Hong-Kong based virtual bank livi bank has introduced livi QR Payment, a UnionPay option that allows customers to pay at over 29 million merchants in Mainland China, becoming the first Hong Kong virtual bank to enable QR payment
The lifestyle-driven bank said livi QR Payment would allow its users to make cross-border payments in mainland China and other popular travel destinations such as Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Livi, which enables customers in mainland China to make QR payments through one single platform, its livi App, has integrated with UnionPay’s payment and merchant network.
Payments automatically settled in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) with no handling fee incurred and no charge on currency exchange.
The news comes as Hong Kong’s border re-opens following a period of strict pandemic-led travel restrictions with the bank aiming to remove the need to acquire multiple, local e-wallets during travel.
“With the easing of border restrictions, our customers are keen on going to the Mainland to visit their families and friends, conduct their business or go on an adventure. livi QR Payment is simple, fast and seamless – customers can simply present or scan their QR code to complete the payment,” said livi Chief Product Officer Carol Hung.
“livi QR Payment addresses customer concerns about handling fees and the trouble of managing cross-border payments on multiple platforms or e-wallets,” she added.
livi QR Payment is widely accepted in mainland China, Macau, and the Asia Pacific, wherever the UnionPay QR label is presented. It aims to meet a range of different lifestyle needs in the food and beverage, hospitality, entertainment and retail sectors.
