Popular Payment Methods in Asia: Country-by-Country Guide

Understanding payment methods by country helps merchants localize checkout, reduce friction, and improve approval rates. This guide summarizes the leading local and alternative payment methods in Asia. It provides concise snapshots of what each method does and its strengths.

A payment method is how an individual or business transfers money to pay for goods and services. This includes cash, credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets. It is the system used to complete a financial transaction and includes both traditional and digital options that enable funds to move from a buyer to a seller.

Description: AliPay is China’s top mobile wallet and super-app.

Estimated Market Share of Alipay in China: ≈54% of China’s mobile-payments market in 2024.

Key Features of Alipay:

• Widespread QR acceptance for in-store and online purchases.
• Everyday payments in one app: P2P transfers, bill payments, transit, and more.
• Mini-program ecosystem allows brands to run “apps inside AliPay”.
• International card support (Visa/Mastercard/JCB/Discover/Diners) in the AliPay international version for visitors to China.
• Alipay+ cross-border network enables merchants to accept multiple Asian and overseas wallets, catering to travelers.
• NFC “Tap” experiences are rolling out alongside QR.

Description: WeChat Pay (Weixin Pay) is Tencent’s in-app digital wallet embedded in the WeChat super-app.

Estimated Market Share of WeChat Pay in China: ≈42% of China’s mobile-payments market in 2024–2025.

Key Features of WeChat Pay:

• Widespread QR acceptance.
• Multiple checkout flows: scan-to-pay in stores/POS, web QR on desktop, and in-app/mini-program payments.
• P2P transfers and social payments.
• Tourist-friendly onboarding: simple setup and international card linking for overseas visitors.
• Super-app ecosystem: integrates payments with mini programs.

Description: UPI, or Unified Payments Interface, is India’s instant payment system. It allows money to be transferred directly between bank accounts using a mobile device. UPI connects multiple banks through a single mobile app, enabling fund transfers, bill payments, and other transactions using a unique identifier, such as a Virtual Payment Address (VPA).

Estimated Market Share of UPI in India: ≈83–85% of national digital payment transaction volume (2024–H1 2025).

Key Features of UPI:

• Instant account-to-account transfers, available 24/7/365 with one app.
• QR and VPA payments for P2P and merchant checkout (scan QR or pay to UPI ID).
• Recurring payments.
• UPI Lite allows fast, low-value payments with PIN-less flows, aimed at transactions under ₹1,000.
• Credit on UPI offers pre-sanctioned credit lines and RuPay credit on UPI to use bank credit, not just deposits.

Related reading: “Top Payment Gateways in India: The Ultimate List for Businesses”.

Description: PayPay is Japan’s leading QR/barcode wallet app.

Estimated Market Share of PayPay in Japan: ≈66% of domestic QR/code payments (2024). PayPay also handled ≈1 in 5 cashless payments overall in 2024.

Key Features of PayPay:

• Scan to pay in stores and pay online/in-app with your phone.
• Wide acceptance (3 million+ merchants in Japan).
• Easy top-ups: link a bank, deposit via ATMs, or use a PayPay Card.
• P2P transfers inside the app with hundreds of millions of transfers yearly.
• Rewards: earn PayPay Points and take advantage of frequent cashback campaigns.

Description: Rakuten Pay is a smartphone wallet from Rakuten.

Estimated Market Share of Rakuten Pay in Japan: ≈19–26% of QR/code payments by users (2024 surveys).

Key Features of Rakuten Pay:

• Pay by scanning a QR/barcode in stores.
• Online checkout with Rakuten ID (simple login and one-time password flow).
• Rakuten Points integration allows users to earn and spend points.
• Flexible top-ups through Rakuten Card, bank accounts, Seven Bank/Lawson Bank ATMs, Rakuten Wallet, Rakuten Edy, and gift cards.
• Available at major chains (e.g., 7-Eleven) and many other shops across Japan.
• Part of the Rakuten ecosystem: works with Rakuten Card, Edy, and Suica features and other Rakuten services.

Description: PayNow is an instant, real-time inter-bank payment system in Singapore. It allows users to transfer funds using just a mobile number, NRIC/FIN, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA) instead of a bank account number.

Estimated Market Share of PayNow in Singapore: 55% of Singapore’s population uses PayNow, with higher adoption among younger demographics like Gen Z.

