Visa and UnionPay International have agreed to enable cross-border money movement into Chinese Mainland through Visa Direct, announced at Web Summit Qatar. Once fully deployed, the service will reach more than 95% of UnionPay International debit cardholders in Chinese Mainland through a single connection, representing access to billions of cards in one of the world’s largest remittance destinations.
The integration connects Visa Direct’s card network to UnionPay International’s MoneyExpress platform, enabling real-time cross-border transactions. Supported use cases include creator and freelancer payouts, contractor disbursements, reimbursements, and family remittances.
The expanded connection is expected to be available starting in the first half of 2026. The partnership addresses what has been a previously underserved payment pathway, providing businesses and individuals with a single integration point for sending funds into China.