Tencent, the owner of WeChat, and Visa have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop solutions that facilitate payments by foreign tourists in China and by Chinese citizens abroad. The partnership aims to integrate the digital payment systems used in the Chinese market with Visa’s international network, simplifying transactions between the two ecosystems.
The agreement provides for the development of services through TenPay Global, Tencent’s international payments platform, and Visa Pay, Visa’s own payments solution. The new features are expected to allow transactions at merchants that accept both Weixin Pay and Visa, in compliance with the applicable rules in each market.
The initiative seeks to address the difficulties faced by foreign visitors in China, where digital payments rely heavily on domestic applications. The integration would allow travellers to use international payment solutions at establishments covered by the partnership. However, the companies have not yet announced a launch date for the new services, nor have they clarified which international cards will be accepted.
The collaboration also extends to international money transfers via Visa Direct, a service that could facilitate the sending of funds from abroad to Weixin Pay users in China.
The scale of the market helps explain the strategic interest for both companies. In 2025, foreign tourists spent approximately €10.75 billion through mobile payment platforms in China, according to data from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In the first half of that year alone, the value of mobile transactions carried out by foreign visitors rose 149% compared with the same period in 2024.
Beyond services aimed at travellers, the memorandum covers the development of commercial solutions based on artificial intelligence. The companies intend to explore the capabilities of Visa Intelligent Commerce, a suite of tools that enables AI agents to assist consumers in searching for, selecting, and purchasing products and services, subject to their authorisation.
The partnership also envisages closer cooperation between Visa and Tencent’s international business units linked to artificial intelligence, including Tencent Cloud, the division responsible for cloud computing and AI services for enterprises.
Dowson Tong, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and Chief Executive Officer of its Cloud and Smart Industries Group, said the collaboration aims to ease international payments and explore the integration of Tencent’s artificial intelligence capabilities with Visa’s global network.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=557495