Key Features of PayNow:

• Instant, 24/7 transfers via proxies: customers send money using a mobile number or NRIC.
• Broad merchant acceptance: over 300,000 acceptance points across Singapore.
• High limits (typical bank caps up to S$200,000 per transfer), with limits managed in the user’s banking app.
• Cross-border links for instant payments: live connections to India’s UPI, Thailand’s PromptPay, and Malaysia’s DuitNow.
• Works in the banking apps users already use, requiring no card details.

Description: GrabPay is the digital wallet within the Grab super-app.

Estimated Market Share of GrabPay in Singapore: ≈12% of in-store wallet usage and ≈18% of online wallet usage in 2025 (among digital-wallet users).

Key Features of GrabPay:

• Users can pay anywhere: scan SGQR/GrabPay QR in stores, pay online, and in apps.
• Built-in rewards: shoppers earn GrabRewards points on eligible payments.
• Buy Now, Pay Later: customers can split purchases with Grab PayLater.
• Broad merchant footprint: GrabPay acceptance spans hundreds of thousands of SGQR points throughout Singapore (over 300,000 acceptance points).

Description: PromptPay is Thailand’s real-time account-to-account payment system operated by the Bank of Thailand.

Estimated Market Share of PromptPay in Thailand: ≈40–45% depending on segment.

Key Features of PromptPay:

• Instant account-to-account transfers available 24/7 with proxy IDs (mobile number, citizen/tax ID) and low fees.
• National QR acceptance allows payments at millions of Thai QR (PromptPay QR) merchant points (over 6 million by 2019; approximately 8.7 million merchants reachable via FPS x PromptPay by 2024).
• High throughput and broad availability: record daily peaks of around 76 million transactions.
• Use cases include person-to-person, person-to-merchant, government-to-person disbursements, bill payments, and donations.

Related reading: “Credit Card Processing Companies for Nonprofit Organizations”.

Description: TrueMoney Wallet is Thailand’s most used e-wallet.

Estimated Market Share of TrueMoney in Thailand: ≈50–55% of the Thai e-wallet market.

Key Features of TrueMoney:

• National acceptance via QR: more than 7 million points of sale across Thailand.
• Facilitates online and offline payments, bill payments, mobile top-ups, and P2P transfers.
• Offers a prepaid Mastercard (virtual or physical) to spend wallet balance.
• Enabling money to be sent from Thailand to over 40 countries.
• Provides value-added financial services, with in-app options such as insurance, gold investment, and buy now, pay later (BNPL).

Description: Naver Pay is a digital wallet from Naver.

Estimated Market Share of Naver Pay in South Korea: ≈20% “primary-use” share among simple-payment users (H2-2024 Consumer Insight survey).

Key Features of Naver Pay:

• Online and in-app checkout is available across Naver’s commerce ecosystem.
• In-store payments are possible by scanning QR codes or barcodes or tapping via Samsung Pay for wide offline acceptance.
• Rewards: Users can earn Naver Pay Points.
• Free P2P and bank transfers with Naver Pay Money and easy top-up/withdraw capabilities to a linked bank. Pay-later option (postpaid) for eligible users.

Description: Samsung Pay (Samsung Wallet) is Samsung’s mobile wallet on Galaxy phones.

Estimated Market Share of Samsung Pay in South Korea: ≈18% “primary-use” share (H2-2024).

Key Features of Samsung Pay:

• Tap-to-pay in stores on Galaxy devices.
• Online checkout in apps and sites with fingerprint, face recognition, or passcode.
• Transit ready: add and use T-money/Cashbee for buses, subways, and taxis nationwide.
• Built-in security: tokenization and biometric authentication inside Samsung Wallet.

Description: Kakao Pay is a mobile wallet inside KakaoTalk.

Estimated Market Share of Kakao Pay in South Korea: ≈10–15% by “primary-use” share in 2H-2024 surveys (placing it behind Naver Pay but ahead of most others).

Key Features of Kakao Pay:

• In-app, QR/barcode, and online checkout (works in stores and on websites or apps).
• Peer-to-peer transfers.
• Cards and bank accounts linking with biometric authentication for quick payments.
• Bills, memberships, and points management.
• Optional financial services like insurance and investments.

Description: OVO is a popular Indonesian digital wallet.

