Network International has expanded its partnership with Tencent Holdings to offer WeChat Pay acceptance on its N-Genius POS terminals across the UAE.
As part of the deal over 400 merchants across shopping malls have added the payment solution bringing WeChat Pay to 5,000 Network payment terminals across the UAE. In particular, it will benefit Chinese shoppers visitng the region by enabling them to transact seamlessly and securely via their WeChat Pay mobile wallet.
The UAE’s tourism sector has made a strong comeback putting the country on track to become the world’s most visited international destination by the end of 2023. Over the past decade, China has ranked among the top-five source markets for Dubai. Data from Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) indicates that the number of Chinese visitors to Dubai reached 177,000 in 2022, up 131 per cent from the previous year.
Network the UAE’s largest merchant acquirer is said to have over 200,000 POS terminals in operation across several sectors. WeChat Pay is a mobile payment service embedded in WeChat, the popular Chinese social messaging service that boasts more than 1 billion users registered globally. An initial agreement between Network and WeChat’s developer, Tencent Holdings had been singed in February 2020.
Speaking on the latest announcement, Pankaj Kundra, Group Head of Products, Partnerships and Enterprises at Network International, said, “We are delighted to offer Chinese customers their preferred payment method, WeChat Pay, across POS terminals at leading merchant outlets in the country. The UAE is among the top travel destinations for Chinese visitors and the availability of a trusted and familiar payment option at popular shopping establishments will enable Chinese shoppers to make payments seamlessly. Network has enabled WeChat Pay at over 5,000 terminals across the UAE and we look forward to covering our entire network soon.”
Jeff Hu, General Manager, WeChat Pay EMEA, added: “WeChat Pay has always been committed to providing safe and convenient payment experiences for Chinese tourists. This collaboration further expands the application of mobile payments in the UAE, allowing Chinese tourists to enjoy the same convenient mobile payment experience as in China when traveling to the UAE.”
