financial, said, “By collaborating with partners like Grab, we provide Chinese travellers the kind of convenience they are used to in China – no matter where they are in the world.”

 

To use Alipay, passengers need only open their Grab app, select GrabPay in the menu bar and add their Alipay account. Grab’s partnership with Alipay underlines the company’s continued commitment to making the Grab app an even more seamless experience for local and international users. Grab passengers can choose to pay with their preferred option, whether cash, credit card or Alipay. Grab is also partnering with local mobile operators to offer mobile wallet solutions.

 

Alipay has been working with local merchants in 69 overseas markets. As of May 2016, Alipay is accepted in more than 70,000 retail stores outside of China, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions, including South Korea, Germany and France.