Estimated Market Share of OVO in Indonesia: #1 wallet in Indonesia with shares around ≈20–30%.

Key Features of OVO:

• QRIS acceptance nationwide for easy in-store payments.
• Online and in-app payments, bill payments, mobile top-ups, and donations.
• P2P and bank transfers available with OVO Premier.
• Flexible top-ups via ATM, internet, mobile banking, or debit card.
• OVO Points loyalty program usable at partner merchants.
• PayLater option available for eligible users through partners.

Description: GoPay is Indonesia’s digital wallet from the GoTo/Gojek ecosystem.

Estimated Market Share of GoPay in Indonesia: GoPay in the top 2 wallets, with “primary-use/most-used” shares often around the 20–30% range.

Key Features of GoPay:

• Scan and pay wherever QRIS is accepted, which is the nationwide standard for e-wallets and banks.
• P2P and bank transfers: send money to friends and withdraw to the bank after upgrading to GoPay Plus.
• Easy top-ups through bank transfer and debit card in the app.
• PayLater options.
• Rewards: GoPay Coins cashback can be earned and redeemed across GoTo apps and many external merchants.
• Cross-border QR: QRIS payments usable in Japan, with broader rollout underway.

Description: ShopeePay is Shopee’s digital wallet. Customers can pay in stores via QRIS, online in Shopee, and send/receive money.

Estimated Market Share of ShopeePay in Indonesia: ShopeePay is among the top 3–4 e-wallets in Indonesia, typically in the mid-teens to ≈20% “primary-use” range depending on the survey

Key Features of ShopeePay:

• Pay in stores using QRIS.
• Pay online with seamless checkout in the Shopee app or site.
• Free transfers: send money to banks, other e-wallets, or ShopeePay users, though promo-based quotas may apply.
• Simple top-ups via bank transfer or virtual accounts and selected partners.
• Optional PayLater (SPayLater) and QRIS-with-PayLater for eligible users.

Description: DANA is a popular Indonesian digital wallet for everyday payments.

Estimated Market Share of DANA in Indonesia: ≈20%.

Key Features of DANA:

• QRIS payments nationwide in physical stores.
• P2P and bank transfers: send money to friends and move balances to bank accounts.
• Easy top-ups through bank transfer, virtual accounts, and cards in the app.
• Merchant tools: DANA Bisnis provides QRIS acceptance, real-time tracking, and payment links or integration/API options.
• Financial options: Installment and PayLater features, and eMAS for gold saving or investing.

Description: DuitNow is a Malaysian real-time payments network managed by PayNet, the central payment authority.

Estimated Market Share of DuitNow in Malaysia: There’s no single “market-share” number. DuitNow is Malaysia’s national real-time/QR rail, and DuitNow QR is the national QR standard. Coverage is broad: ≈2.6 million registered DuitNow QR acceptance points as of end-2024.

Key Features of DuitNow:

• Instant account-to-account transfers available 24/7 using simple proxy IDs (mobile numbers, NRIC/BRN).
• One QR for all apps: national, interoperable DuitNow QR accepted by banks and e-wallets.
• Broad acceptance: ≈2.6 million registered QR acceptance points nationwide.
• Online checkout: new DuitNow online banking service with over 40 participating banks and e-wallets.
• Request-to-Pay: Payees can send payment requests for bills or invoices, which customers can approve in-app.
• Recurring payments: Collects subscriptions or bills via one-time consent from bank accounts or e-wallets.

Description: Touch ‘N Go eWallet is a Malaysian digital wallet for everyday spending.

Estimated Market Share of Touch ‘N Go in Malaysia: There is no official single number. Touch ‘N Go eWallet is the #1 wallet in Malaysia. Reuters notes 20M+ users and 2M+ merchants on the network.

Key Features of Touch ‘N Go:

• Pay almost anywhere in Malaysia.
• P2P and bank transfers: send money to friends using mobile numbers and transfer funds in or out.
• Easy top-ups: add money from bank accounts.
• Tolls, transit, and parking: Links a physical Touch ‘N Go card to the eWallet for highway tolls and parking.
• Cross-border QR payments: pay overseas where partner QRs such as PromptPay, NETS, QRIS, and Alipay networks are accepted, covering over 50 countries.
• Fast merchant signup: merchants can self-register in-app.

