Apple starts letting Chinese users pay for apps using Alipay
Apple has now added China's Alipay as a payment method for iTunes.
According to local reports, Apple's latest iOS 10.1.1 update quietly added Alibaba's digital wallet to its payment options.
This means users will be able to pay for apps, movies and music all with their Alipay accounts.
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The move comes after it was revealed China's now the world's largest iOS app spender, overtaking the U.S., which had held on to the number one spot for years.
Until now, most people in China would have added their China UnionPay credit cards to their iTunes account, but with Alipay having the virtual monopoly over China's digital payments, it's clear that Apple is hoping to make it even easier for people to spend some cash on the App Store.
The addition of Alipay appears to only apply to China users, at least for now. It hasn't appeared as an option on Singaporean iPhones, for example.
Meanwhile, Ant Financial Services, which runs Alipay, is setting its sights on overseas expansion. More and more retailers outside of China are offering support for Alipay, such as 7-11 in Thailand, and Grab's ride-hailing services across Southeast Asia.
Wall Street Journal reports that Alipay will soon be able to be used for retailers under Thai group Charoen Pokphand.
While it'll benefit Alipay to win new overseas users, its most immediate goal is to allow Chinese users ease of payment, as more travel for work and play.
Alipay has some 80 percent of China's digital payments, and many of its users also rely on it for face-to-face transactions with street vendors.
Buyers can scan a code to transfer money quickly to the vendor's bank account, allowing many to go truly cashless.
Topics Apple
Victoria Ho is Mashable's Asia Editor, based in Singapore. She previously reported on news and tech at The Business Times, TechCrunch and ZDNet. When she isn't writing, she's making music with her band
