Faster frappuccinos in China as Starbucks joins WeChat payments

Shanghai

WECHAT lets users text friends, post selfies and pay a gas bill with a smartphone. Now, the blockbuster Chinese app - known as Weixin Pay in China - can also be used to buy a Java Chip Frappuccino.

Starbucks Corp said on Thursday that it will accept the payments system at about 2,500 of its cafes across China, enabling customers to complete purchases with a scan of their phone. The agreement with Tencent Holdings Ltd means the Seattle-based chain joins foreign retailers, including KFC, Disney and Uniqlo, in embracing the cashless mobile payments ubiquitous in China.