Nepal’s leading payment system operator, Fonepay, has reached a partnership with Ali Pay Plus for an interoperable QR network. The collaboration unlocks cross-border international payment for people at Fonepay QR. The move is expected to reinforce Nepal’s digital transformation and add a new dimension to Nepal’s international trade.
Fonepay and Alipay formalized their deal at a special ceremony that had the presence of officials from Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), Nepal Tourism Board, tour operators, and guides. Also present were representatives from banks and financial institutions, media houses, and prominent business figures.
Fonepay has been leading from the front in Nepal’s digital payment landscape. It occupies the country’s nearly 80% market share in its industry. Users of digital wallets, mobile banking apps, etc., can pay via Fonepay QR. The deal with Alipay will further diversify payment facilities for people coming to Nepal and boost the local economy as merchants can receive payment from international payment apps.
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Fonepay QR with Alipay Plus facilitates travelers from over 11 countries with digital payment
Fonepay and Alipay+ (Plus) collaboration will help people from China, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Germany, etc., to pay in Nepal via their home e-wallet. They need to scan the Fonepay QR in their mobile wallet to make payments in Nepal for goods and services. This helps them with easier payment during their stay in Nepal, while Nepali merchants also get to receive payments easily. Foreign tourists from these countries won’t have to exchange money or carry cash to pay.
Regarding its Alipay+ collaboration, Fonepay said, “This partnership marks another step forward in making Nepal a digitally accessible and tourist-friendly destination, enabling visitors to experience the country with greater ease and confidence.”
With this partnership, Nepal’s over 17 lakh Fonepay QR merchants have been able to receive payment from users who are in the Alipay+ network. Fonepay’s PCI DSS-certified network will ensure safe and secure transactions in Nepal.
Welcoming guests and delegates to the event, Edward Yu, General Manager, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and ANZ Region at Ant International, said, “We are proud to celebrate this historic moment in contributing to the advancement of Nepal’s digital payments and tourism ecosystem. Alipay can further strengthen Nepal’s growing digital infrastructure, making the payments system a vehicle for economic opportunity, cultural connections, and tourism prosperity, which will benefit both local businesses and international consumers.”
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Broader benefits of Fonepay and Alipay collaboration
Similarly, Diwas Kumar Sapkota, CEO of FonePay, said, “The integration of the Alipay and FonePay networks is a major step towards global interoperability and financial inclusion. This partnership will not only make it easier for international travelers to visit Nepal, but will also give our businesses access to more consumers, that too without any additional complexity.”
Fonepay, Alipay’s partnership contributes to the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nepal and further strengthens the digital payment ecosystem. It will also establish Nepal as a center for travel, trade, and cultural exchange and steer Nepal towards modernization in the digital payment ecosystem. Also read: Fonepay is working on bringing PayPal to Nepal.
