UnionPay International

UnionPay International Co., Ltd. is the international operating company associated with China UnionPay, the Chinese bank-card network. Its role is to extend the UnionPay payment system beyond mainland China by working with banks, payment institutions, merchants, automated teller machine operators, mobile-wallet providers, and other payment-industry participants in overseas markets. The company’s activities center on international acceptance and cross-border payment services. It supports the use of UnionPay cards outside the cardholder’s home market, helps overseas institutions issue UnionPay cards, and develops arrangements that allow UnionPay cards and related payment credentials to be accepted at points of sale, online merchants, ATMs, transit systems, and other payment locations. It also works with local financial institutions and payment networks on acquiring, routing, settlement, and network connectivity. UnionPay International is part of the broader expansion of UnionPay from a predominantly China-focused bank-card scheme into a global payment network. Its international model relies heavily on partnerships rather than on owning every local acquiring or issuing institution. Depending on the market, UnionPay may operate through bilateral acceptance agreements, co-branding arrangements, network interconnection, local issuer relationships, mobile-payment integrations, and cooperation with regional or domestic payment schemes. The company’s offering is relevant to several customer groups. Chinese consumers and businesses use UnionPay’s international services for travel, overseas purchases, cash access, and corporate payments. Overseas banks and payment companies may use the network to issue cards to local customers or to provide acceptance for visitors carrying UnionPay credentials. Merchants and acquirers benefit from access to UnionPay cardholders, while digital-wallet and fintech partners can connect UnionPay payment capabilities with mobile and online commerce. UnionPay International is not a separately listed public company and is generally presented as the international business arm or subsidiary of China UnionPay. Publicly available corporate descriptions emphasize network expansion, payment convenience, cooperation with local partners, and the development of digital and mobile payment services. Exact market counts, transaction volumes, ownership details, executive appointments, and financial results should be taken from current official disclosures because these figures and corporate arrangements can change over time.

UnionPay International developed from China UnionPay’s effort to operate and expand the UnionPay bank-card network in markets outside mainland China. Rather than functioning primarily as a consumer-facing bank, the company operates as a payment-network and partnership platform. Its international work involves connecting UnionPay with overseas issuers, acquirers, merchants, ATMs, payment institutions, mobile wallets, and local payment schemes. The company’s international expansion has been based on network cooperation. In one market, the relevant arrangement may involve enabling merchants and ATMs to accept UnionPay cards; in another, a local bank may issue UnionPay cards; and in another, UnionPay may cooperate with a domestic card scheme or digital-wallet provider. These arrangements allow UnionPay to broaden international reach while relying on local institutions for parts of issuing, acquiring, compliance, settlement, distribution, and customer service. Cross-border travel has been an important use case for the business. UnionPay cardholders can use the network for overseas retail purchases, e-commerce, ATM withdrawals, and other transactions where UnionPay acceptance is available. The company also serves overseas consumers and financial institutions by supporting locally issued UnionPay cards and by making UnionPay acceptance available to merchants that want access to the network’s cardholders. As payment behavior has shifted from physical cards and cash withdrawals toward online commerce, contactless payments, mobile wallets, and account-based digital experiences, UnionPay International has also been associated with digital-payment connectivity. Its role in such services is generally collaborative: the company works with banks, payment providers, technology companies, and local schemes rather than replacing the complete domestic payment infrastructure of each market. The international business operates within a regulated and competitive payments environment. Market access can depend on licensing, domestic clearing rules, data and cybersecurity requirements, sanctions and financial-crime controls, foreign-exchange arrangements, and the commercial terms agreed with local partners. Competition comes from international card networks, domestic payment schemes, bank-led systems, digital wallets, and newer account-to-account payment infrastructures. Because UnionPay International is a subsidiary rather than a separately listed issuer, comprehensive standalone financial reporting and a continuously maintained public executive history may not be available in the same form as for a listed payment company. A complete historical account should therefore distinguish the company’s international activities from those of China UnionPay as a whole and should verify corporate milestones against current official disclosures.

A China-based international payment-network operator focused on expanding UnionPay acceptance, issuance, and cross-border payment connectivity through cooperation with overseas financial institutions, merchants, payment networks, and digital-payment platforms.

• Payment network

  International UnionPay card-network acceptance

  Services that enable UnionPay cards and related payment credentials to be used at participating merchants, online businesses, ATMs, transit operators, and other acceptance points outside the cardholder’s primary domestic market. Delivery commonly depends on cooperation with local acquirers, merchants, payment processors, and financial institutions.

• Card issuing

  UnionPay international card issuance support

  Network and partnership services that allow banks and other eligible institutions in overseas markets to issue UnionPay-branded or UnionPay-linked cards. Local issuers remain responsible for their customer relationships and regulatory obligations, while UnionPay International provides access to the wider UnionPay network and associated processing arrangements.

• Cross-border payments

  Cross-border payment connectivity

  Payment-network connectivity supporting purchases, cash access, and other transactions conducted across borders. The service connects cardholders, issuers, acquirers, merchants, and payment partners and may involve authorization, routing, clearing, settlement, foreign-exchange, and risk-control functions handled across participating institutions.

• Digital payments

  Mobile and digital payment connectivity

  Digital-payment capabilities associated with UnionPay cards and payment credentials, including mobile-wallet integration, online acceptance, tokenized or contactless use cases, and cooperation with fintech or domestic payment platforms. Availability and functionality vary by market, partner, device, and applicable regulation.

