UnionPay International announced today that it has cooperated with merged JSC Halyk Bank and JSC Kazkommertsbank (hereinafter referred to as “Halyk Bank”), the largest bank in Kazakhstan, to launch UnionPay Online Payment service for the first time in Kazakhstan. Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s top airline, is able to accept UnionPay cards for air ticket booking on its official website. So far, UnionPay cards are accepted at almost all ATMs and POS terminals in Kazakhstan and about 1.8 million UnionPay cards are issued locally. Over 90% of the transaction of Kazakhstan-issued UnionPay cards happen locally, meaning that UnionPay has become an important payment method for the local customers. 

Kazakhstan is an important hub on the Belt and Road Economic, and UnionPay International is making constant efforts to expand its card acceptance and issuance scope in the country to offer two-way support for the personnel exchanges between China and Kazakhstan. Since the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative, UnionPay’s POS acceptance coverage in Kazakhstan grew from 20% to almost 100%, and the volume of transaction made with China-issued UnionPay cards in Kazakhstan grew by about 5 times. Seven local banks have issued UnionPay cards, including the world’s first Asia Prestige Diamond card. And during the first half of this year, the transaction volume of Kazakhstan-issued UnionPay cards grew by about 50% year-on-year.

The launch of UnionPay Online Payment further improves the payment experience to visiting tourists. Cardholders from mainland China can now use their UnionPay cards to book all flights departing from Kazakhstan at airastana.com. Next, Halyk Bank will enable dozens more local online merchants, such as travel booking websites, home appliance stores, mobile operators, chain cinemas to accept UnionPay Online Payment.

Based on its improving acceptance network, UnionPay is also offering special promotions in Kazakhstan. From now to July 2019, UnionPay International is launching “UnionPay Shopping Festival” in Almaty and Astana. UnionPay cardholders can enjoy up to 15% discount when paying with UnionPay cards at hundreds of the local merchants, including Moschino, Montblanc, TUMI, Bradobrey barbershops, the 170 gas stations of SINOOIL and well-known restaurants such as Parmigiano and Sunset.

With the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, UnionPay is making substantial progress in major Central Asian countries. In Uzbekistan, UnionPay is expected to realize 100% acceptance next year; and UnionPay cards will also become the payroll card for tens of millions of local residents in the country. In Tajikistan, UnionPay International has signed a MOU with three local banks to develop innovative products and implement international technical standards of UnionPay for modernization of the banking card industry.