https://www.scmp.com/rss/521949/feed WeChat Pay, a prominent mobile payment and digital wallet service, operates within the technology and financial services sectors. Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, it is a core component of Tencent’s WeChat "super app" ecosystem. WeChat Pay offers diverse services, including QR code, in-app, and peer-to-peer payments, primarily targeting Chinese consumers globally and businesses seeking to engage them. With over 1.3 billion active users, it holds a significant market position in China’s mobile... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s new ban on possessing e-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, and related products in public places will take effect on April 30. Residents and visitors caught violating the rule could face a fine of up to HK$50,000 (US$6,380) and a maximum of six months in jail. The South China Morning Post looks into the details of the ban, its penalties and what both residents and visitors who use the products should keep in mind to avoid trouble. 1. What is the new ban? From April 30, an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351426/what-smokers-need-know-about-hong-kongs-new-e-cigarette-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351426/what-smokers-need-know-about-hong-kongs-new-e-cigarette-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu More than 40,000 Hong Kong taxi drivers have adopted major electronic payment platforms AlipayHK and WeChat Pay HK, easing a protracted pain point for mainland Chinese visitors who are expected to arrive in droves during the coming Ching Ming Festival break. AlipayHK, a subsidiary of Ant International, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the South China Morning Post, said on Thursday that its e-payment system was available to 47,000 taxi drivers. WeChat Pay HK said more than 40,000... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348828/40000-taxi-drivers-sign-e-payment-systems-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348828/40000-taxi-drivers-sign-e-payment-systems-new-rules-come-force?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:12:07 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Anyone in Hong Kong found carrying more than five vape pods or 100 heat sticks in public will face a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and up to six months in jail from April 30, while those with smaller quantities will receive a fixed penalty of HK$3,000. The amended tobacco control law also provides for a future territory-wide ban on such products although no timeline has been set, the government said on Thursday. “The government decided to implement the ban in phases, starting with public places, due... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348825/hong-kong-impose-two-tier-penalty-carrying-vapes-public-april-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348825/hong-kong-impose-two-tier-penalty-carrying-vapes-public-april-30?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:39:49 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu More than 47,000 taxi drivers have adopted the commercial version of the Octopus app or equipped their cabs with mobile card readers ahead of new electronic payment regulations taking effect in Hong Kong on Wednesday, transport authorities have said. The new measures require cab drivers to provide at least two e-payment options, as part of a broader government push to modernise the industry’s image and service quality. The Transport Department on Tuesday said three dedicated service stations at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348480/over-47000-cabbies-adopt-octopus-card-readers-ahead-e-payment-regulations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3348480/over-47000-cabbies-adopt-octopus-card-readers-ahead-e-payment-regulations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:05:53 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Mandatory e-payment in Hong Kong taxis could attract more residents and visitors to use the service, as about 90 per cent of drivers are ready to meet the requirement ahead of its implementation next month, an industry representative has said. Ryan Wong Cheuk-pong, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi Council, said on Tuesday that drivers could also benefit from e-payments by reducing disputes over fares and no longer worrying about a lack of change. “E-payments have become a trend, and many residents... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346042/e-payments-attract-more-riders-cut-fare-disputes-hong-kong-taxi-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346042/e-payments-attract-more-riders-cut-fare-disputes-hong-kong-taxi-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:46:01 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong cabbies are counting down to the end of the “keep the change” tradition as the industry prepares for a mandatory shift from cash-only payments to electronic settlements. In the weeks leading up to April 1, taxi drivers are racing to install e-payment tools, while service providers say 90 per cent of the cabbies have already adopted such solutions. Chau Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said the transition to digital payments meant cabbies... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345811/keep-change-no-more-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-prepare-shift-e-payments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345811/keep-change-no-more-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-prepare-shift-e-payments?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:30:11 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Uber Technologies’ strategic partnership with Tencent Holdings’ super app WeChat is yielding significant dividends for the ride-hailing operator as it meets a critical demand for Chinese travellers overseas. Since Uber launched a mini-program on WeChat in July, travellers from the mainland have been actively using Uber’s services via the new channel in 20 markets, said Anthony Wong, who leads Uber’s partnership with Tencent, on Thursday. While the ride-hailing service provider operates in 70... