The National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS), the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), and Weixin Pay have announced an expansion of cross-border QR payment services between Vietnam and China, extending digital payment connectivity between the two countries.
Completing NAPAS' connection with Weixin Pay
The partnership completes NAPAS' QR payment connection with Weixin Pay, allowing Chinese visitors to pay by scanning VietQRGlobal codes at outlets across Vietnam. According to NAPAS, the service is expected to reach more than 1 billion Weixin Pay users in China. Weixin Pay, also known as WeChat Pay, is among the more widely used mobile payment platforms in China, supporting both online and in-store payments across multiple sectors.
How the service works
Under the arrangement, Chinese travellers can use the Weixin app to scan VietQRGlobal codes at retail stores, restaurants, hotels, accommodation providers, and tourist attractions across Vietnam. Transactions are processed through payment infrastructure jointly operated by NAPAS and Weixin Pay, with BIDV serving as the settlement bank.
According to NAPAS, Weixin Pay is the third Chinese payment platform to complete cross-border QR payment integration with its network, following earlier integrations with other Chinese payment providers.
Company commentary
A company official at NAPAS said the connection completes QR payment interoperability for Chinese visitors in Vietnam while extending VietQRGlobal's reach to one of the larger payment user markets globally, adding that the cooperation is expected to improve the customer experience and support economic ties between the two countries as cross-border payment demand continues to grow alongside tourism and trade.
Additionally, a company official at BIDV said the expanded service is intended to provide a more convenient payment option for travellers while helping connect the two economies through digital financial infrastructure, adding that the bank will continue working with the government, the State Bank of Vietnam, and other partners to support cashless payments, businesses, tourism, and trade.
A company official at Weixin Pay said the initiative is intended to improve the travel experience for Chinese visitors, encourage spending, and help Vietnamese businesses better serve international customers.
Planned next phase
NAPAS said the three partners are studying a further phase of the project that would allow Vietnamese travellers to use domestic banking apps and e-wallets to scan QR codes and make payments while in China, to create a more integrated cross-border payment structure to support tourism, trade, and broader economic exchange between the two countries.
