Alipay+ Empowers New Growth Opportunities for Malaysian SMEs, Contributing More Than 80% of Inbound QR Payments via DuitNow

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Alipay+ Empowers New Growth Opportunities for Malaysian SMEs, Contributing More Than 80% of Inbound QR Payments via DuitNow

2025-03-17 16:00 Last Updated At：16:11

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2025--

In their first full year of partnership in 2024, Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) and Ant International, a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider, brought new economic opportunities to Malaysian SMEs, with Alipay+ making up more than 80 percent of cross-border inbound QR payments via DuitNow. In the peak travel season in December 2024, the partnership enabled 6 times growth in revenue for Malaysian merchants, compared to the same period in 2023.

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In October 2023, Alipay+, a unified wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services under Ant International, went live on DuitNow QR, enabling Malaysian SMEs to accept QR payments from international travellers. Today, the number of Alipay+ payment partners that can make payment via DuitNow QR, has more than doubled to 15 international apps, bringing even more customers to Malaysian SMEs.

The Alipay+ partners enabled for use in Malaysia are: Alipay (Chinese mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), MPay (Macao SAR, China), TrueMoney and KBank (Thailand), Changi Pay (Singapore), Hipay (Mongolia), HelloMoney and GCash (The Philippines), Tinaba (Italy), Kaspi (Kazakhstan), BigPay (Singapore, Thailand), Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Toss (South Korea).

“As Malaysia’s national payments network, PayNet is committed to building an open and seamless payment ecosystem that enables businesses to thrive,” said Gary Yeoh, Chief Marketing Officer of PayNet. “Our partnership with Ant International has significantly enhanced cross-border payment acceptance for local merchants, helping them tap into a growing wave of global travellers. With Alipay+ as a key driver, DuitNow QR is empowering SMEs to compete on an international scale, reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a premier travel and shopping destination.”

Gateway to growth for Malaysian businesses

Enabled by Alipay+, travellers from 10 countries and regions can now pay using their home payment app at more than 2.5 million DuitNow QR touchpoints in Malaysia simply by scanning the DuitNow QR. In 2024, the number of Alipay+ transactions on DuitNow QR has on average increased by 50 percent quarter-on-quarter, making Alipay+ the biggest contributor to cross-border inbound QR payment, and empowering Malaysian merchants to benefit from the growth in travel.

“We have always believed in the power of travel, for connectivity, cultural exchange and as an economic driver,” said Edward Yue, General Manager for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Ant International. “With Alipay+, we offer local businesses a gateway to global customers, driving more inclusive growth in local communities. PayNet has built the infrastructure and partnerships to enable this, and we’re proud to collaborate and bring international users into this ecosystem. We’re just getting started, and in the years ahead, we can make an even greater impact together, positioning Malaysia as a global tourism hub and generating more growth for Malaysian businesses.”

According to Tourism Malaysia, the country welcomed more than 25 million visitors in 2024, with a goal of 35.6 million for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. VM2026 aims to increase tourism revenue, strengthen Malaysia’s global tourism competitiveness, and ultimately position the sector as one of the largest contributors to the country’s GDP.

With the extensive merchant coverage of DuitNow, travellers are enjoying the convenience and seamless experience, paying with their own payment app across Malaysia, with the number of visitors using an Alipay+-enabled payment app increasing five times year-on-year in Q4 2024. Top visited cities include: Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu.

Travel like a local with seamless payments

Malaysia is known as a foodie and cultural haven. Other than shopping, local food including kopitiams (coffee shops), bakeries, and shops selling bak kut teh, satay and locally-produced confectionary accounts for the most transactions amongst travellers. Travellers are also visiting bars and cocktail lounges, cementing Malaysia’s status as a hub for local and international cuisine. Museums like the Baba and Nonya Heritage museum and Sun Yat Sen museum are some of the most visited attractions.

Also on the rise are outdoors and wellness activities, with travellers visiting sporting and recreation camps, diving, fishing and fitness centres, and massage and beauty salons. They enjoy the convenience of day-to-day travel, with one of the highest transactions at convenience stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and vending machines.

In 2025 and beyond, PayNet and Ant International will continue to collaborate through merchant connectivity, marketing and educational campaigns to bring even more growth to Malaysian SMEs.

About Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd

Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is the national payments network and central financial infrastructure for Malaysia with the vision to empower Malaysia's digital economy. Our extensive retail payments suite, DuitNow (QR and P2P), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS (ATM), and IBG (Interbank GIRO) has near ubiquitous coverage across the nation and is part of the daily fabric of life in Malaysia. In addition, PayNet’s real time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is also interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia to enable seamless cross-border transactions with those countries.

PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia, and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.

For more information, please visit www.paynet.my.

About DuitNow

Learn more at: https://www.duitnow.my/index.html

About Alipay+

Ant International's Alipay+ is a unified wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payment, a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app while travelling abroad. Small and medium-sized businesses may use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 404 Palestinians and shatter ceasefire with Hamas

2025-03-18 18:48 Last Updated At：18:51

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing at least 404 Palestinians, including women and children, according to hospital officials. The surprise bombardment shattered a ceasefire in place since January and threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel's actions.

