What UnionPay International does

UnionPay International (UPI), headquartered in Shanghai and established in 2012, is the dedicated international subsidiary of state-affiliated China UnionPay Co., Ltd., operating one of the world's largest global payment networks. The company enables card-based, mobile, and QR payments across 183 countries and regions through 71 million merchant acceptance points, 2,600+ financial institution partnerships, and nearly 300 million cards issued in 84 countries outside China. UPI serves international travelers, cross-border merchants, financial institutions, and payment networks, with primary corridors concentrated in Asia-Pacific, the Belt and Road region, and major outbound Chinese travel destinations including Europe and MENA.

UPI's technology stack combines a proprietary global card network, NFC mobile payment infrastructure (QuickPass), EMV-compliant QR payment systems, tokenization and SaaS card issuance platforms, and real-time cross-border settlement systems. Recent investments have added AI capabilities including an 85%-accurate fraud-detection system and the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) — launched in April 2026 as an open framework for AI-agent-based payments covering lifecycle management, intent verification, identity, and authorization. Strategic integrations span Samsung Wallet, Huawei Pay, Apple Pay, Worldpay, OpenWay Way4, Visa Direct, Amadeus/Outpayce, and Ant International/Alipay+.

UPI generates revenue primarily through interchange fees and transaction processing across its 185 million monthly cross-border transactions, complemented by cross-border remittance services (MoneyExpress), card issuance partnership and tokenization licensing, and digital wallet integration fees. Go-to-market is channel-driven: distribution flows through member financial institutions, technology integrators (OpenWay, Worldpay, Amadeus), regional payment networks (Kaspi, QRIS, Weixin Pay), and merchant partners. Recent product launches — including the Nihao China super-app for inbound travelers (Dec 2025) and the APOP protocol (Apr 2026) — extend the platform toward direct-to-consumer and AI-native payment surfaces.

Name

UnionPay International

Legal name

UnionPay International Co., Ltd. (银联国际有限公司)

Website

https://unionpayintl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

UnionPay International is the global payments arm of China UnionPay, operating one of the world's largest card and mobile payment networks across 183 countries with 71 million merchant acceptance points and 2,600+ financial institution partnerships, serving international travelers, merchants, and banks with card, QR, NFC, and AI-agent-based payment products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Network Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

International / Global Card Schemes (FSAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA), International Bill Pay & Cross-Border Airtime/Top-Up (FSAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Global payment network
• Card payment services
• Cross-border payments
• Payment processing
• Merchant acquiring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Card Transaction Fees: UnionPay charges interchange fees and transaction processing fees for payments made with UnionPay cards across its global network of 71 million merchant acceptance points.
2. Cross-border Payment Services: Revenue from cross-border payment processing, currency conversion, and settlement services for international transactions.
3. Card Issuance Partnership Fees: Revenue from partnerships with financial institutions for card issuance, tokenization, and processing services through platforms like OpenWay Way4.
4. Digital Wallet and Mobile Payment Services: Revenue from mobile payment services including NFC-QR payments, wallet integrations, and digital card issuance through partnerships with Samsung, Apple Pay, and other wallet providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UnionPay International operates a global payment network that enables card-based and QR code-based transactions across 183 countries and regions. The company provides acceptance infrastructure for UnionPay-branded credit, debit, and prepaid cards at more than 71 million merchant locations, partnering with over 2,600 financial institutions worldwide. Its services span cross-border transaction processing, merchant acquiring, tokenization, mobile payments, and e-commerce settlement for issuing banks, acquirers, and merchants.

Product overview

UnionPay International operates as one of the world's largest global payment networks, offering a comprehensive portfolio of card-based and mobile payment products organized across several core pillars: (1) Card Products including Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Prepaid Cards, Commercial Cards (Business, Corporate, Purchasing, B&R), Premium/Platinum/Diamond Cards, and Theme Cards (Asia Prestige, Travel Mate Asia, SplendorPlus); (2) Mobile Payments encompassing UnionPay mobile QuickPass (NFC contactless), UnionPay APP/Cloud QuickPass (QR code), and QR Code Payment solutions; (3) Digital Services including MoneyExpress (cross-border remittance), UnionPay Tax Refund, U Rewards Platform, U Plan marketing platform, Installment Service, and Frictionless Payment; (4) Technology Products including Token Program, SaaS Cloud Card Issuing Platform, 3D Secure, ExpressPay, Click to Pay, and PaybyLink for online payments; (5) Scenario Solutions covering Transportation, Digital-Zone, and Restaurant verticals; and (6) Specialized offerings such as the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) for AI-driven agent payments and the Nihao China super-app for inbound travelers. The ecosystem spans 183 countries and regions with over 71 million merchant acceptance points, powered by partnerships with financial institutions, mobile wallet providers (Samsung, Huawei, Apple), travel platforms (Amadeus/Outpayce), and payment processors (Worldpay, OpenWay, Thunes, Visa Direct).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UnionPay mobile QuickPass: Contactless NFC mobile payment service enabling cardholders to pay by tapping compatible devices at POS terminals.
• UnionPay APP (Cloud QuickPass / 云闪付)
• UnionPay QR Code Payment
• Nihao China
• UnionPay Tax Refund
• MoneyExpress
• Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP)
• Asia Prestige
• Travel Mate Asia
• SplendorPlus Card
• Premium UnionPay Card
• UnionPay Commercial Card
• B&R Commercial Card
• U Rewards Platform
• U Plan
• UnionPay Business Card
• UnionPay Corporate Card
• UnionPay Purchasing Card

