Starting April 3, travelers from China can scan the VIETQRGlobal code to pay at a wide range of locations connected to the NAPAS network. These include shopping centers, hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions across Vietnam.

The system enables real-time transactions between the Chinese yuan and the Vietnamese dong through the settlement infrastructure of Vietcombank. This creates a seamless payment experience that feels familiar to users, removing barriers related to language and transaction methods when traveling abroad.

The expanded QR payment service was jointly announced by NAPAS, Ant International and Vietcombank, at a time when bilateral tourism between Vietnam and China is rapidly growing.

In 2025, Vietnam welcomed more than 21.2 million international visitors, with Chinese tourists leading at nearly 5.28 million arrivals, accounting for 25% of the total. Meanwhile, Vietnam also ranked among the top five source markets for visitors to China.

Nguyen Quang Minh, CEO of NAPAS, described the partnership with Ant International as a significant milestone, connecting Vietnam’s national retail payment infrastructure directly to a global ecosystem with over one billion users. He noted that the move not only enhances the tourism experience but also strengthens Vietnam’s appeal as a modern, tech-friendly destination.

The benefits extend beyond travelers. Vietnamese businesses, particularly small merchants and SMEs, stand to gain from increased access to international customers. With a simple and easily integrated payment process, local vendors can serve large volumes of foreign visitors without investing in complex POS systems.

Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International, emphasized that deeper payment connectivity will help Vietnamese businesses reach global consumers while reinforcing the country’s position in digital transformation.

NAPAS and Alipay are also working to enable outbound payments from Vietnam to China. In the near future, Vietnamese users will be able to scan Alipay QR codes using domestic mobile banking apps when traveling or conducting business in China.

So far, NAPAS has completed bilateral QR payment connections with several regional countries, including Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and China. The continued expansion of VIETQRGlobal underscores Vietnam’s growing role in digital transformation and regional economic integration.

Du Lam