AlipayHK will extend mobile-wallet service nationally, granting Hong Kong users new payment rails in mainland China

E-wallet AlipayHK has been licenced to provide services country-wide, xinhuanet writes.

The Hong Kong version of Alipay currently boasts more than 2 million mobile users and, according to Alipay, is the first Hong Kong e-wallet whose services extend to the whole country. 

Earlier this year, the AlipayHK wallet extended its services from Hong Kong to cities in the Greater Bay Area, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Now, the payment provider announced, services (which work akin to ApplePay) will gradually be made available across China via any merchant accepting Alipay payments, hoping to offer new payment rails to Hong Kong citizens. 

China-based Alipay is best known as an online payment platform, which in January exceeded 700 million users in China alone.