Metro riders in Hong Kong will be able to use the WeChat QR-code service to pay for their rides in mid-2021, according to a report Thursday by DT News, a news app under the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, quoting a source from Tencent.
Tencent’s WeChat Pay HK, a payment service introduced last year for users in Hong Kong, signed an agreement on the subject with Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) on Wednesday, the report said.
According to the deal, travelers from the mainland will also be able to enjoy this scan-to-ride option in Hong Kong using the WeChat app. Transactions will be carried out in Hong Kong dollars. When mainland visitors purchase MTR tickets, the WeChat app will automatically exchange yuan into HK dollars.
Since WeChat launched QR payment for public commuting nationwide in July 2017, the payment system has spread to more than 100 cities and 50 million people on the mainland, according to the company.
This May, Tencent started WeChat QR payment on Shenzhen Metro lines, as well as Line 4, which is operated by Hong Kong MTR.
In five months, the number of registered users in the city reached 10 million, with 1 million daily active users. In a report on intelligent commuting released by Tencent on Oct. 22, Shenzhen ranks No. 1 in usage of QR codes for commuting, followed by Guangzhou and Xi’an.
Last November, Hong Kong MTR and Tencent signed a strategic agreement to allow Hong Kong commuters and tourists to purchase tickets with their mobile phones at Lok Ma Chau and Lo Wu stations for a trial scheme.
The MTR is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Currently, MTR passengers use the Octopus Card to pay for everything from MTR rides to convenience store purchases. The card, owned by MTR, is a reusable contactless stored value smart card for making electronic payments through online and offline systems in Hong Kong.
At present, the WeChat Pay HK service is only available for WeChat users registered with Hong Kong mobile phone numbers. It can be used to pay for taxi fares and settle bills in the SAR.
Consumers can settle bills by simply having the in-app QR code scanned by merchants, such as newspaper stands, local restaurants, supermarkets and chain stores. If a user has registered WeChat with a non-Hong Kong mobile number but has a Hong Kong mobile number or credit card, they can activate WeChat Pay HK through the “Wallet — Help Center.”
Currently, WeChat Pay HK international business supports 13 currency exchanges.