- Tencent eyes regional QR systems for WeChat Pay expansion in Southeast Asia.
- The tech giant aims to connect WeChat Pay with local QR codes.
- Despite lagging Alipay overseas, Tencent seeks stronger regional brand recognition.
QR codes: the bridge to digital wallet unity
Chinese tech titan Tencent spots an opportunity in Southeast Asia’s increasingly unified QR payment infrastructure.
At Money 20/20, a Tencent executive revealed ambitions to connect WeChat Pay with regional QR codes, fostering seamless interoperability among digital wallets.
Last year, Tenpay Global, Tencent’s cross-border payments arm, enabled WeChat Pay at 10,000 Singaporean hawker stalls using SGQR.
Similar initiatives could replicate across Southeast Asia, enabling Chinese tourists to scan local QR codes while linking regional e-wallets.
Can the panda’s wallet roar louder overseas?
Despite WeChat Pay’s 935 million active users in China, Tenpay Global lags Alipay+ in overseas branding and use cases, per Kapronasia analysis.
As Alipay+ expands aggressively worldwide, bolstering Tenpay Global’s brand recognition becomes crucial for Tencent’s regional ambitions.
To read the original: https://www.techinasia.com/tencent-sees-national-qr-codes-in-sea-as-expansion-opportunity