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340037/ubers-wechat-tie-pays-demand-chinese-tourists-rises-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3340037/ubers-wechat-tie-pays-demand-chinese-tourists-rises-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Alipay and artificial intelligence glasses maker Rokid have jointly unveiled a smart glasses payment solution on the Rokid Lingzhu AI development platform, giving developers an easy path to build payment functions into their applications. Based on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard that connects AI applications to external systems, the service allowed developers to easily integrate pre-built capabilities, such as receiving payments, by adding plug-ins, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336237/alipay-and-rokid-open-look-and-pay-smart-glasses-function-developers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3336237/alipay-and-rokid-open-look-and-pay-smart-glasses-function-developers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Mainland Chinese customers enjoy the best mobile banking apps in Asia, but banks across the region still lag behind their Western counterparts when it comes to a great mobile experience, according to a global study. Three mainland lenders – Ping An Pocket Bank, China Merchant Bank (CMB) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) – swept the top three positions in Asia in the ranking by Sia, an international management consulting firm. The firm’s Mobile Banking Benchmark assessed 137 apps... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335336/mainland-chinas-bank-apps-best-asia-beating-hong-kong-and-singapore-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3335336/mainland-chinas-bank-apps-best-asia-beating-hong-kong-and-singapore-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:30:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China logged a welcome uptick in spending on services during the just-concluded eight-day “super golden week” public holiday, as the country’s transport hubs handled record numbers of passengers. Chinese transport authorities logged 2.432 billion passenger trips – a record high and a 6.2 per cent year-on-year increase – during this year’s extended holiday, which combined the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. The surge was mainly driven by overlapping demand for tourism and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328354/china-sees-uptick-super-golden-week-spending-amid-record-travel-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328354/china-sees-uptick-super-golden-week-spending-amid-record-travel-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 08:02:49 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Apple has started testing Douyin Pay as a new mobile payment service on its China App Store, according to mainland media reports, while purportedly leaked images of the iPhone 17 stirred up discussion on Chinese social media this week. Once tests are completed, Douyin Pay is expected to serve as the fourth payment platform on the mainland App Store, after Ant Group’s Alipay, Tencent Holdings’ WeChat Pay and state-run China UnionPay, according to reports on Tuesday by online local media IThome... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3321744/apple-eyes-douyin-pay-mainland-app-store-while-iphone-17-leak-stirs-online-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3321744/apple-eyes-douyin-pay-mainland-app-store-while-iphone-17-leak-stirs-online-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Jiaying Jiang Jiaying Jiang Last month, the United States passed the Genius Act, a landmark piece of legislation that finally brings stablecoin – a cryptocurrency asset pegged to the US dollar – under a federal regulatory framework. While this may seem like a domestic achievement, the global implications are far-reaching, particularly for jurisdictions in Asia, including Hong Kong and mainland China. The Genius Act is more than just cryptocurrency regulation; it represents a digital extension of US financial influence. By... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3320502/hong-kong-can-lead-charge-yuan-alternative-us-stablecoin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3320502/hong-kong-can-lead-charge-yuan-alternative-us-stablecoin?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Some Hong Kong taxi drivers have called on authorities to provide subsidies and a grace period to help the industry comply with looming requirements to accept fares through electronic payment methods and install journey recorders. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, the Transport and Logistics Bureau revealed that the mandatory requirement for taxi drivers to provide e-payment methods would be implemented on April 1 of next year. The bureau said a significant portion of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3318536/hong-kong-taxi-drivers-must-offer-least-2-e-payment-methods-april-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3318536/hong-kong-taxi-drivers-must-offer-least-2-e-payment-methods-april-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:41:31 +0000 Gerui Wang Gerui Wang The global frenzy around China’s Labubu, the candy-coloured monster character with the mischievous smile adorning bags, desks, streets and social feeds worldwide, is often hailed as a triumph of Chinese soft power. But Labubu’s success reveals something deeper: the unmatched sophistication of China’s integrated platform economy. Pop Mart, Labubu’s retailer, started with a small shop in Beijing in 2010 but has leveraged China’s unique digital ecosystem in recent years to build a global... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316496/labubus-rise-reflects-hitmaker-ability-chinas-digital-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316496/labubus-rise-reflects-hitmaker-ability-chinas-digital-ecosystem?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China already has de facto stablecoins in the form of WeChat Pay and Alipay, a top economist at the country’s leading investment bank has argued – amid growing calls for Beijing to quickly adapt to the global rise of digital assets. “From an economic perspective, money based on third-party payment platforms functions much like stablecoins – and China holds a comparative advantage in this area, having already built a relatively mature regulatory framework,” said Peng Wensheng, chief economist at... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316124/wechat-and-alipay-are-chinas-comparative-advantage-stablecoin-race-top-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316124/wechat-and-alipay-are-chinas-comparative-advantage-stablecoin-race-top-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 06:00:17 +0000