Payment methods in Macau

Asia

5methods

Alipay Macau, WeChat Pay Macau, and MPay are the three most popular digital payment platforms.

Market takeaways

Alipay Macau, WeChat Pay Macau, and MPay are the three most popular digital payment platforms.
UnionPay is widely used given Macau's close ties with mainland China and high proportion of mainland visitors.
The payments landscape is rapidly transitioning from cash toward contactless and QR-based methods.
Gaming and tourism drive significant card payment volumes, particularly UnionPay for high-value transactions.
In November 2024, UnionPay allowed foreign-issued UnionPay cards to link with Alipay and WeChat, enhancing visitor convenience.

Population

0.68M

Online population

~0.65M

Banked population

~98%

Credit card population

~70%

Payment method breakdown

Card (UnionPay dominant)45%
Mobile Wallet35%
Cash15%
Bank Transfer5%

Card scheme breakdown

Market data coming soon.

Cross-border e-commerce

Market data coming soon.

Featured payment methods in Macau

Popular options based on coverage and prominence in this market.

UnionPay

The dominant card scheme in Macau due to the large volume of mainland Chinese visitors and gamblers. UnionPay cards are accepted at casinos, hotels, and most merchants. As of November 2024, foreign-issued UnionPay cards can link directly with Alipay and WeChat Pay for added convenience.

MPay (Macau)

The primary locally-issued digital wallet for Macau residents, developed by the Macau Pass consortium. MPay supports merchant QR payments, peer-to-peer transfers, and integration with the local transit and utility payment systems. It is designed specifically for the Macau market and is accepted at local merchants.

Alipay Macau

The Macau-licensed version of Alipay, operated by Ant Group. Alipay Macau is one of the most popular payment apps in the territory, widely used for merchant QR payments, in-store contactless payments, and peer-to-peer transfers. Closely related to but distinct from mainland Alipay.

WeChat Pay Macau

The Macau version of Tencent's WeChat Pay, enabling QR code payments at merchants and peer-to-peer money transfers. Widely used by both locals and mainland Chinese visitors, given the prevalence of WeChat as a communication platform.

Visa / Mastercard

Widely accepted at hotels, casinos, and international-facing merchants in Macau. Predominantly used by international visitors from Western markets, Japan, Korea, and other non-Chinese markets.