Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) has announced the official launch of outbound DuitNow QR payment connectivity through Alipay+, the unified cross-border mobile payment and digital wallet gateway operated by Ant International. This strategic development means that Malaysians traveling abroad can now utilize supported local mobile banking applications to execute seamless payments at participating merchants that accept Alipay+ across five key destinations: the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, South Korea, the Philippines, and Laos. According to the announcement, additional international markets will be integrated into the network progressively over the coming months.
At the initial rollout, three major Malaysian financial institutions—Maybank, CIMB, and Hong Leong Bank—are serving as the launch banks for the service, with Bank Islam scheduled to introduce the capability to its customer base shortly. This milestone represents a major step forward in PayNet’s long-term strategic roadmap to extend secure, seamless, and highly interoperable payment connectivity far beyond Malaysia’s domestic borders. Furthermore, the initiative directly supports Bank Negara Malaysia’s broader vision of fostering a financial ecosystem characterized by faster, more efficient, and fully inclusive cross-border payment mechanisms for individuals and businesses alike.
The operational mechanics of the new service are designed to provide maximum convenience without introducing friction for the user. When visiting participating merchants in any of the five supported destinations, a customer simply needs to open the DuitNow QR payment function within their existing Malaysian mobile banking application. By scanning the merchant’s QR code—specifically those displaying the Alipay+ logo—the user can review the transaction details, convert the currency seamlessly, and confirm the payment securely within the same mobile application. Crucially, consumers are not required to download any secondary applications or register for a separate Alipay+ account to complete the transaction, maintaining a user experience that closely mirrors domestic digital transactions.
Praveen Rajan, Chief Executive Officer of PayNet, emphasized the strategic importance of making international commerce feel as natural as local spending. He noted that cross-border payments should ultimately feel as familiar as paying at home, highlighting that this new connectivity gives Malaysians a significantly easier way to manage their payments while traveling abroad. Rajan added that the initiative demonstrates how effective collaboration between domestic financial institutions and global payment technology providers can successfully expand the reach of Malaysia’s national payment infrastructure beyond physical borders. More broadly, he observed that stronger payment connectivity facilitates smoother spending flows across international boundaries, thereby strengthening Malaysia’s economic and commercial links with key regional partners.
This outbound capability naturally builds upon the existing collaboration established between PayNet and Ant International through Alipay+. Since November 2023, international travelers visiting Malaysia who use supported Alipay+ partner e-wallets have been able to make direct payments at DuitNow QR merchant touchpoints nationwide. This inbound framework has already enabled local business owners, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises scattered across the country, to easily tap into international visitor spending through DuitNow QR, which serves as Malaysia’s national QR payment standard. In turn, this reciprocal setup provides vital support to the national tourism economy, aligning neatly with promotional initiatives such as Visit Malaysia 2026-2027.
By introducing outbound capability, PayNet is effectively closing the loop, permitting customers of participating Malaysian banks to pay at Alipay+ accepting merchant locations abroad. The initial selection of five destinations represents the vanguard of this expansion, with a clear pipeline for additional countries to be incorporated into the network over time. This positions PayNet among an elite group of national payment systems worldwide that have successfully expanded global acceptance at scale through the Alipay+ infrastructure.
The scale of the underlying ecosystem is substantial. The Alipay+ network currently connects more than two billion user accounts globally through a network of over 50 international payment partners. It spans a merchant network exceeding 150 million businesses across more than 210 markets, incorporating upwards of 10 national payment schemes, of which PayNet is a prominent member.
Danny Chung, General Manager of the Alipay+ Global Growth Center at Ant International, pointed out that the deepening partnership with PayNet reflects a shared dedication to elevating Malaysia’s national payment infrastructure to a global scale, integrating it more deeply into the worldwide digital economy. He stated that Alipay+ empowers national payment systems to build robust, two-way interoperable connectivity, enabling them to play a much more influential role in facilitating international travel and commerce. Chung noted that this creates expanded commercial opportunities for businesses and consumers alike while driving more inclusive digital economic growth across the region.
This expansion of services arrives against a backdrop of rapidly accelerating cross-border financial activity. Official figures released by PayNet indicate that the organization processed nearly 30 million cross-border transactions throughout 2025, representing an increase of approximately 150 percent compared to the transaction volumes recorded in 2024. Transactions tied directly to the Chinese Mainland accounted for a significant portion of this remarkable growth trajectory, underscoring the high demand for frictionless financial channels between Malaysia and its regional trading partners.
Looking ahead, the Alipay+ outbound QR payment capability has been structured for broad adoption. It is readily available to be integrated by other PayNet-participating commercial banks and electronic wallet providers, which will ultimately allow an even larger segment of the Malaysian population to access convenient overseas QR payments through the financial apps they already use daily. PayNet confirmed that it will continue collaborating closely with domestic financial institutions and regional stakeholders to extend the service to an even wider array of applications and international markets in the future.
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