UnionPay International expands and enhances European presence

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Nov 07, 2023, 06:55 ET

SHANGHAI, Nov. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International, or UPI, a global leader in the payment industry, is continuing to bolster its presence in the European market by delivering high-quality, efficient and secure cross-border payment services to international cardholders. With a focus on localized business development, UnionPay is expanding its comprehensive payment solutions in key European markets while offering broad acceptance and enhanced services to meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.

Currently, more than 90 percent of countries and regions in Europe accept UnionPay cards. The coverage of UnionPay payment products includes scenarios throughout Europe with a wide range of merchants from renowned brand stores and department stores to fast-food restaurants, supermarkets and hotels.

The European countries most frequently visited by Chinese tourists — the United Kingdom, France and Germany — are among those with widespread UnionPay acceptance. Moreover, at merchant pointof-sale, or POS, and ATM terminals in Italy and Spain, acceptance coverage is close to 100 percent.

In September, UnionPay partnered with Hungary's K&H Payment Services to launch a large-scale card acceptance deal covering Central Europe and expanding its card acceptance network in Hungary. Approximately 25,000 POS terminals across 12,000 merchants are now accessible for UnionPay cardholders — a collaboration that enhances consumer payment options and facilitates convenient and secure transactions.

With around 70 percent of merchants in Germany enabling UnionPay acceptance, UnionPay cards have become widely accepted in airports, business districts, shopping areas and more. Union-Pay has expanded its payment options by partnering with major supermarket chain Aldi Süd, enabling UnionPay cards as a payment tool in over 2,000 stores. Additionally, it has introduced QR code acceptance at Müller, a leading pharmacy and cosmetics chain store, providing both Chinese visitors and Chinese citizens living in the country with diverse and innovative payment experiences.

Nova Banka in the city of Banja Luka, in partnership with Union-Pay, has rolled out UnionPay's virtual card solution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through the TIZI e-wallet, customers of Nova Banka can make mobile contactless payments using their UnionPay virtual cards. This service is available on the TIZI wallet Android app, utilizing host card emulation technology.

With over 5 million merchant terminals accepting contactless services, residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina can enjoy the convenience of UnionPay virtual cards for their daily transactions, including groceries, gasoline and dining.

UnionPay has also made significant strides in the Serbian market, deepening its localized business development. The country has established a wide-reaching UnionPay payment network, covering approximately 95 percent of the local market. In collaboration with DinaCard, the national payment card of Serbia, UnionPay launched UnionPay-DinaCard co-branded cards, marking the debut of UnionPay in the country. With the support of the National Bank of Serbia, nearly 400,000 UnionPay cards have been issued, providing Serbian consumers with seamless payment experiences both locally and internationally.

On the Italian Peninsula, UnionPay Italy partnered with Nexi earlier this year to achieve enablement of 83,000 of new POS terminals. Additionally, 450,000 PaybyLink merchants have been enabled by Nexi, providing convenient and secure payment options for consumers.

Meanwhile, European payment institution BKN301 celebrated a significant milestone in its journey toward international markets by becoming a member of UnionPay in 2022 and integrating the international circuit into the San Marino Payment and Fintech Institute's offering. This enables San Marino merchants to accept online and offline payments. Moreover, San Marino UnionPay cardholders now enjoy the efficiency, convenience and security of cross-border payment services.

UnionPay cards have achieved widespread acceptance in Spain, with nearly 100 percent coverage at ATMs and over 90 percent coverage at POS merchants. Cardholders can conveniently use them in shops, restaurants and hotels, as well as paying for transportation services. Over 65 percent of merchants accept UnionPay contactless payments, including cards and mobile payments.

UnionPay QR payment is also accepted in all El Corte Ingles stores in Spain. Additionally, more than 50 percent of the country's online merchants support UnionPay, making online shopping and tuition payments more convenient for cardholders.

Partnerships with key tourism partners, including Vueling Airlines, Renfe National Railway, and Paradores Hotel Group, enhance UnionPay's presence in the Spanish market. To boost convenience for Spanish travelers to China, UnionPay and Pecunpay have collaborated to introduce a debit card that is widely accepted across the country. To access this service, users simply need to download the Yi An app, available in Spanish, English and Mandarin, and apply for a physical or virtual debit card.

In Portugal, UnionPay cards are accepted at 80 percent of merchants and all ATMs. Cardholders can easily apply for UnionPay cards through Millennium bcp bank, which provides them with seamless payment experiences across the country.

Through partnerships and collaborations with local financial institutions and merchants, UnionPay strives to provide seamless and secure payment experiences to international cardholders. With its commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions, UnionPay is well positioned to meet the evolving needs of the European market and contribute to the growth of the continent's payment industry.

In partnership with more than 2,500 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in 181 countries and regions, with issuance in 79 markets.