Alipay+ continues to innovate and roll out fintech services for travellers and people on the move. For the upcoming beautiful cherry blossom season in Japan it is aiming to connect 2 million merchants in Japan. The goal is to make payments as frictionless as possible.The annual Japanese cherry blossom season returnsKey achievements by Alipay+, see more here also.• Transactions powered by Alipay+ in Japan rose over 200% during the first three weeks of March, compared with the same period last year;• Consumption via 16 Alipay+ partner e-wallets and bank apps in is estimated to account for 10% of total spending among users in Japan;• Alipay, AlipayHK, Kakao Pay, Touch 'n Go eWallet, GCash and TrueMoney are among the most popular e-wallets used by travelers to Japan, while MPay, Naver Pay and Toss are seeing rapid growth in transactions;• Alipay+ has been working with over 40 local acquiring partners to connect and service merchants#Japan's sakura season is upon us and the country is again covered in a delicate shade of pink.Here are some of the best places to see the country's cherry blossom away from the city crowds. https://t.co/U3ZCnaUibc pic.twitter.com/wObAuj2S2gWanderlust magazine (@wanderlustmag) March 27, 2024As merchants in Japan gear up to receive cherry blossom tourists across from around the world, Ant International announced that its cross-border mobile payment solution Alipay+ has connected two million merchants across the country, enabling businesses, big or small, to better serve global visitors through a seamless payment experience with their home country e-wallets.There are 16 e-wallets and bank apps accepted in Japan via Alipay+, a suite of cross-border digital payment and digitalization technology solutions, namely Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR China), MPay (Macao SAR China), South Korea's Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss, Singapore's OCBC Digital, Changi Pay and EZ-Link, Malaysia's Touch 'n Go eWallet and MyPB by Public Bank Berhad, the Philippines' GCash and HelloMoney, TrueMoney (Thailand), Hipay (Mongolia), and Tinaba (Italy).Powered by Alipay+, transaction volume made by e-wallets and bank apps in Japan jumped over 200% in the first three weeks of March, compared with the same period in 2023. Transaction value is estimated to account for about 10% of total spending among users during their stay in the country, Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International, said during a press conference in Tokyo.Among all, Alipay, AlipayHK, Kakao Pay, Touch 'n Go eWallet, GCash and TrueMoney are among the most popular e-wallets used by travelers to Japan, while MPay, Naver Pay and Toss are seeing rapid growth in transactions.Mr. Feagin said, "We are grateful to our over 40 local acquiring partners in Japan, including both big institutions as well as small ones that only have several employees, for their tremendous support to promote a seamless, transparent and efficient experience together for local businesses and international travelers."By working with these partners, Alipay+ provides global tourists with a seamless digital payment experience that is the same as in their own markets. Without any extra efforts, tourists can make purchases by simply scanning the QR code at merchants of all size, without worrying about foreign currency exchange or any language barriers."In Asakusa, a vibrant neighborhood and popular tourist destination with small souvenir shops and snack stalls, an increasing number of merchants are leveraging the simplicity of QR code to do businesses. PayPay, a leading cashless payment service and partner of Alipay+ in Japan, supports the merchants, facilitating seamless transactions for both locals and tourists alike.In Asakusa, the monthly cross-border mobile transaction volume is more than 5 times higher on average, reflecting the growing trend of cashless payments in the area.At Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, a flagship department store chain in Japan, ...