• 2024

  Source

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• 2026-10-27

  GCB Bank and UnionPay International partner to issue RMB cards[4]GCB Bank与银联国际合作发行人民币卡graphic.com.gh

  Reported: 2026-10-27

  GCB Bank PLC partnered with UnionPay International to issue UnionPay debit and prepaid cards, including UnionPay’s first Renminbi payment card using the Chinese currency directly for clearing and settlement.

• 2021-11-17

  UPI and Huawei announce wearable payment service in overseas markets[5]银联国际与华为宣布在海外市场推出可穿戴设备支付服务tass.com

  Reported: 2021-11-17

  UnionPay International announced with Huawei a wearable-based mobile payment service outside mainland China, starting in Hong Kong, Macao, and Russia. The service enables consumers to pay by adding UnionPay cards to a Huawei Watch 3.

• 2021-05-04

  Ozan SuperApp completes UnionPay International membership[6]Ozan SuperApp 完成 UnionPay International 会员加入prnewswire.com

  Reported: 2021-05-04

  Ozan SuperApp announced that it had completed its UnionPay International membership. The cooperation enables Ozan SuperApp users to create UnionPay virtual cards and use a prepaid physical card.

• 2021-04-13

  Splitit announces global partnership with UnionPay International[7]Splitit宣布与UnionPay International建立全球合作关系fnarena.com

  Reported: 2021-04-13

  Splitit announced a global partnership with UnionPay International, which will integrate Splitit to make its installment payment product available to its network. The source says UnionPay credit cardholders will be able to use the option at merchants offering Splitit from June FY21.

• 2021-03-08

  Commercial Bank collaborates with UnionPay International on QR payments[8]Commercial Bank与银联国际合作拓展二维码支付受理island.lk

  Reported: 2021-03-08

  Commercial Bank of Ceylon announced a collaboration with UnionPay International to enable UnionPay QR code payment acceptance in Sri Lanka.

• Unconfirmed

  Huawei Pay announces Singapore payment partnerships[9]Huawei Pay宣布在新加坡建立支付合作伙伴关系rfidworld.com.cn

  Huawei Pay announced partnerships with Aleta Planet and UnionPay International to offer Huawei users in Singapore a mobile payment solution supporting NFC and QR code payments.

• 2020-12-29

  UnionPay International, Huawei and Solidarnost Bank extend contactless payment cooperation in Russia[10]UnionPay International, Huawei and Solidarnost Bank extend contactless payment cooperation in Russiaprnewswire.com

  Reported: 2020-12-29

  UnionPay International announced cooperation with Huawei and Solidarnost Bank enabling UnionPay cardholders using HUAWEI or HONOR smartphones to make contactless payments with HUAWEI Pay in Russia.

• 2020-11-24

  UnionPay International and ADIB enable contactless payments on 15,000 UAE terminals[11]银联国际与ADIB在阿联酋1.5万台终端启用非接触式支付prnewswire.com

  Reported: 2020-11-24

  UnionPay International partnered with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to enable UnionPay card and contactless payment transactions on the bank's 15,000 NFC terminals in the UAE. The bank said all of its POS terminals had been enabled for contactless payment service.

• 2020-07-29

  UnionPay partners with Glovo[12]银联与 Glovo 达成合作finanznachrichten.de

  Reported: 2020-07-29

  UnionPay International announced a partnership with Glovo enabling UnionPay cardholders to use Glovo's app initially in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy.

• Unconfirmed

  UnionPay International and AXA Tianping launch student insurance partnership[13]银联国际与安盛天平推出留学生保险合作bank.cnfol.com

  UnionPay International announced a collaboration with AXA Tianping Insurance to offer student insurance that includes COVID-19 medical coverage.

Showing the 10 most recent.

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3. 3中国银联因违反商户管理等规定被央行罚款1540万元thepaper.cn
4. 4GCB Bank与银联国际合作发行人民币卡graphic.com.gh
5. 5银联国际与华为宣布在海外市场推出可穿戴设备支付服务tass.com
6. 6Ozan SuperApp 完成 UnionPay International 会员加入prnewswire.com
7. 7Splitit宣布与UnionPay International建立全球合作关系fnarena.com
8. 8Commercial Bank与银联国际合作拓展二维码支付受理island.lk
9. 9Huawei Pay宣布在新加坡建立支付合作伙伴关系rfidworld.com.cn
10. 10UnionPay International, Huawei and Solidarnost Bank extend contactless payment cooperation in Russiaprnewswire.com
11. 11银联国际与ADIB在阿联酋1.5万台终端启用非接触式支付prnewswire.com
12. 12银联与 Glovo 达成合作finanznachrichten.de
13. 13银联国际与安盛天平推出留学生保险合作bank.cnfol.com
14. 14银联国际推出UCSP及Pay+生态系统finanznachrichten.de
15. 15银联国际在巴基斯坦推出华为Pay移动支付服务prnewswire.com
16. 16PayPal与银联国际宣布全球合作伙伴关系prnasia.com
17. 17iShopping.pk and UnionPay agree to enable UPOP paymentspropakistani.pk
18. 18PayPal Partners with UnionPay to Expand Its Network in China - Coinspeakercoinspeaker.com
19. 19Splitit Partners with UnionPay, the World’s Largest Card Network of 9 Billion Cardholdersibtimes.com.au