Description: GCash is a Philippine digital wallet for everyday spending.

Estimated Market Share of GCash in the Philippines: ≈85%. GCash is the #1 leading wallet by usage: 94M Filipinos having used GCash and 6M+ merchants/social sellers.

Key Features of GCash:

• Scan and pay nationwide using QR Ph at participating merchants.
• Bank and wallet transfers are instant through InstaPay.
• Pay bills in-app to over 2,000 billers.
• GCash Card (Visa) linked to the wallet.
• Credit and installments: Available for eligible users.

Description: Maya (formerly, PayMaya) is an all-in-one digital wallet and bank app in the Philippines.

Estimated Market Share of Maya in Philippines: ≈15%. Maya Bank reports ≈8.2M customers.

Key Features of Maya:

• Pay in stores via QR Ph (works with many bank and wallet apps nationwide).
• Send/receive money to banks & wallets via InstaPay/PESONet.
• Savings built in: daily-credited savings.
• Credit line in-app: Limits up to ₱30,000.
• Cards for online & in-store spend: virtual card (in-app) and physical card for Visa/Mastercard acceptance.
• Merchant tools: Maya Business for QR Ph, cards, payment links, and e-commerce/API checkout.

Description: MoMo is Vietnam’s leading digital wallet and super app.

Estimated Market Share of Momo in Vietnam: MoMo as the #1 e-wallet in Vietnam, with ≈60–70% user penetration/usage.

Key Features of Momo:

• Pay wherever customers shop, including in-store (QR at checkout) and online or in-app.
• P2P transfers, bank linking, and easy cash in and cash out: link over 36 banks and Visa, Mastercard, or JCB.
• Bills and everyday services: mobile top-ups, bill payments, tickets, and more.
• Buy Now, Pay Later feature.
• Quick loans come with an online application and disbursement to the wallet.
• Receive money from over 200 countries through licensed remittance partners.

Description: ZaloPay is a Vietnamese digital wallet that is closely integrated with the Zalo messaging system.

Estimated Market Share of ZaloPay in Vietnam: ZaloPay as the #2 e-wallet in Vietnam, with ≈50–70% of the user penetration/usage.

Key Features of ZaloPay:

• Scan and pay using QR codes at stores.
• Online checkout supported.
• P2P transfers and bill payments.
• Easy funding: link bank accounts and cards for top-ups and transfers.
• Mini-apps and Zalo integration create embedded customer experiences.
• Cross-border QR scan capabilities available in Singapore, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China for travelers.

Description: AlipayHK is a digital wallet in Hong Kong which is used by ≈4.2M+ active users.

Estimated Market Share of Alipay HK in Hong Kong: ≈42% of the market share.

Key Features of Alipay HK:

• Pay in stores and online at over 150,000 accepting outlets across Hong Kong.
• P2P transfers in the app by scanning a friend’s QR code to send money.
• Bill payments for government and utilities.
• Support for public transport through EasyGo.
• Cross-border payments in mainland China and Macao (about 90% of merchants), Japan (over 1 million stores), South Korea (more than 120,000 stores), and selected stores in Singapore, with HKD settlement.

Description: PayMe, offered by HSBC, is a mobile wallet in Hong Kong for everyday P2P and merchant payments. Customers can scan PayCode or QR to pay in stores and send money instantly.

Estimated Market Share of PayMe in Hong Kong: ≈50% of the market share.

Key Features of PayMe:

• Instant P2P transfers and requests within the app.
• Accepted at over 100,000 outlets in Hong Kong.
• FPS-compatible: can scan FPS QR and use Hong Kong’s real-time bank network.
• Global spending via UnionPay virtual card (over 34 million merchants in 46 markets).
• Bill payments to utilities and government agencies.
• Regular offers and promotions for users at participating merchants.

On bilixe, merchants can use the “Supported Methods & Schemes” filter to select specific payment methods like UPI, PayNow, Alipay, PayPay, DuitNow, etc.

The directory will return payment service providers that support those methods in the selected markets. This helps merchants customize checkout for alternative and local payment methods without going through general lists.

Local optimization means meeting users where they already pay. By matching checkout with each country’s preferred payment methods, merchants can increase conversions, reduce abandonment, and spread risk across cards, e-wallets, and real-time systems. Use our country list as a starting point, then select providers that support the exact methods you need in each market.