London-based iFAST Global Bank announced on 11 May the rollout of “Worldwide Scan & Pay”, a QR-code payment feature powered by Ant International’s Alipay+ network. The service lets iFAST account-holders pay at more than 150 million Alipay+-compatible merchants worldwide—including convenience stores, taxis and restaurants throughout mainland China—by scanning a merchant QR code in the bank’s mobile app, with funds debited directly from a multi-currency account. Although several Asian e-wallets already interoperate with Alipay+, iFAST is the first fully-licensed UK bank to embed the gateway, giving British expatriates, students and business travellers a native option to transact in renminbi without opening a local Chinese bank account or carrying cash.
![UK’s iFAST Global Bank teams with Alipay+ to offer cardless QR payments across China for expatriates and visitors]()
For travellers keen to try iFAST’s seamless payments on their next trip, VisaHQ can also streamline the essential step of securing a Chinese visa. The company’s online platform guides applicants through every form, offers live support, and provides real-time tracking so you receive your passport back in plenty of time—letting you focus on your itinerary and spending plans. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Payments are settled in real time and support dynamic-currency conversion so users can lock in exchange rates at the point of sale. Ant International said the partnership demonstrates “bank-wallet convergence” and will be expanded to include travel-insurance offers and AI-driven spend-management tools. For corporates it means employees holding an iFAST corporate per-diem account can expense meals and ride-hailing trips instantly; finance teams receive itemised feeds that map merchant category codes to internal cost centres, reducing reconciliation time. Regulatory observers note that the deal comes amid China’s push to internationalise the digital-payments ecosystem ahead of the 2027 Beijing Universiade. The People’s Bank of China has encouraged foreign card-binding and supports pilot use of the digital yuan within Alipay and WeChat Pay. iFAST confirmed it will explore digital-renminbi settlement once cross-border rules are finalised. Travellers should update the iFAST app before departure and activate roaming SMS to receive one-time passwords. Because many small merchants in China still display static QR codes linked to personal wallets, users are advised to check the Alipay+ logo to ensure corporate-compliant receipts are generated.
For travellers keen to try iFAST’s seamless payments on their next trip, VisaHQ can also streamline the essential step of securing a Chinese visa. The company’s online platform guides applicants through every form, offers live support, and provides real-time tracking so you receive your passport back in plenty of time—letting you focus on your itinerary and spending plans. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Payments are settled in real time and support dynamic-currency conversion so users can lock in exchange rates at the point of sale. Ant International said the partnership demonstrates “bank-wallet convergence” and will be expanded to include travel-insurance offers and AI-driven spend-management tools. For corporates it means employees holding an iFAST corporate per-diem account can expense meals and ride-hailing trips instantly; finance teams receive itemised feeds that map merchant category codes to internal cost centres, reducing reconciliation time. Regulatory observers note that the deal comes amid China’s push to internationalise the digital-payments ecosystem ahead of the 2027 Beijing Universiade. The People’s Bank of China has encouraged foreign card-binding and supports pilot use of the digital yuan within Alipay and WeChat Pay. iFAST confirmed it will explore digital-renminbi settlement once cross-border rules are finalised. Travellers should update the iFAST app before departure and activate roaming SMS to receive one-time passwords. Because many small merchants in China still display static QR codes linked to personal wallets, users are advised to check the Alipay+ logo to ensure corporate-compliant receipts are generated.
