Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) has launched outbound DuitNow QR payment connectivity through Alipay+, Ant International's unified wallet gateway. Customers can now use supported Malaysian mobile banking apps to pay at participating Alipay+ merchants in mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, the Philippines, and Laos. Maybank, CIMB, and Hong Leong Bank are the first three banks to go live, with Bank Islam set to join.
Paying abroad from local banking apps
At participating merchants, customers open the DuitNow QR function in their Malaysian banking app, scan the merchant's QR code showing the Alipay+ logo, and confirm the transaction in the same app, without downloading another app or creating an Alipay+ account. The capability is available for adoption by other PayNet-participating banks and e-wallets, and further destinations will be added over time.
The launch forms part of PayNet's roadmap to extend payment connectivity beyond Malaysia and aligns with Bank Negara Malaysia's objectives for faster, more efficient, and inclusive cross-border payments. Praveen Rajan, CEO of PayNet, said cross-border payments should feel as familiar as paying at home, and that stronger payment connectivity can help spending flow across borders and strengthen Malaysia's economic links with the region.
From inbound to two-way connectivity
The service builds on PayNet's existing partnership with Alipay+. Since November 2023, travellers using supported Alipay+ partner wallets have been able to pay at DuitNow QR merchants across Malaysia, helping local businesses, including SMEs, accept payments from international visitors. The new outbound capability extends this connectivity in the other direction. PayNet recorded nearly 30 million cross-border transactions in 2025, about 150% more than in 2024, with much of the growth linked to mainland China.
Danny Chung, General Manager of Alipay+ Global Growth Center at Ant International, said the partnership reflects a shared aim of extending Malaysia's national payment infrastructure beyond its borders and helping national payment systems build two-way interoperable connectivity. According to Ant International, the Alipay+ network connects more than two billion user accounts across over 50 international payment partners and more than 150 million merchants in over 210 markets.