Products and services

• UnionPay Card Acceptance Network
• Cross-Border Payment Settlement Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 22.4% merchant acceptance growth from 58M to 71M
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, regional and core.

• JD Group, TCLstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 June 2026Notable speakers at APEC Business Leaders Forum 2026 discussing Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area and digital innovation.
• BelarusbankregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2026Issuance of virtual UnionPay cards to Belarusian resident individuals offering Gold and Platinum tiers. Cards support four currencies (USD, CNY, BYN, RUB) and are valid for four years, designed for secure online payments and contactless transactions via smartphones or smartwatches.
• GLN International / Weixin PaystrategicTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2026Expansion of QR payment coverage across Mainland China through integration with Weixin Pay network. Enables Korean users to make seamless QR payments at Weixin Pay merchants across China for everyday scenarios including street food, shopping, subway, and taxi fares.
• Ant International / Alipay+strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Cross-border QR payment linkage connecting Indonesia's QRIS system with China's Alipay and UnionPay networks. Enables Chinese users to pay at over 40 million QRIS merchants in Indonesia and Indonesian users to scan over 80 million QR codes in China.
• Lianlian DigiTechstrategicTechnology or Integration · 26 March 2026Partnership with Lianlian DigiTech expanding international presence with overseas headquarters in Hong Kong and 66 global payment licenses across 100+ countries and regions.
• Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of ChinacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 March 2026Notable speakers at APEC Business Leaders Forum 2026, discussing regional collaboration on digital innovation and supply chain integration.
• OpenWaycoreTechnology or Integration · 12 March 2026Expanded global cooperation to deliver full UPI product support on Way4 platform, enabling clients worldwide to issue, acquire, and tokenize UnionPay cards. First global launch of Big Pay functionality for UnionPay cards with six major banks in Central Asia. OpenWay has powered UnionPay card issuance since 2004.
• Amadeus / OutpaycecoreTechnology or Integration · 12 March 2026Partnership enabling airlines using Outpayce Xchange Payments Platform to natively accept UnionPay cards across both direct and indirect booking channels via Amadeus Travel Platform. Expected to launch in H1 2026, targeting Chinese outbound travel projected to grow from $140B to $386B by 2033.
• AmadeuscoreTechnology or Integration · 12 March 2026Biometric partnership enabling contactless passenger routing at Manchester Airport. Amadeus signed deals with UnionPay and Tata Consultancy Services to expand digital travel and retailing technologies.
• NCR Atleos CorporationstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 February 2026Partnership enabling UnionPay cardholders to withdraw cash at up to 13,000 Cashzone ATMs across the UK, concentrated in high-traffic and tourist locations. Timed to coincide with Chinese New Year celebrations to support Chinese visitor spending of over £720 million annually.
• Chinese visitors to UKregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 February 2026Partnership supporting Chinese visitors contributing over £720 million annually to UK economy through convenient cash access at high-traffic tourist locations.
• Visa / Visa DirectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Partnership linking Visa Direct with UnionPay MoneyExpress platform to enable cross-border remittances and B2C payouts covering over 95% of UnionPay debit cardholders in Chinese Mainland. Expected to launch in H1 2026, supporting use cases including creator payouts, freelancer payments, and family remittances.
• Web Summit QatarstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 February 2026Partnership announced at Web Summit Qatar to extend Visa Direct cross-border remittance services to UnionPay debit cardholders in Chinese Mainland.
• Weixin Pay (WeChat)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Collaboration enabling 25 UnionPay-partnered international wallets to scan Weixin Pay QR codes across mainland China, supporting visitors from 11 countries and regions since December 2024. Transaction volume increased 100% year-on-year in 2025.
• ThunesstrategicTechnology or Integration · 22 January 2026Direct technical connection to UnionPay International infrastructure enabling faster and more transparent payments into China mainland through Thunes Direct Global Network. Grants access to approximately 79 major Chinese banks including ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank, with real-time or 12-hour credit.
