#UnionPay #Tanzania #Dar es Salaam #East Africa #Pesapal

UnionPay International Partners with Pesapal

UnionPay International has recently announced a strategic partnership with Pesapal aimed at expanding the acceptance of UnionPay cards across East Africa. This collaboration will commence in Tanzania and subsequently extend to Rwanda, significantly improving payment convenience for international travelers and creating new opportunities for local businesses.

The initial phase of this collaboration will see UnionPay card acceptance ramping up in key sectors within Tanzania's tourism and commercial marketplaces. These sectors include accommodations, retail, dining, transportation, fuel stations, and lifestyle-related businesses. Cardholders of UnionPay will now find it significantly easier to shop in-store using both contactless and traditional payment methods.

This initiative will roll out the acceptance of UnionPay to over 3,000 points of sale (POS) in Tanzania and Rwanda right from the start, marking a monumental expansion for UnionPay in the hospitality, retail, tourism, and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) sectors. Through Pesapal’s established acquiring network, this partnership stands as one of the most significant expansions of UnionPay’s merchant acceptance in East Africa, thus enhancing its footprint in two of the region's fast-growing digital economies.

The timing of this partnership is crucial, as East Africa is currently experiencing a surge in Chinese tourism and expanded trade links. By integrating UnionPay into Pesapal's EMV-compliant POS infrastructure, local merchants are optimally positioned to capitalize on the growing China-Africa commercial corridor. This connection to one of the world's largest cardholder networks removes payment obstacles for high-spending international consumers and business travelers, consequently reducing barriers to transactions and paving the way for local businesses to grow their cross-border revenues efficiently...

"Tourism and cross-border trading are pivotal to the economic growth of East Africa, particularly Tanzania," commented Bupe Mwakalundwa, the National Director for Pesapal Tanzania. "By enabling the acceptance of UnionPay payments across our merchant network, we equip local businesses with the financial infrastructure needed to better serve international travelers, thereby helping them excel in the global digital economy."

Feng Chen, General Manager of UnionPay International for the Africa region, stated, "UnionPay International is committed to enhancing seamless payment acceptance in key tourist and trade markets in Africa. Through our partnership with Pesapal, merchants in Tanzania and Rwanda can now provide international visitors with a reliable and secure payment experience, while also gaining improved access to global consumer spending."

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) focuses on expanding the global acceptance network for UnionPay cards, which are now utilized in 183 countries and regions, including 51 African nations. UPI is dedicated to providing high-quality, cost-effective, and secure cross-border payment services for the world's largest cardholder base, while ensuring convenient localized services for an increasing number of international merchants.

About Pesapal

Pesapal supports businesses and their customers throughout Africa by simplifying payment, collection, management, and development operations. They offer secure payment solutions, financing access, and professional tools through an interconnected suite of solutions designed to meet the business realities in Africa. Companies from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Zambia rely on Pesapal's trusted infrastructure to conduct their business activities efficiently.