QR Ph Expands Global Payment Reach Through Alipay+ Partnership

The Philippines is taking another major step toward a more connected digital economy as Philippine Payments Management, Inc. (PPMI) and Ant International’s Alipay+ bring cross-border payment capabilities to QR Ph.

The integration allows international travelers using participating Alipay+ e-wallets and banking applications to make payments at QR Ph-enabled merchants across the Philippines. Instead of requiring businesses to adopt a separate payment system, merchants can receive eligible international payments using their existing QR Ph codes.

The development could be particularly valuable for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), giving smaller businesses an easier way to serve foreign visitors and participate in cross-border digital commerce.

The partnership comes as electronic payments continue to gain ground in the country. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ 2025 Report on E-Payments Measurement, digital payments represented 64.69 percent of retail transaction volume, while QR Ph transactions increased more than 13-fold during the year.

For PPMI, connecting the national QR payment network with an international ecosystem extends the benefits of interoperability beyond domestic transactions.

Carmelita “Melit” Araneta, General Manager of PPMI, said QR Ph has helped make digital payments more convenient and accessible to businesses and consumers. Through the Alipay+ partnership, Filipino merchants—especially SMEs—gain greater opportunities to serve international customers and participate in the global digital economy.

For consumers, the arrangement is designed to make spending abroad more familiar. Eligible international visitors can continue using supported payment applications from their home markets while shopping, dining, or paying for services at participating QR Ph merchants.

Danny Chung, General Manager of Alipay+ Global Growth Center at Ant International, said the objective is to make payments simple for customers while giving merchants access to a broader marketplace.

The QR Ph integration forms part of Alipay+’s wider effort to connect with national payment systems worldwide. The platform is now linked with more than 10 national QR schemes across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Alipay+ says its ecosystem connects more than two billion consumer accounts and over 50 mobile payment providers, including e-wallets and banking apps, with payment capabilities spanning more than 220 markets.

As digital payments become increasingly embedded in everyday Philippine commerce, the QR Ph-Alipay+ connection demonstrates how local payment infrastructure can also become a bridge between Filipino businesses and international consumers.