Beijing establishes Visa-UnionPay Zone to aid tourist payments

Visa has partnered with China UnionPay to establish the Visa-UnionPay Zone. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

Visa has partnered with China UnionPay to establish the Visa-UnionPay Zone, an accessible payment service demonstration zone along Beijing's Central Axis - a popular destination for tourists that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July.

The initiative, launched on Saturday, aims to further expand the acceptance of international payment cards by upgrading payment terminals and empowering merchants, ensuring alignment with global visitor payment preferences and enhancing the convenience and accessibility of payment options for them, officials and executives said.

Within the demonstration zone, a diverse range of payment service will be made available. Key merchants within the zone will fully support Visa and other international card payments through swipe, tap-to-pay and digital wallets.

Visa will introduce low-cost, all-in-one payment devices with "card + QR code" functionality in partnership with Bank of Beijing, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of Communications and Lakala.

Meanwhile, China UnionPay and acquiring institutions will roll out integrated payment terminals that support card, QR code and mobile payments.

"We look forward to seeing tangible results from the Visa-China UnionPay Zone, which will serve as a model for integrating cultural heritage preservation with internationalized services," said Sun Shuo, deputy mayor of Beijing.

This initiative will be a major milestone in Beijing's efforts to establish itself as a global exchange hub and drive high-quality development. Beijing welcomes visitors from around the world to travel, work and live in the city, sharing in the limitless opportunities of the capital's development in the new era, Sun added.

China's recent visa-free travel policy expansions and improvements in tourism infrastructure have led to a surge in international visitors. During the 2025 Chinese New Year holiday, China recorded 958,000 foreign arrivals and departures, a 22.9 percent increase from the previous year, data from the National Immigration Administration showed.

Oliver Jenkyn, Visa's Group president, Global Markets said, "We aim to establish a world-class, accessible payment demonstration zone in Beijing, setting a new benchmark for international card acceptance."

"This will provide foreign visitors with convenient, secure and diverse payment options, while also promoting Beijing's rich cultural heritage, stimulating tourism spending and empowering small and micro businesses in the tourism sector," Jenkyn said.