US retailer Walmart has dropped Alibaba-linked Alipay in all its stores in the western region of China, after making an agreement with Tencent to use its WeChat payment system.
The agreement has given Tencent a boost in its fight for supremacy against Alibaba in China’s fast-growing digital payment market.
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Chinese customers can pay at Walmart stores by scanning QR codes with a smartphone using WeChat Pay app.
Walmart spokesperson said that the partnership with WeChat pay in western China was a ‘business decision’ to improve customer experience.
“In the future, Walmart will cooperate with more partners to provide payment solutions with more convenience and benefits.”
The spokesperson added that the firm accepted payment methods, including cash, cards and mobile payments.
China’s retail market is divided in two segments – Alibaba and Tencent, both of which have a combined worth of $1 trillion, reported the news agency.
Last week, the retail major also announced its plans to invest in Indian technology start-ups and talent to support its proposed deal to buy a stake in online retailer Flipkart.
In a bid to challenge rival Amazon, Walmart intends to invest $7bn in the planned tie-up with Flipkart and acquire between three and five technology start-ups.
