Global Payments Asia-Pacific enables merchants to accept China UnionPay cards

Global Payments Asia- Pacific Limited, a joint venture between The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and U.S.-based Global Payments Inc., announced the launch of China UnionPay ("CUP") card acceptance service to merchants in Malaysia. With the new initiative merchants will be able to accept electronic card payments from CUP cardholders at their stores. The launch marks an extension of Global Payments' CUP card acceptance program, which previously had been offered in Hong Kong and Macau.

Today the number of CUP cards in circulation accounts for 1.8 billion. In addition more and more tourists from China are coming to Malaysia which means that the new service will enable Malaysian merchants to capture the fast growing spends of these Chinese visitors, who today pay mostly with cash. The CUP acceptance feature can be integrated to the merchants’ existing Global Payments point-of-sale terminals through a simple and free re-programming.

President at Global Payments Asia-Pacific, Ian Courtnage, said, "We are very pleased to launch the China UnionPay card acceptance service in Malaysia. China is contributing significantly to outbound tourism in Southeast Asia and Malaysia is attracting the lion's share. Merchant establishments in Kuala Lumpur and other premier tourist destinations throughout Malaysia will now be able to enjoy the dual benefits of reducing the burden of managing cash payment from Chinese patrons as well as generating higher ticket sales. The CUP acquiring adds to our comprehensive range of card types already supported and this new service enhances Global Payments' one- stop-shop card processing strategy for merchants."