by HOU Ruining

Visa said on Jan 15 it will work with Apple to allow China-issued Visa cards to be added to Apple Pay, becoming the first international card network to offer the service for mainland cardholders.

The move allows Chinese cardholders to use Apple Pay with Visa cards mainly in overseas scenarios, including public transport, dining and everyday spending for students abroad, Visa said.

The initial rollout covers cards issued by several major lenders, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China, with more banks to be added in phases.

The partnership also marks Visa's first use case for payment tokenization services in China, according to Chinese media outlet Yicai. Tokenization replaces card details with one-time encrypted tokens during transactions, reducing fraud risks. Industry sources said the step signals progress in Visa's ability to provide localized payment infrastructure in China, though the current Apple Pay linkage primarily supports cross-border spending.

For in-store payments, users authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode and hold an iPhone or Apple Watch near contactless terminals displaying Apple Pay or Visa tap-to-pay logos, Visa said. Cardholders will continue to receive the same rewards and benefits as with physical cards, the company added.

Founded in 1958, Visa operates a payments network spanning more than 220 countries and regions, connecting about 175 million merchants and serving over 4.9 billion cardholders worldwide. Apple did not immediately comment.