Mainland tourists drive WeChat’s growth during National Day

Cross-border transactions in Weixin Pay increased by 21% year-on-year

Weixin Pay’s cross-border transactions increased by 21% year-on-year (YoY) during the first five days of October 2025, according to data from Weixin.

Overseas transport transactions through the Weixin Mini Program also surged 2.5 times during the period, the instant messaging and mobile payment app said in its 2025 National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival Data Report.  

Hong Kong and Macau ranked first in cross-border Weixin Pay transaction volume, WeChat said. They remained the top destinations for mainland tourists traveling abroad.

Ride-hailing orders booked by mainland tourists in Hong Kong through platforms such as DiDi, Amap, and Uber increased more than fivefold YoY.

Transaction volume through WeChat's mini programmes in the tourism and catering sectors at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) grew by over 50% and 30% YoY, respectively.

Visa-free policies for Chinese citizens traveling to South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand were seen to boost outbound travel.

Weixin Pay transactions in South Korea grew by 46%, whilst transactions in Singapore increased by 32%. Transaction volume and value in Malaysia processed via the national payment network PayNet surged more than threefold YoY.

In Japan, Weixin Pay transactions rose by over 25%, supported by integration with local e-wallets such as PayPay, auPAY, and merpay/d-barai, WeChat said.

Chinese travelers used mini programmes such as Uber and Grab, whilst Korea’s Korail and Italy’s Frecciarossa and Italo facilitated their travels abroad.

The chat and payment app launched mini programmes before the holiday for Hong Kong Airport Express, Kuala Lumpur Airport Express, and Heathrow Airport Express ticket purchases to ease customer transactions.

The Hong Kong Dollar spending of Hong Kong residents in the Chinese mainland using the e-wallet surged over 120% YoY, data from WeChat Pay HK showed.

Demand for both online and offline shopping remained strong, with e-commerce services, pet services, and courier services ranking as the top three sectors by YoY growth in transaction value. Entertainment shows and sporting events emerged as the fastest-growing leisure activities for Hong Kong residents visiting the mainland during the National Day holiday.

Meanwhile, overseas users binding international bank cards to Weixin Pay saw a significant increase in transaction volumes in the Chinese mainland compared with last year, with transaction counts in Chongqing and Chengdu doubling YoY, the provider said, citing earlier summer holiday data.

WeChat’s mini programme service now covers 92 countries and regions as part of a global expansion.