As International Travel Rebounds, Citcon Works With Alipay to Bring Alipay+ to U.S. Merchants

E-commerce wallet-technology provider Citcon USA LLC has partnered with Alipay to enable merchants in the United States to accept e-wallet payments from international travelers through the Alipay+ platform. Alipay+ is a cross-border mobile-payment platform that enables consumers traveling abroad to make purchases using a chosen payment method. 

The partnership marks a significant expansion of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Citcon’s services and Alipay+ in the U.S. market by enabling both to serve inbound travelers to the U.S. from Asia, according to Citcon.

International Shoppes, a duty-free retail group, will be among the first wave of merchants to offer Alipay+. International Shoppes sells a variety of luxury brands and duty-free products. To make a purchase at International Shoppes or another merchant in the Citcon network, international travelers open their usual digital-wallet app. To encourage international travelers to make a purchase using Alipay+ International Shoppes is offering a $10 discount when consumers using the Alipay+ wallet spend $200 or more in December.

“With Alipay+ transactions enabled by Citcon, the customer is enjoying both the ability to pay through their preferred methods of Alipay+ [and] through the [QR-code]-ready terminals deployed by Citcon,” Matthew Greenbaum, co-CEO of International Shoppes, says in a statement.

Greenbaum adds that acceptance of Alipay+ brings a frictionless payment experience to the consumer, similar to what she experiences when shopping in her home country. “This sort of familiarity will result in customers feeling more comfortable in transacting with us, which we expect to result in larger and more transactions,” Greenbaum says.

Roseate Wagner, general manager of North America for Ant Group, an affiliate of Chinese conglomerate Alibaba Group, which owns and operates the Alipay platform, says the partnership will make it easier for Citcon merchants in the U.S. to do business with international travelers from Asia. 

Citcon chief executive Casey Bullock adds the deal is “a clear indication of the return-in-force of international travelers to the U.S.”