Tencent rolls out payment app for foreign travellers ahead of Apec summit

Tencent has introduced TenPayGo, a mobile payment application aimed at foreign tourists, as the company aims to tap into China's expanding inbound tourism market ahead of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen. This app, developed by Tencent's WeChat Pay team, enables international travelers to make payments at over 10 million shops, restaurants, and attractions within the WeChat Pay network by linking their credit cards or home-country digital wallets.

Supported by seven major international card networks and around 60 overseas digital wallets, including Starryblu, the app offers a streamlined registration process, requiring only an email address for sign-up, unlike many Chinese apps that demand a local phone number. Beyond facilitating mobile payments, TenPayGo aids travelers in navigating Shenzhen's public transportation system by displaying QR codes.

The app also employs Tencent's AI to provide real-time menu translations and object recognition through image scanning. In addition to these features, Tencent is collaborating with local banks to introduce a tax-refund functionality. The launch of TenPayGo, Tencent's inaugural mobile payment app tailored for international visitors arriving in China, coincides with Shenzhen's preparation to host numerous foreign attendees during the Apec summit in November.

This move highlights Tencent's strategy to capitalize on the increasing number of international tourists visiting the city, as evidenced by a surge in transactions through overseas accounts on WeChat Pay in China, which grew by more than 80% in the first eight months of 2026 compared to the previous year.