Today, China became the fifth country to receive Apple Pay. Thanks to a partnership with China’s state-run interbank network UnionPay, users of compatible iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch models can now make mobile payments in China after setting up their device with an eligible China UnionPay card.
Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay, told Reuters that China could prove the biggest Apple Pay market. She noted that, as 19 of the country’s biggest lenders are Apple Pay partners, 80% of China’s credit and debit cards can be used with the mobile payment service.
“China UnionPay and our Apple Pay solution has a huge advantage, given the footprint of China UnionPay,” Bailey continued, adding: “Its merchant acceptance network far exceeds what any of the other mobile platforms have today.”
The Apple Pay website for China indicates that the service can be used in China, now Apple’s second largest market by revenue, much like in other Apple Pay territories. This means that it can be used in retail stores with the iPhone 6 or later and Apple Watch, and within apps on the iPhone 6 or later and the iPad Air 2, iPad Pro, iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 4.
