{
  "id": 19597013,
  "title": "DBS PayLah! users can now pay at more than 100 million merchants across China",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/dbs-paylah-users-can-now-pay-at-more-than-100-million-merchants",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-12T03:50:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/dbs-paylah-users-can-now-pay-at-more-than-100-million-merchants-across-china"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singaporeans can now use their DBS PayLah! app to make QR code payments at over 100 million merchants in China, without any extra transaction fees. This expanded capability, announced on November 12, allows users to make payments both ways at merchants using Alipay and Weixin Pay, which are popular payment systems in China. These merchants span various sectors, including well-known retailers like Pop Mart and Songmont, as well as smaller neighborhood shops and restaurants. DBS Bank claims to be the first local bank in China to support QR payments across all three major QR payment systems - Alipay, Weixin Pay, and UnionPay. This move comes as a result of the increasing number of international travelers visiting China, with 11.6 million foreign visitors arriving from July to September 2026, a 15.6% rise compared to the previous year. Calvin Ong, head of the consumer banking group at DBS Singapore, emphasized that the ability to make QR payments in China is crucial for customers who are increasingly interested in \"China-maxxing\" - a trend where individuals aim to maximize their engagement with Chinese culture, goods, and experiences. The new capability is made possible through partnerships with Ant International and TenPay Global, which enable transactions without requiring Chinese merchants to modify their checkout systems. DBS has been progressively integrating its payments app with regional clearing networks, such as Malaysia's DuitNow, Thailand's PromptPay, and Indonesia's QRIS. In October, the bank announced that DBS PayLah! is now accepted at stores displaying the Taiwan QR Code (TWQR) acceptance mark or QR payment notices featuring the TWQR label. Furthermore, to incentivize users during the holiday season, DBS announced two cashback deals from November 16 to January 31. The first deal offers a $3 cashback for new overseas QR payment users on their first eligible transaction, with no minimum spend. This promotion applies to the recently launched services in China and the existing services in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan. The second deal provides a $3 cashback on the first Alipay QR transaction, provided the minimum spend is $6. Eligible users can combine this offer with the $3 cashback deal for new overseas QR payment users, potentially earning up to $6 cashback on a single transaction.",
  "summary": "DBS is the first local bank to support QR payments across all 3 major QR payment systems in China.",
  "key_points": [
    "DBS PayLah! users can now make QR code payments at over 100 million Chinese merchants.",
    "New capability announced on November 12, allowing payments via Alipay and Weixin Pay.",
    "DBS Bank first local bank in China to support QR payments across Alipay, Weixin Pay, and UnionPay."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}