Tinaba expands Alipay+ payments for Italians in China

Tinaba with Banca Profilo has launched digital payments for its users in the Chinese mainland through an expanded partnership with Alipay+, the wallet gateway operated by Ant International.

The company said Tinaba app users can now pay at more than 80 million merchants in the Chinese mainland by scanning a QR code inside the app.

The rollout targets Italian travellers. The companies positioned the move as part of a broader shift towards cashless payments in the Chinese mainland, where QR code transactions sit at the centre of day-to-day commerce.

How It Works

Tinaba has added the service through a feature it calls "Pay Worldwide with Alipay+". Users initiate a transaction from within the Tinaba app and scan a merchant QR code.

The companies said the app processes payments in euros. They said users see exchange rates within the app and do not need to download local payments apps or open a local bank account.

The service operates in Italian within the Tinaba app interface, according to the companies.

Strategic Focus

Tinaba with Banca Profilo framed the Chinese mainland launch as a step in its international services for travellers. It also adds another market to the company's cross-border payments offering, which already links the Tinaba app to merchants connected to the Alipay+ network.

The companies described the Chinese mainland as a market where digital payments have become standard. They pointed to broad acceptance across retail and hospitality, along with public transport and tourist locations.

Matteo Arpe, President of Tinaba with Banca Profilo, discussed the partnership expansion in comments accompanying the launch.

Arpe said, "The extension of the partnership with Alipay+ and Tinaba with Banca Profilo's entry into the Chinese mainland represent a strategically significant milestone."

"The Chinese mainland is today the world's most advanced laboratory for digital payments, and being able to offer our customers simple, secure and fully integrated access to this ecosystem means strengthening Tinaba's international positioning as an open, innovative financial platform truly focused on global mobility. This is a concrete step towards an increasingly digital, international bank capable of supporting its customers wherever they are in the world."

Partner Comments

Ant International positions Alipay+ as a gateway which connects wallets and merchants across markets. Tinaba uses Alipay+ for cross-border acceptance at merchants connected to the Alipay+ partner network.

Pietro Candela, General Manager of EMEA at Alipay+, said: "We share a clear vision with Tinaba, letting people pay through the banking app they already trust makes daily life simpler, safer and more convenient. By enabling Tinaba users to pay in the Chinese mainland via Alipay+, directly from their Italian app, we're extending a familiar wallet experience into one of the world's most advanced cashless markets. Italian travellers can shop and dine like a local at more than 80 million merchants, with a transparent and efficient FX rate, and will soon have access to added benefits that provide a seamless end-to-end digital journey."

He added: "Travel between Italy and the Chinese mainland is growing fast, helped by visa-free entry for Italian visitors. This expanded collaboration is a powerful example of how European financial institutions can drive the digitisation and globalisation of payments while keeping the user experience simple and secure."

Usage Growth

The partners linked the move to rising use of digital wallets for international spending. Tinaba with Banca Profilo said it recorded a 133% increase in transaction volume through Alipay+ in 2025.

The companies did not disclose the value of those transactions, the number of active users making cross-border payments, or the share of Tinaba's user base using Alipay+ via the app.

The announcement also comes at a time when European payments firms and banks have increased focus on travel use cases, including multi-currency spending, card alternatives, and QR-based payments in markets where card acceptance remains less common than mobile wallets.

Next Features

In the coming months, Tinaba said it will integrate Alipay+ Voyager within its app. The companies described Voyager as an AI travel companion.

Tinaba said users will be able to organise itineraries and receive personalised suggestions inside the app. It said the service will also include access to bookings for transport, hotels and attractions, plus destination information.

Tinaba, Banca Profilo and Alipay+ said they began their partnership in 2018. Tinaba said it added instant online and offline payments through Alipay+ partner merchants in 2023.

Alipay+ said it connects 1.8 billion user accounts from more than 40 mobile payment partners. It said its network reaches more than 150 million merchants across more than 100 markets.

Candela said: "Travel between Italy and the Chinese mainland is growing fast, helped by visa-free entry for Italian visitors."