Apple Now Accepting UnionPay as Payment Option for App Store Customers in China - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Now Accepting UnionPay as Payment Option for App Store Customers in China

unionpay logo Apple today announced that it is now accepting UnionPay as a payment option for App Store customers in China. Established in 2002, UnionPay is the most popular payment card company in China with over 4.5 billion cards issued. With today's announcement, users can simply link their UnionPay debit or credit card for easy purchases.

“The ability to buy apps and make purchases using UnionPay cards has been one of the most requested features from our customers in China,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “China is already our second largest market for app downloads, and now we’re providing users with an incredibly convenient way to purchase their favorite apps with just one-tap.”

The acceptance of UnionPay in the App Store is the latest move by Apple to expand its presence in China. The company is also in talks with major Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba over a China-focused payments partnership, which could see the Alipay electronics payment service integrate with Apple Pay. Discussions between the two companies were acknowledged by Alibaba Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai and Alibaba founder Jack Ma.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Accessory

Monday May 4, 2026 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today released a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is available to order now on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 40mm, 42mm, and 46mm sizes, and it will be available at Apple Store locations starting later this week. In the U.S., the band costs $49. There...
iOS 27 on iPhone 17 1

iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday May 2, 2026 8:43 am PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on June 8, and there are already many rumored features and changes for iPhones. The first developer beta of iOS 27 will likely be available immediately following the keynote, and a public beta typically follows in July. Following beta testing, the software update should be released to all users with a compatible iPhone in...
Apple Announces 2026 Pride Band Watch Face and iPhone Wallpaper Article 2

iOS 26.5 Coming Soon With These New Features

Monday May 4, 2026 8:40 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 is expected to be released next week, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor, but there are a couple of new features and changes across the operating system that we have recapped below. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app, and it will include a new Pride wallpaper and a...

Top Rated Comments

OriginalMacRat Avatar
150 months ago
Come on Discover!!!!

You need a REAL credit card. :p
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lincolntran Avatar
150 months ago
You need a REAL credit card. :p

He'll have to discover that on his own #
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scbn Avatar
150 months ago
I believe UnionPay is a joint venture of all the major banks in China; that's why everybody has a number of UnionPay cards. Most people don't have Visa/Mastercard (or any Western credit card) in China as the Chinese financial markets are tightly controlled by the government. So this is a big deal for Apple because more people are expected to be able to download paid apps.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
You need a REAL credit card. :p

shopdiscover + cashback bonus says differently
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
What did they accept before?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Related Apple News: Iphone | Ipad | South Africa | News | Entertainment