Number of UnionPay cards issued in Malaysia more than doubles

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 -- The number of UnionPay Cards issued in the country has more than doubled this year compared to last year, with over 90 per cent of merchants in Malaysia now accepting payment via the card.

Global payment provider UnionPay International (UPI) said its partnership with e-wallet apps such as Boost and GoPayz had enabled more digital payment options for Malaysian consumers amid accelerating mobile payment adoption in the country.

Boost is a homegrown lifestyle e-wallet app while GoPayz is developed by U Mobile.

“The partnerships with Boost and GoPayz open up new channels for consumers to enjoy greater ease of digital payments in key destinations around the world in future,” UPI Southeast Asia’s general manager Wenhui Yang said in a statement today.

UPI's partnership with Boost has paved the way for Boost users to use the e-wallet app to make Quick Response (QR) code payment at many merchants nationwide.

As an introductory offer, the first 180,000 users who activate UnionPay QR code on their Boost app by Dec 31 can receive an instant RM3 cashback while those spending a minimum of RM300 at selected UnionPay merchants can receive an instant RM30 payback.

Meanwhile, UPI's partnership with GoPayz has opened up new avenues for GoPayz users to make digital payments locally and overseas by using the new UnionPay Virtual Card available on the app.

To mark its launch, GoPayz has organised the GoPayz Top-Up Campaign whereby users who sign up and top up their GoPayz with at least RM30 will be able to enjoy goodies worth up to RM200.

Boost chief executive officer (CEO) Mohd Khairil Abdullah said by introducing the UnionPay QR payments to Boost, it would be able to provide local consumers with more cashless payment options in Malaysia and soon globally.

“We hope that with this new avenue, we can further encourage new and existing users to go cashless. This will support the government’s roadmap to create a cashless society while driving financial inclusion among Malaysians,” he said.

Wong Heang Tuck, CEO of U Mobile, said its partnership with UnionPay “creates opportunities for GoPayz users to pay seamlessly wherever they are with their mobile phones, in line with Malaysians’ increasingly connected and digital lifestyle.”

-- BERNAMA