China's UnionPay Expands Presence in Middle East with Fresh Partnership
SHANGHAI, Dec. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In November 2025, China's leading card payment service provider UnionPay made breakthroughs in cross-border payment innovation and network connectivity in the Middle East with the launch of a multi-currency card and the rollout of a QR code interoperability project.
Last month, UnionPay joined hands with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Turkey) Co., Ltd. (ICBC Turkey) to launch Turkey's first local multi-currency UnionPay debit and credit card. UnionPay also signed a strategic cooperation agreement on QR code interoperability with BKM, Turkey's national payment switching network.
The newly launched multi-currency UnionPay debit and credit card supports up to five currencies - Renminbi (RMB), Turkish Lira, British Pound, US Dollar, and Euro - and can be used on UnionPay's acceptance network spanning over 180 countries and regions.
Not only does the card facilitate daily financial transactions for local customers in the Middle East, but it also provides cardholders with a flexible and efficient solution for payments in China and cross-border transactions, leveraging UnionPay's extensive global acceptance network.
The QR code interoperability cooperation with Turkey's BKM represents UnionPay's first cross-border project of its kind in the Middle East.
Under the agreement, both parties shall work together to enable UnionPay users make scan-to-pay transactions at Turkey's TR QR acceptance network via the UnionPay App and UnionPay-partnered e-wallets. Meanwhile, Turkish users can scan UnionPay QR codes worldwide through local wallets, realizing two-way opening of payment networks.
This cooperation is regarded as a key milestone in deepening collaboration between the two parties, setting a model for UnionPay to carry out similar cooperation such as QR code interoperability and digital wallet connectivity with more countries in the Middle East.
As a major Chinese financial infrastructure provider and international card organization, UnionPay has long been deeply rooted in the Middle East market. Currently, it covers 15 countries in the region, with near-full acceptance coverage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Turkey, and Pakistan, and has activated millions of contactless and QR code terminals locally.
In terms of local card issuance, UnionPay has established in-depth cooperation with financial institutions in Pakistan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, with a cumulative card issuance volume reaching tens of millions, making it an important bank card brand in the region.
Adhering to interconnectivity, co-construction, and win-win results, UnionPay continues to improve the payment ecosystem in the Middle East through technological innovation and localized cooperation.
Looking forward, UnionPay will further deepen collaboration with regional financial institutions and switching networks to promote the interoperability of payment standards and technical systems, injecting sustained momentum into cross-border economic and trade exchanges and digital economic development.
Source: UnionPay
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