At Web Summit Qatar, Visa and UnionPay International announced an agreement to enable cross-border money movement into Chinese Mainland through Visa Direct, aiming to streamline remittances and business-to-consumer payouts.
The collaboration will allow clients to send cross-border remittances and business-to-consumer payouts to more than 95 percent of UnionPay International debit cardholders in Chinese Mainland via a single connection once fully implemented. This initiative connects Visa Direct’s global money movement network with UPI’s MoneyExpress platform, providing a more seamless, secure, and transparent method for consumers and businesses to send funds into Chinese Mainland, a significant global remittance destination.
Vira Platonova, Global Head of Visa Direct, stated that expanding Visa Direct’s reach through UnionPay International provides critical infrastructure for global money movement at scale, speed, and reliability. The connection is designed to support various cross-border use cases, including payouts for creators and freelancers, contractor disbursements, reimbursements, and family remittances. These payment types increasingly demand global scale and real-time delivery as platforms, marketplaces, and employers operate internationally.
Larry Wang, CEO of UnionPay International, emphasized that cross-border remittances are a key link connecting personal life, economic activity, and financial needs across borders, forming an important part of UnionPay’s international strategy. He noted that this cooperation with Visa aligns the strengths of both parties and responds to digitalization and convenience trends in global cross-border remittances, offering overseas users low-cost, high-efficiency, and trustworthy services while supporting business growth for partners.
The expanded Visa Direct connection to UnionPay International is projected to be available starting in the first half of 2026. Platonova added that extending Visa Direct into one of the world’s largest markets will bring trust to life at scale where reliability and reach are paramount for transactions like creator payments, contractor earnings, or family support.
