This collaboration elevates UnionPay's acceptance rate to nearly 100% for POS terminals and 90% for ATMs across Kazakhstan, with breakthroughs achieved among small and medium-sized merchants in border areas and small-to-medium towns. It marks a qualitative leap in UnionPay's local acceptance network and provides solid support for China-Kazakhstan cross-border payments and people-to-people exchanges.
The partnership spans high-frequency consumption scenarios across Kazakhstan, including premium and everyday supermarkets, gas stations, beauty stores, and fast-food restaurants. It significantly enhances the payment experience for UnionPay cardholders locally. This development aligns well with the growing personnel exchanges since the China-Kazakhstan mutual visa exemption agreement to effect: in the first half of 2025, Chinese tourists' arrivals in Almaty reached 54,100, a year-on-year increase of 33.4%. UnionPay's expanding network now delivers more efficient, convenient payment support for cross-border travel and business.
This collaboration represents a key milestone in UnionPay's nearly two-decade dedication to Kazakhstan. UnionPay cardholders can flexibly use diverse payment methods such as swiping, tapping, and mobile Pay at popular attractions like Shymbulak Ski Resort and Kok Tobe, as well as in mobility scenarios including Yandex Go rides, urban public transport, and Air Astana services.
To date, millions of UnionPay cards have been issued in Kazakhstan, with their transaction volumes in China surging nearly threefold year-on-year in H1 2025. The partnership with Kaspi not only solidifies the foundation of UnionPay's local payment network but also reinforces its role as a key financial link between China and Kazakhstan, facilitating the connection of financial infrastructure and people-to-people exchange between the two countries.
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