Alipay
Leading digital payment platform in China
Alipay is a third-party mobile and online payment platform, established in Hangzhou, China in 2004 by Alibaba Group. It is the world's largest mobile payment platform with over 1 billion users globally.
At a glance
Implementation Fit
Deep dive
Alipay fees, settlement, and best-fit use cases
Typical fees by method
| Method / flow | Typical fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-border online payments (Alipay+ / Global) | ~1.2%-3.5% | Varies by acquiring market, currency, and product (Card+ vs wallet checkout) |
| Domestic China transactions | ~0.55%-1.0% | Applies to merchants with a China entity; lower than cross-border rates |
| Refunds | Processing fee usually not returned | Confirm refund handling per contract before launch |
| Settlement / payout | FX spread applies | CNY settlement converts to your payout currency at Ant's reference rate |
Published list rates; confirm current pricing with the provider for your markets and volume.
Settlement and payouts
- Cross-border merchants are typically settled via Ant International partners in T+1 to T+2 cycles, converted from CNY into the payout currency.
- Domestic China merchants settle to a mainland bank account under PBOC rules, usually faster than cross-border payouts.
- Settlement currency and schedule depend on the acquiring partner you sign with, so compare quotes from more than one acquirer.
- FX conversion uses the platform's reference rate at settlement time - model the spread, not just the headline transaction fee.
When Alipay is the right choice
Selling to Chinese consumers from abroad
Alipay is the default checkout for hundreds of millions of Chinese shoppers. Cross-border merchants in travel, luxury, education, and gaming commonly add Alipay to lift conversion where cards barely register.
In-person QR acceptance for tourism
Retailers, hotels, and restaurants serving Chinese travelers accept Alipay via static or dynamic QR codes through acquirer-provided terminals and stickers.
Not the right fit outside Chinese buyer flows
Alipay does not replace a general-purpose PSP for US or European domestic checkout. Use it as an add-on method behind Stripe, Adyen, Checkout.com, or a local acquirer that supports it as a method.
How can a foreign merchant accept Alipay without a Chinese company?
Through Alipay+ / Ant International cross-border acquiring, either directly or via a global PSP that offers Alipay as a payment method. No mainland entity is required for the cross-border flow.
Does Alipay require Chinese-language integration?
No. Global docs, SDKs, and checkout are available in English; the shopper-facing wallet flow renders in the buyer's app language.
Is Alipay the same as Alipay+?
Alipay is the wallet; Alipay+ is Ant International's cross-border scheme that also connects other Asian wallets. Merchants usually integrate Alipay+ once and can enable additional wallets.
Developers
Integration surface
Everything a technical team usually needs to evaluate implementation effort.
Business
Commercial model and operating profile
A clearer breakdown of pricing structure, settlement, and currency support.
Pricing Model
percentage
1.2% - 3.5%
Settlement Time
T+1 to T+3 business days
Pricing Details
Fees vary by region and transaction type. Domestic transactions in China have lower fees.
Supported Currencies
Capabilities
Core product features
Key merchant-facing functions that usually matter during provider comparison.
Acceptance
Supported payment methods
A scannable view of cards, wallets, local methods, and alternative rails supported by this provider.