SINGAPORE: Like the thousands of Chinese tourists who chose to spend their Golden Week holiday in Singapore, Ms Leng Jiying, a 30-year-old PhD student from the city of Guangzhou, had been meticulously planning her trip in advance. 

She booked tickets for popular local attractions like the Singapore Zoo on travel portal Ctrip.com, and made payment using WeChat Pay – a Chinese mobile payment and digital wallet service on the WeChat super app. “It was cheaper and more convenient,” Ms Leng said.  

Also visiting the zoo during the national holiday period was Ms Zhang Huifang, a 44-year-old homemaker who had travelled to Singapore from Shanghai with her granddaughter. 

Like Ms Leng, she had also purchased tickets using WeChat Pay. “Using payment methods we already know makes everything easier,” she told CNA, adding that there was an added perk: lower ticket prices thanks to promotional deals and discounts that were offered on the app. 

She paid 336 yuan (roughly US$48) for a pair of tickets (one adult and one child) – as compared to the slightly higher price of 451 yuan if she had bought both tickets in person. 

USING CHINESE E-WALLETS AND APPS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES

China’s rapid economic growth and role as a leading mobile phone hub has transformed its domestic payment landscape quickly. Today it is the world’s largest cashless society where digital wallets and e-payment apps are used by the vast majority of shoppers every day to pay for items in person as well as online. 

Industry experts note that these digital payment m...