Grab and Alipay in payments tie-up for Chinese travellers in Singapore, Thailand

BEGINNING Tuesday (June 21), Chinese travellers in Singapore and Thailand will be able to pay for their taxi and private-hire car rides booked through Grab by using their Alipay accounts.

Ride-hailing app Grab and Alipay's parent company Ant Financial Services Group on Tuesday announced a deal to provide a "cross-border payment solution" to Chinese travellers visiting or residing in Singapore and Thailand.

Until now, Chinese travellers had to pay for their rides in cash, or by connecting their dual-currency credit cards, according to a press release from Grab and Alipay.

"With the Alipay payment option added, all Chinese travellers can pay for their fares in Renminbi, without having to worry about currency exchange," they said.

Grab and Alipay plan to make the Alipay payment option available in other South-east Asian markets that Grab currently operates in.

Grab is also working with local mobile operators to offer mobile wallet solutions, it said.