Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO, is expanding its global reach through a strategic partnership with Ant International's Alipay+. This collaboration makes HUMO the tenth national QR network to join the Alipay+ ecosystem, enabling users of HUMO-connected digital payment apps to make seamless cross-border QR payments at over 100 million merchants worldwide. The Octomobile app by Octobank will be the first Uzbek e-wallet integrated, with more local wallets expected to join by year's end.
Uzbekistan's HUMO payment system has partnered with Ant International's Alipay+.
HUMO is the 10th national QR network to join the Alipay+ global ecosystem.
The Octomobile app will be the first Uzbek e-wallet enabled for cross-border payments.
Users can pay with Uzbek som in over 50 countries, including China, Thailand, and the UAE.
The partnership also allows Uzbek merchants to accept payments from global Alipay+ users.
Alipay+ now connects 40 e-wallets and 10 national payment schemes globally.
The partnership directly addresses the needs of Uzbek travelers by integrating their local payment methods into a global network. In the initial phase, HUMO users will be able to travel to China and over 50 other countries and make payments directly in Uzbek som using their preferred local banking app. This eliminates the need for currency exchange or foreign payment methods for retail, dining, and transportation purchases abroad.
The collaboration is a two-way street, creating significant new economic opportunities within Uzbekistan. By connecting to the Alipay+ network, local Uzbek merchants can now seamlessly accept payments from the vast global user base of Alipay+ connected wallets and apps. This integration helps position Uzbekistan to welcome international tourists more effectively and boosts the local tourism economy by removing payment barriers for visitors.
This partnership is a key milestone in the expansion of Alipay+'s global ecosystem, which now includes 40 e-wallets, bank apps, and 10 national QR payment schemes. It strengthens the payment link across Central Asia, following the integration of Kazakhstan's Kaspi e-wallet. The network now connects over 100 million merchants to 1.8 billion consumer accounts, creating a massive interconnected digital payments landscape.
Leadership from both organizations highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership. Maksad Mukhitdinov, First Deputy to Chairman of the Board of HUMO, stated, “This partnership not only enables seamless global travel for Uzbek users but also creates tangible growth opportunities for businesses.” Edward Yue, Alipay+ General Manager for SEA, ANZ and South Asia at Ant International, added that the link “will enhance the travel experience for Uzbek tourists with easy payments, attractive offers, and digital services.”
Ant International's Alipay+ is a global wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitisation services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payments a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app/e-wallet while travelling abroad. Many small and medium-sized businesses already use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth.
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