Over 100 million users are experiencing simpler payments in China as Alipay, the digital payment platform, reflects on the success of Alipay Tap!, a QR code-based contactless payment and customer engagement solution, almost a year after its launch.
Currently, many merchants in China use a scan-and-pay model, however, with Alipay Tap!, users tap their unlocked phone against a merchant’s terminal or an Alipay Tap! Tag, eliminating the need to open an app, scan a code, or click through multiple screens.
According to Cyril Han Xinyi, CEO of Ant Group, the company has committed RMB10billion to grow the Alipay Tap! ecosystem, empowering partners, especially small businesses to scale.
“From leadership in payment innovation to extensive investments in agentic AI solutions, Alipay is accelerating the two flywheels for its growth: digital payment and 360° digital connectivity,” said Han in a message to Alipay’s 80 million merchant partners nationwide at the 2025 Alipay Tap! Ecosystem Summit. “We believe Alipay Tap! and more similar exciting new initiatives will continue to transform the checkout moment into a wider gateway to enriched consumer experience and merchant business growth.”
The service is also available to international visitors to China, who may now bind their international cards to an Alipay account to pay and travel like a local across the country.
A better customer experience
Data from early adopters show the solution also allows merchants to integrate customer engagement tools more seamlessly into the one-tap payment experience. FamilyMart, the nation-wide convenience store chain, reports that membership sign-ups at checkout tripled post-integration.
The Alipay Tap! solution now supports over 300 scenarios, including ordering food at restaurants, vending machines, power bank rentals, and customer membership and loyalty programs. Available in more than 400 Chinese cities, Alipay Tap! now serves over 5,000 brands such as Burger King and FamilyMart.
Parallel to the expansion of Tap!, Alipay is also accelerating its investments in AI and its agentic solutions. In March 2025, the company unveiled a comprehensive suite of AI solutions for the healthcare sector. The AI Healthcare Manager in the Alipay app offers access to over 30 services — from doctor recommendations to medical report analysis and personalized advice — and has supported 40 million users since its launch in September 2024.
Earlier in April 2025, Alipay unveiled its Model Context Protocol (MCP) payment server, enabling merchants and developers to use natural language to access Alipay payment services through their preferred MCP clients or AI agents.
