Mastercard and JD.com have launched two payment services for overseas visitors to mainland China.

Travellers can now pay on JD.com with foreign-issued cards and receive an advance equal to their tax refund before departure.

They are the first measures delivered under the partnership the two companies signed in May.

How the services work

The first service allows users to add an overseas-issued bank card to the JD.com app. They can then pay through JD Pay. As a result, they do not need a mainland bank card or local payment tool.

The second service applies China’s “refund-upon-purchase” scheme to eligible items in JD.com’s online departure tax refund store.

To use it, travellers complete a credit card pre-authorisation through a tax refund agency. They then receive an advance equal to the VAT refund on their linked card.

In the standard process, travellers must wait for verification at departure before collecting their refund.

JD.com introduced the service in line with China’s new departure tax refund policy.

Wider partnership plans

Mastercard’s EVP and Greater China President Chang Qing said the services reflect the company’s strategic focus on helping Chinese companies expand cross-border payments and global operations.

Under the May agreement, the companies plan to build payment infrastructure for JD.com’s international business.

The aim is to integrate and optimise global payment connectivity. Both firms also plan to explore cross-border supply chain finance to help SMEs worldwide access funding.

Mastercard launched its inbound payments programme in 2023 and has expanded it since.

Before JD.com, it had introduced the same card-linking service with other partners. Through these partners, visitors can pay by scanning QR codes, as local residents do.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by Mastercard via its website.