The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate eastern Gaza, including much of the northern town of Beit Hanoun and other communities further south, and head toward the center of the territory, indicating that Israel could soon launch renewed ground operations.

“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu’s office said.

The attack during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan could resume a war that has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza. It also raised questions about the fate of the roughly two dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive.

A senior Hamas official said Netanyahu’s decision to return to war amounts to a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages. Izzat al-Risheq accused Netanyahu of launching the strikes to try and save his far-right governing coalition and called on mediators to “reveal facts” on who broke the truce. Hamas said at least four senior officials were killed in Tuesday's strikes.

There were no reports of any attacks by Hamas several hours after the bombardment, indicating it still hoped to restore the truce.

The strikes came as Netanyahu comes under mounting domestic pressure, with mass protests planned over his handling of the hostage crisis and his decision to fire the head of Israel's internal security agency. His latest testimony in a long-running corruption trial was canceled after the strikes.

The main group representing families of the captives accused the government of backing out of the ceasefire, saying it “chose to give up on the hostages.”

“We are shocked, angry and terrified by the deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loved ones from the terrible captivity of Hamas,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.

A strike on a home in the southern city of Rafah killed 17 members of one family, including at least 12 women and children, according to the European Hospital, which received the bodies. The dead included five children, their parents, and another father and his three children.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, Associated Press reporters saw explosions and plumes of smoke. Ambulances brought wounded people to Nasser Hospital, where patients lay on the floor, some screaming. A young girl cried as her bloody arm was bandaged.

Many Palestinians said they had expected a return to war when talks over the second phase of the ceasefire did not begin as scheduled in early February. Israel instead embraced an alternative proposal and cut off all shipments of food, fuel and other aid to the territory's 2 million Palestinians to try to pressure Hamas to accept it.

“Nobody wants to fight,” Palestinian resident Nidal Alzaanin told the AP by phone from Gaza City. "Everyone is still suffering from the previous months,” he said.

Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 404 people were killed in the strikes and more than 560 had been wounded. It revised its confirmed count after saying earlier Tuesday that 413 were dead and 660 wounded. Rescuers were still searching the rubble for dead and wounded as the strikes continued. It was among the deadliest days of the war.

The White House sought to blame Hamas for the renewed fighting. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the militant group "could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the unfolding operation, said Israel was striking Hamas' military, leaders and infrastructure and planned to expand the operation beyond air attacks. The official accused Hamas of attempting to rebuild and plan new attacks. Hamas militants and security forces quickly returned to the streets in recent weeks after the ceasefire went into effect.

Netanyahu's office said the Israeli leader held security consultations with senior officials. It did not provide further details.

The strikes came two months after a ceasefire was reached to pause the war. Over six weeks, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in a first phase of the ceasefire.

But since that ceasefire ended two weeks ago, the sides have not been able to agree on a way forward with a second phase aimed at releasing the 59 remaining hostages, 35 of whom are believed to be dead, and ending the war altogether.

Hamas has demanded an end to the war and full withdrawal of Israeli troops in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. Israel says it will not end the war until it destroys Hamas' governing and military capabilities and frees all hostages — two goals that could be incompatible.

Netanyahu's office on Tuesday said Hamas had “repeatedly refused to release our hostages and rejected all offers it received from the U.S. presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators.”

Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas instead wants to follow the ceasefire deal reached by the two sides, which calls for negotiations to begin on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase, in which the remaining hostages would be released and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza.

A return to war would allow Netanyahu to avoid the tough trade-offs called for in the second phase of the agreement and the thorny question of who would govern Gaza. It would also shore up his coalition, which depends on far-right lawmakers who want to depopulate Gaza and re-build Jewish settlements there.

The war erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefires or other deals, with israeli forces rescuing only eight and recovering dozens of bodies.

Israel responded with a military offensive that killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza's population. The territory's Health Ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and militants, but says over half of the dead have been women and children.

The ceasefire had brought some relief to Gaza and allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to resume to what remained of their homes.

The released hostages, some of whom were emaciated, have repeatedly implored the government to press ahead with the ceasefire to return all remaining captives. Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken part in mass demonstrations calling for a ceasefire and return of all hostages.

Mass demonstrations are planned later Tuesday and Wednesday following Netanyahu's announcement this week that he wants to fire the head of Israel's Shin Bet internal security agency. Critics have lambasted the move as an attempt by Netanyahu to divert blame for his government's failures in the Oct. 7 attack and handling of the war.

Since the ceasefire in Gaza began in mid-January, Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians who the military says approached its troops or entered unauthorized areas.

Still, the deal has tenuously held without an outbreak of wide violence. Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate the next steps in the ceasefire.

Federman reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press reporters Mohammad Jahjouh in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip; Abdel Kareem Hana in Gaza City, Gaza Strip; Fatma Khaled in Cairo; and Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war