Singtel Launches Cross-Border Mobile Payment Service In Thailand; Other Asian Markets To Follow

The service is called VIA and it was developed via a collaboration with overseas financial services

One of Singapore’s largest telco provider, Singtel, has launched a cross-border payment service called through its QR-based mobile wallet, Singtel Dash.

The service’s initial rollout is in Thailand, which was made possible through VIA, a mobile payment alliance Singtel inked with its regional associate AIS and Kasikornbank, Thailand’s largest digital bank

Singtel Dash users will be able to make transactions at over 1.6 million Thai merchants and shop at Thai shopping malls such as CentralWorld, Chatuchak Weekend Market, MBK Center, and JJ Mall just by using the app.

Likewise, through the alliance, Thai tourists will be able to use mobile wallets AIS GLOBAL Pay and Rabbit Line Pay which currently number at 5 million users — to make purchases in Singapore. These include Comfort Delgro taxi services, KFC, Pizza Hut, Breadtalk and 7-Eleven.

The benefits of VIA, which is powered by B2B cross-border mobile payments network, Transferto, is that users do not have to fuss about carrying foreign currency and incurring cross-border transaction fees.

Singtel will progressively expand this alliance to include other regional associates Airtel in India, Globe in the Philippines, Telkomsel in Indonesia, and non-telcos including China’s Ping An eWallet, owned by Ping An Insurance Group.

“The VIA alliance is aimed at unifying Asia’s fragmented payments scene by
connecting different mobile wallet systems across the region. As more people travel around the region, we want them to be able to enjoy the ease and familiarity of using their local mobile wallets abroad,” said Arthur Lang, CEO of Singtel’s International Group, in an official statement. – Yahoo News