China UnionPay has officially launched the “Nihao China” app, a one-stop digital service platform for inbound visitors, aiming to integrate payments, mobility, lifestyle, and tourism services into a seamless experience. The announcement was made at the 2025 China International Travel Mart in Haikou, Hainan, highlighting UnionPay's push to enhance inbound tourism convenience and support China's broader strategy of opening its domestic market to international visitors.

The app positions payment and mobility at its core, integrating multiple practical functions. On the payment side, it supports UnionPay cards as well as major international bank cards including Visa and Mastercard. Leveraging UnionPay's domestic network alongside WeChat Pay and Alipay, it enables online and offline payments across high-frequency consumption scenarios such as transportation, accommodation, and shopping. For digital commerce, the app links with over 300 domestic platforms including 12306, Ctrip, Meituan, and JD.com, providing end-to-end payment solutions within travel and lifestyle services.

Mobility services cover subway networks in 43 major cities and public buses in 1,760 county-level or higher cities, offering a unified “one QR code” system. Additional features include real-time navigation to nearby ATMs and foreign currency exchange points. The app also addresses multi-currency payment challenges, providing instant global currency conversion for over 160 currencies including USD, RMB, and EUR. Tax refund services are implemented in key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, and Sanya, with OCR recognition, QR code interaction, and full English interface to streamline processing for international travelers.

Beyond transactional functionality, “Nihao China” incorporates real-time and page translation tools, supporting multilingual conversational and text translation. AI-driven recommendations leverage user profiles and behavior patterns to suggest next steps, provide route planning, and deliver accurate information on attractions, transport, and dining. This positions the app as a comprehensive digital assistant for inbound visitors.

For international financial institutions and cross-border service providers, the platform’s architecture offers several implications:

• Payment integration: UnionPay’s multi-network acceptance model reduces friction for cross-border transactions and broadens reach for banks and card issuers.

• Tourism finance and trade services: Real-time currency conversion and tax refund capabilities can inform pricing, credit, and liquidity management strategies.

• Data-driven insights: Aggregated travel and consumption data may enable market intelligence for investment, insurance, and hospitality sectors.

• Partnership opportunities: UnionPay positions itself as a central aggregator, inviting collaboration with global partners across fintech, tourism, and mobility services.

The launch also reflects China UnionPay’s broader digital strategy to enhance inbound tourism convenience, promote high-quality cultural and tourism services, and deepen cross-border financial technology integration. Future iterations are expected to expand domestic and international partnerships, further integrating payment, mobility, and lifestyle services into a smart, interconnected ecosystem.

By combining technology-enabled convenience with cross-border financial infrastructure, the “Nihao China” app exemplifies China’s ongoing efforts to facilitate inbound tourism and international engagement, offering potential touchpoints for foreign banks, fintech companies, and travel-focused investors seeking exposure to China’s expanding digital services market.