Alipay+ Enters Georgia
Alipay+, Ant International’s global digital payments ecosystem, officially launches operations in Georgia. This marks a significant milestone for the newly licensed Neo Georgian Bank, whose first major banking and technology offering will be the integration of the Alipay+ payments ecosystem.
During the Tbilisi Financial Summit, the two parties signed an agreement under which Neo Georgian Bank becomes Alipay+’s exclusive partner in Georgia. The bank will serve as a centralized technology, payment processing, and settlement hub for the country’s banking and financial sector.
The introduction of Alipay+ in Georgia creates new opportunities for both local businesses and consumers. The global ecosystem connects more than 2 billion user accounts across over 50 international digital wallet providers and more than 150 million merchants worldwide. Its integration into the payments sector is expected to bring significant changes:
Direct Access to Growing Asian Markets – Georgian companies and entrepreneurs will be able to receive international payments from China, Southeast Asia, and other global markets without the additional complexities associated with intermediary institutions.
Reduced Transaction Costs – QR code-based payment infrastructure will help reduce fees and additional costs associated with international transactions for both merchants and international consumers.
Supporting Growth in Tourism Revenue – International visitors to Georgia, particularly those from Asian countries, will be able to make payments at local retail, dining, and hospitality establishments using their home-country digital wallets and mobile applications simply by scanning a QR code.
Convenient Payments for Georgians Traveling Abroad – Georgian travelers and business representatives will be able to make payments easily across Asian countries and at merchants within Alipay+’s global network, helping them avoid additional fees and unfavorable currency conversion rates.
Kakha Kodua, CEO of Neo Georgian Bank:
“Bringing Alipay+ to Georgia and establishing this partnership goes beyond the operations of a single bank – we are connecting Georgia’s financial system and national economy to one of the world’s largest payment networks. This is our bank’s first technology product, providing Georgian businesses with direct and significantly more cost-effective access to consumers in Asian and international markets.
Today, finance is no longer limited by national borders. Georgia’s economy must become an integral part of global financial and trade flows. This agreement gives our country a new strategic position on the international financial map.”
Laiming Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ant International:
“Cross-border connectivity is one of the key drivers of digital economy growth, and businesses of all sizes should be able to benefit from this opportunity.
Our business was founded on one core principle: people should be able to make payments using the applications they already trust, anywhere in the world, while businesses, regardless of their size, should have the opportunity to reach new customers beyond their borders. We see Neo Georgian Bank as a partner that shares this vision.
Together, we are building a unified national platform that will enable Georgian financial institutions to connect to the global network, while merchants of all sizes – from major retail chains to small family-owned businesses – will be able to serve international customers. Over time, this system will operate in both directions, also allowing Georgian travelers to enjoy the same ease and convenience of payments in different countries around the world.”
The project will be implemented in several stages, including the integration of local banks into a centralized payment network, the nationwide rollout of QR code payment acceptance, and the full compatibility of Georgian cards and payment applications with Alipay+’s global ecosystem.
Subject to obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and successfully completing initial pilot testing, the full-scale operational launch of the project is planned for the end of the second quarter of 2027.
