Alipay+ reported an 18% increase in supported QR code payment transactions.
Total payment volume (TPV) in South Korea rose 16% year-on-year, driven by tourists using partner wallets and bank apps for services ranging from beauty treatments and transportation to food and beverages.
South Korea remains a key destination for travellers from Southeast Asia and the Chinese mainland.
The highest Alipay+ transaction activity was recorded in Seoul, Jeju Island and Busan.
In 2025, beauty clinics, transportation and F&B were among the fastest-growing categories.
Beyond Chinese mainland visitors, the largest users of Alipay+-supported transactions in South Korea included tourists from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Macao and the Philippines.
These groups showed growth in both transaction numbers and TPV.
As of November 2025, Alipay+ had connected 21 international wallets and bank apps to more than two million South Korean merchants.
In September, Alipay+ integrated Japan’s PayPay service, allowing Japanese travellers to pay at any Alipay+-enabled merchant.
Rising Transactions Across Categories
Transportation transactions saw a 120% increase in volume and a 23% rise in TPV. Beauty clinic visits rose 90% with a 123% TPV increase.
F&B payments grew 47% with a 54% TPV increase.
Alipay+ covers a wide range of merchants, including SMEs.
This allows tourists to make payments from arrival at Incheon International Airport, through convenience stores and cafés, to retail outlets selling cosmetics and skincare.
Moreover, merchants can also access services such as the A+ Rewards platform and Alipay+ Voyager.
The AI-powered travel agent, integrated into partner wallets, enables merchants to engage international consumers more effectively.
“Alipay+ is committed to driving sustainable travel, by empowering local businesses while enhancing travellers’ experiences, helping them to travel to more places and ensuring that they can pay easily with their home wallets abroad,”
said Weixiao Jiang, General Manager North Asia and North America, Alipay+.
Expanding Transport and Travel Options
Alipay+ has also partnered with local bus and taxi networks in Seoul, Jeju and Daegu. It supports Korail train ticket purchases and K-beauty clinic bookings via mini-programs.
The platform also enables South Korean travellers to use Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss Pay in over 100 markets worldwide.
Featured image credit: Ant International