Alipay is an online and mobile payment platform, belonging to Ant Financial Service Group, a related company of Chinas global player Alibaba Group. Starting from today, for the first time in Italy, Alipay users, namely the increasing number of Chinese visitors abroad, will, in fact, be able to purchase goods and services in Italy simply using the app they are accustomed to in their homeland. That has become possible thanks to the enrollment of UniCredits merchant customers Points of Sale in reading bar codes generated by Alipay.
With more than 450 million active users, Alipay is one of the most widespread and used mobile payment method in China. Alipay also enables in-store payments in many markets popular with Chinese tourists around the world. It is accepted in 70 countries and regions, with in-store payments covering more than 100,000 retail stores.
The Italian food and beverage distributor Eataly is pioneering the new solution in its flagship store in Milan, welcoming Chinese visitors during the Salone del Mobile. The same for Antonia, a fashion boutique in Milan, which will allow Alipay transactions by its store in Brera. Right after Eataly, other brands and distributors of the Fashion & Luxury sectors such as Pisa Orologerie (with its Rolex, Patek and multibrand boutiques), Morellato, Fedon and Mitsukoshi will start accepting Alipay payments; moreover, the new payment system will be available also with Lagardère, the global leader in travel retail sector for Italian airports.
As a result of the partnership with UniCredit and throughout SIA technological infrastructure, Alipay will potentially be used in a 120,000 large merchant network spread all over Italy.
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