Alipay+ has officially expanded to Nepal by collaborating with Himalayan Bank, while Indonesian online travel unicorn Traveloka has launched its new office in Japan.
Alipay+ launches services in Nepal
Alipay+, Ant Financial’s cross-border mobile payment solution, has expanded to Nepal by collaborating with Himalayan Bank, paving the way for travellers from 10 countries to make cashless payments to over 25,000 merchants, according to a statement on Thursday.
The new service integrated with MOCO Unified QR Code, Nepal’s first unified QR code that accepts payments from international and national networks, can support 12 Alipay+ payment partners in Nepal.
Sittipong Kittiprapapong, country manager for Thailand, South Asia & Indochina at Ant International, said, “[..] Through our partnership with Himalayan Bank and MOCO Unified QR Code, we want to enable local businesses to benefit from tourism growth, and we’re committed to continually enhancing the travel experience and increasing merchant visibility.”
Alipay+ plans to extend its services to more merchants through local partnerships. In May 2024, the company signed an agreement with Nepal Clearing House Limited to enable acceptance through NEPALPAY QR. Globally, Alipay+ connects over 90 million merchants across 66 countries and regions to 1.6 billion consumer accounts across over 30 e-wallets and bank apps.
Traveloka sets up new office in Japan
Indonesian online travel unicorn Traveloka has officially launched its new office in Japan, according to the company’s statement in social media.
This marks its eighth international location outside Indonesia since its inception in 2012. The company also operates in Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
DealStreetAsia has reached out to Traveloka for comments.
To support operations in its new office, the company is actively recruiting for various positions like marketing, partnership, design, and SEO.
In a LinkedIn post, the company stated, “Japan is a vibrant market brimming with unique travel experiences. With a strong emphasis on travel and exploration, we’re eager to connect with Japanese travellers and offer them new ways to experience the world.”