Rakuten’s Global Market is the latest marketplace to sign on to Alipay. The move will allow Chinese users who previously did not have international payment methods to purchase items on Rakuten Global Market. The release will start with roughly 250 shops that currently sell on Rakuten Global Market, with plans for expansion to all shops that allow shipment to China.
Over 1,000 overseas merchants accept Alipay, and Yahoo Japan will add Alipay as a payment option to its checkout in June. In addition, Nissen, a Japanese apparel and fashion shopping platform, as well as Gmarket, Korea’s major online auction and shopping mall website, both just added Alipay as a payment option
Rakuten Global Market is a subdivision of Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten, Inc. Alipay, launched in 2004, operates as a related company of Alibaba Group and provides an easy and secure way for individuals and businesses to make and receive payments online and on mobile phones.
Rakuten said sales to overseas markets, including China, have been growing rapidly and the release of Alipay will allow even more users to purchase on Rakuten Global Market, its cross-border trading service.