• Samsung Electronics / Samsung WalletcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2026Global mobile payment collaboration based on NFC-QRC all-in-one solution, debuting in Hong Kong SAR with BOC Credit Card as inaugural issuing partner. Enables UnionPay cardholders to link cards to Samsung Wallet and choose between NFC or QR code payments, expanding mobile payment reach among Android users across Samsung's 62 markets.
• Samsung, Apple, Google (Mobile Wallets)coreTechnology or Integration · 24 December 2025Launch of Nihao China app enabling international visitors to bind international Visa, Mastercard, or UnionPay cards for payments in China without requiring a Chinese bank account. Supports real-time translation and transit card top-up.
• OCBC BankstrategicTechnology or Integration · 4 December 2025Enhancement of existing partnership enabling OCBC app users to scan WeChat Pay QR codes in China by Q1 2026. Supports payments through Weixin Pay, Alipay+, and UnionPay QR codes for Singapore travelers in China.
• WorldpaycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2025Extended 10-year partnership introducing UnionPay 3D Secure and ExpressPay capabilities to expand global online acceptance. Enables UnionPay cardholders to make eCommerce transactions across US, UK, and Europe, in sectors including airlines, retail, and hospitality.
• Bank of China, PayNet, Uzcard, HUMO, IPC, Hong Leong Bank, OCBC Bank, Banco do Brasil, FonePay, BluecodecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 November 202511 cross-border payment cooperation documents signed at Global Partners Conference 2025 in Shanghai. 72 organizations worldwide including central banks, commercial banks, and payment institutions participated, announcing Joint Initiative on Open Payments for connected global payment network.
• Amazon Payment ServicesstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 November 2025Strategic collaboration to expand UnionPay card acceptance across MENA region including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Aims to enhance digital commerce by providing secure payment options for merchants and customers.
• KaspiregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 November 2025First partnership with Kaspi, a major Kazakh bank, to expand card acceptance in Kazakhstan reaching nearly 100% at POS and 90% at ATMs. Facilitates cross-border payments and enhances payment experience for UnionPay cardholders supporting Sino-Kazakh exchanges.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Visa: Global card network and the dominant international payment scheme. Visa competes directly with UnionPay in cross-border card acceptance, issuance, and increasingly in cross-border remittance rails via Visa Direct, with which UnionPay has just partnered.
• American Express: Global card network with premium positioning serving cross-border travelers and high-spend consumers. Comparable to UnionPay's Premium/Platinum/Diamond tiers and Asia Prestige products targeting affluent international travelers.
• JCB: Japan-based international card network with similar regional focus to UnionPay in Asia-Pacific. JCB operates as a comparable national-origin card scheme expanding globally, with overlapping markets in East and Southeast Asia.
• Alipay+: Ant International's cross-border digital payments platform connecting hundreds of regional wallets and merchants. Directly competes with UnionPay's New Four-Party Model in Asia cross-border QR interoperability and merchant acceptance expansion.
• Mastercard: Global card network directly comparable to UnionPay International's core business of card issuance, acceptance, and cross-border processing. Both networks compete for the same merchant and issuer relationships across 180+ countries.
• WeChat Pay (Tenpay Global): Operates the dominant China-domestic QR payment network and increasingly expanding cross-border via Weixin Pay. Direct competitor to UnionPay's QR code payment solutions and the Nihao China app for inbound travelers.

Emerging players

• Thunes: Cross-border payments network enabling payouts to emerging markets. Recently partnered with UnionPay for direct technical connection to Chinese bank rails, but competes as an alternative cross-border payout infrastructure.
• dLocal: Cross-border payment processor focused on emerging markets, particularly Latin America and Asia. Comparable to UnionPay's emerging market QR interoperability strategy and cross-border merchant acceptance expansion in non-mature markets.

Broad incumbents

• Discover Financial Services: US-anchored card network with international acceptance via Diners Club partnership. Comparable as a national-origin card network expanding globally, though primarily focused on US cardholders versus UnionPay's outbound China focus.
• PayPal: Global digital payments platform with cross-border remittance (Xoom) and merchant acceptance. Operates more broadly as a digital wallet and alternative payment method rather than as a direct card network competitor to UnionPay.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unionpay_intl
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnionPayInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unionpay-international

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UnionPay International