Thunes and Alipay+ simplify payments for Paris merchants

This development, supported by the Thunes Global Network, aims to improve payment convenience for Asian tourists visiting France during the summer.

Through this collaboration, Alipay+ – a suite of cross-border mobile payment and digitalisation technology solutions – along with Thunes, allows Asian visitors to make payments at various retail outlets in Paris, including electronics, luxury goods, and duty-free stores. Over 1.5 billion Alipay+ users can now use 15 e-wallets from Asia and Europe to make payments at these stores through Thunes’ Accept solution.

The supported wallets include Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR, China), Touch ’n Go eWallet and MyPB by Public Bank Berhad (Malaysia), Hipay (Mongolia), GCash (Philippines), OCBC Digital and Changi Pay (Singapore), TrueMoney (Thailand), Tinaba (Italy), Bluecode (Germany and Austria), and Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, and Toss Pay (South Korea).

The history of the partnership

The partnership between Thunes and Alipay+ began in 2022, initially allowing European merchants to accept payments from seven Asian e-wallets. Since then, the partnership has expanded to include more merchants and additional supported e-wallets, further adding up to the payment options available to international tourists in Europe.

Thunes currently offers Pay and Accept cross-border payment capabilities in over 130 countries, supporting more than 80 currencies. Its global network provides real-time connectivity to 7 billion digital wallets and bank accounts, along with access to over 330 alternative payment methods.

Impact on the French economy

The ability of Parisian merchants to accept payments from a diverse range of international e-wallets is poised to boost the local economy. By enabling transactions for millions of tourists, particularly those from Asia, merchants can tap into a growing and lucrative market. The convenience of using familiar payment methods is likely to encourage higher spending among visitors, as it eliminates the friction often associated with currency exchange and unfamiliar payment systems. This increased spending can benefit various sectors, including retail, hospitality, and luxury goods, which are key components of Paris' economy.

To further capitalise on this opportunity, the French government and local businesses have initiated several measures to attract and accommodate international tourists. These include promoting digital payment infrastructure and ensuring compliance with global payment standards. Additionally, efforts are being made to provide multilingual support and improve cultural awareness among service providers to better cater to the preferences of Asian visitors.