Wirecard Teams With Cimple For Alipay, FamilyMart Plans Mobile Payment Service

Welcome to The Axis, your late look at payments news from around the world. Coverage includes Wirecard’s collaboration with Cimple Marketing for Alipay in Europe. In addition, Japan’s FamilyMart plans to roll out a mobile payment service, Khalti teamed up with food delivery company Foodmandu for digital payments in Nepal and FitBit Pay is waiting for Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clearance in India.

Japan’s FamilyMart plans to bring a mobile payment service to market this coming summer, the Nikkei Asian Review reported. In order to tap into the offering, shoppers will use an app to show cashiers a quick-response (QR) code that they will scan. And, to top off their accounts, customers will reportedly be able to pay a cashier at one of the company’s locations. In addition, it was reported that shoppers could connect a credit card to their accounts. FamilyMart Uny Holdings and Itochu developed the offering through a joint venture, which is said to be rolled out through an app update.

And, in Sweden, Wirecard teamed up with Cimple Marketing in an effort to bring Alipay to Venue Retail Group stores, according to reports. The retailer, which operates 124 stores in Norway and Sweden, counts Morris, Accent, Rizzo and NK Shoes & Accessories as its concept brands. With the offering, Wirecard noted that the retailer “will become an attractive shopping destination for Chinese visitors.” The collaboration comes as 12.4 million people from China traveled to Europe last year and that figure could rise to 20.8 million when 2022 rolls around. Venue Retail Group Sales Director Jonas Stille said, according to reports, “More Chinese visitors are turning from traditional sightseeing to in-depth traveling, seeking to experience the local lifestyle — including shopping.”

In Nepal, payment firm Khalti teamed up with food delivery service Foodmandu for digital payments, NepaliTelecom reported. To help kick off the relationship, Khalti plans to give Foodmandu users a discount and future offers are reportedly to come. With the tie-up, the companies are aiming to move the needle from cash-on-delivery payments to online payments. Khalti Director Amit Agrawal said, according to the outlet, “Nepal’s payment ecosystem is in the midst of a shift toward digital. We are seeing a surge in demand for online purchases as more people are feeling at ease paying for products and services via digital channels.”

Over in India, wearables payment service FitBit Pay is reportedly ready to launch and waiting for Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clearance, The Times Of India reported. Yet it was reported that owners of Fitbit Versa and Ionic smartwatches from places where the service has rolled out can make payments in India. However, they can’t add an Indian credit card to the app. Fitbit India Country General Manager Alok Shankar said, according to the outlet, “We are ready to launch Fitbit Pay in India and it is just a matter of time as we are waiting for RBI to provide Fitbit Pay the necessary approvals and clearances so that customers of Indian banks can add their credit/debit to the Fitbit Pay infrastructure.”