TOPIC

Mobile payments

Mobile payments
Cash is history. Whether its ordering groceries from our smartphone or using it to pay for the bus, these companies and services are changing the way we pay for goods and services.
Rita Li, the sales and marketing director for Octopus, and chief operations officer Sammy Kam hold up items of memorabilia at their office in Kowloon Bay. Photo: Edmond So
Hong Kong economy

Architect of Hong Kong’s Octopus card retires with dreams of ‘tap-free’ access

Chief operations officer Sammy Kam and marketing director Rita Li look back on the highs and lows of their careers in a cutting-edge company.

Yuan

China expands digital-yuan push to Singapore and Asean trade routes

Ant Group

Alipay+ announces sponsorship deal with WNBA team New York Liberty

Ant Group

Ant International signs WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu as brand ambassador

Payments firm says star player ‘embodies the spirit of perseverance’ driving young people and small businesses to ‘uplift their communities’.

Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Sky on September 11, 2025, in Chicago. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Artificial intelligence

Big Tech firms bet big on AI glasses, as Ant offers iris authentication

Heavyweights including Alibaba, Baidu and Xiaomi are vying to dominate what a market research firm calls a ‘war of 100 smart glasses’.

Ant Group

Ant Digital warns of fake tokens as crypto scams persist in Hong Kong

The Ant Group affiliate says it has not issued any token on any blockchain.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Blockchain

Crypto cooperation between Hong Kong, mainland China to benefit sector: experts

The mainland already leads in fintech growth, while Hong Kong is at the forefront of crypto regulation.

At the Global Blockchain Summit in Shanghai, some experts called for greater efforts on making “more standards and rules” in the crypto industry amid its continued expansion. Photo: Shutterstock
Smartwatches

Meet Little Genius, the smartwatch brand ruling China’s playgrounds

With their precise location-tracking features and kid-friendly ecosystem, Little Genius devices have captured a niche market.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong travellers demand refunds after Octopus service glitches in Japan

New service faces backlash as users report frequent system malfunctions, payment failures and double charges.

Hong Kong economy

Explainer | How Hongkongers can use Octopus for payments in Japan and what the perks are

The Post unpacks the steps required to make payments through Octopus, along with benefits and limitations.

A tourist rides on a rickshaw in Tokyo’s Asakusa district. Photo: AFP
Stablecoins

Trump-led venture lauds USD1 stablecoin’s potential for ‘dollarising the world’

At the Token2049 event in Singapore, World Liberty Financial says it will launch a debit card in the fourth quarter or early in 2026.

4
World Liberty Financial co-founder Donald Trump Jnr takes centre stage at the Token2049 event in Singapore on Wednesday. He is flanked by entrepreneur Mario Nawfal, left, and US Bitcoin Corp CEO Mike Ho. Photo: Token2049
Ant Group

Alipay, Weixin Pay embrace China’s new cross-border payment system

The official system aims to improve payment convenience for foreign visitors using their countries’ bank cards or e-wallets.

Ant Group

Ant Group-backed Hello unveils robotaxi to challenge Baidu in China

The firm plans to deploy 10,000 self-driving taxis in more than 10 cities next year, and expand to 50,000 vehicles globally by 2027.

Video | Why Hong Kong is slow to adopt digital payments

Hong Kong’s adoption of digital payments has lagged behind many other cities, with most local businesses still preferring cash, the Octopus contactless system or credit cards.

payment methods in Hong Kong
08:04
Hong Kong transport

Taxi drivers encouraged to embrace e-payments with Hong Kong start-up Dash system

Drivers offered zero-commission integrated system as pressure builds to adopt digital payments as part of new government regulations.

10
Jason Ma, founder of the start-up Dash, is aiming to encourage taxi drivers to embrace digital payments with a new integrated e-payment system. Photo: May Tse
Apple

Apple eyes Douyin Pay for China App Store while speculation swirls on new iPhone

The potential addition of Douyin Pay to Apple’s China App Store reflects the continued growth of mobile payment services in the country.

IPO

SoftBank selects banks for US IPO of payments app amid tech rebound

US IPO activity has gained momentum in a long-awaited rebound, supported by strong tech earnings and signs of progress in trade talks.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Payment Connect can boost Hong Kong as a hub for international finance

Programme is the latest step in more than a decade of work to open mainland China’s vast financial sector to the rest of the world.

A launch ceremony for Payment Connect is held in Beijing on June 22. Photo: Handout
Banking & finance

Hongkongers, mainland residents embrace Payment Connect service on first day

New service operates smoothly as thousands take advantage of link between Hong Kong’s FPS and the mainland’s IBPS.

Ant Group

Ant Group pushes wider adoption of AI-enabled smart glasses for mobile payments

The first such payment outside mainland China was recently completed in Hong Kong, using the AlipayHK app and Meizu’s StarV smart glasses.

Ant Group

Ant International issues first sustainability report after spin-off

Speculation has been rife over a potential listing by the company, which was spun off from Ant Group last year as part of a restructuring.

videocam
Ant International is a spin-off of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group. Photo: Handout
Blockchain

With early stablecoin law, Hong Kong looks to keep edge as finance hub

Hong Kong is looking to ‘secure a leading role in global payment systems’, one analyst says, as law comes ahead of a similar US stablecoin bill.

A view of Hong Kong’s central business district on October 9, 2024. Some analysts see the city’s new stablecoin law as providing advantages for maintaining its position as a finance hub. Photo: May Tse
Blockchain

OKX sees tipping point for blockchain tech amid rising crypto sentiment

OKX chief commercial officer Lennix Lai says the exchange is focused on building compliant services in the US and Singapore, among other markets.

videocam
Alibaba

Alibaba’s Amap offers ride-hailing function catering to China’s foreign visitors

Amap’s ride-hailing feature, available on the platform’s English version, reflects support for China’s visa-free travel scheme.

Ant Group

Ant Group’s global unit pulls in US$3 billion in revenue ahead of spin-off

Ant International could fetch an IPO valuation of between US$8 billion to US$24 billion if it lists in Hong Kong, analysts say.

The Ant Group logo seen inside the fintech company’s headquarters in Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province. Photo: Reuters
Crime in Hong Kong

Mainland bank in Hong Kong investigates unauthorised transactions on FPS platform

China Construction Bank (Asia) client says she lost HK$20,000 through FPS transfers, with experts suggesting hacking may be involved.

A businesswoman, surnamed Chen, has said she lost HK$20,000 through unauthorised transactions via the FPS platform. Photo: Handout
Fintech

Alipay and WeChat Pay see booming inbound spending in China for Labour Day

Preliminary data from the country’s two dominant mobile payment apps show two-to-three times the spending from a year ago, much of it from Hong Kong.

Artificial intelligence

Geely-owned DreamSmart to push mobile payments via AI smart glasses

DreamSmart is working with Ant International to enable mobile payments for users of its StarV Air2 eyewear.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement