On a pleasantly cool day after the rain, Liang Shanheng, a Macau resident in her twenties, visited relatives in her hometown of Zhuhai, Guangdong. She enjoyed a delightful seafood meal at a local eatery, then used her smartphone to book a ride through the newly opened Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, meeting friends in Shenzhen before returning home the same evening.
“Throughout my time on the mainland—dining, traveling, shopping—I used MPay for everything. A simple scan completed each payment, and I even used its mini-programs to hail rides and order bubble tea,” Liang shared, impressed by the seamless cross-border consumption experience.
The era where exchanging currency was the first task after crossing the border is long gone in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Xu Ling, an employee at a large corporation, recounted a recent business trip to Macau with a Hong Kong colleague. “From Guangzhou to Macau, we used mobile payments for taxis, meals, and hotels without any issues. The expenses were directly deducted from my mainland bank account, making reimbursement straightforward.”
The official launch of the cross-border payment system on June 22 has significantly enhanced payment speed and convenience. Services like AlipayHK and MPay are now integrated into the metro and bus systems of key cities in the region. E-wallets for Hong Kong and Macau residents offer features like “Easy Consumption” and “Easy Travel,” covering around 200 mini-programs for dining, ride-hailing, portable charger rentals, and more. This accelerating integration of cross-border payment systems allows residents to navigate all three regions with a single code, making shopping and leisure activities smoother and continuously boosting regional consumption.
Cashless Payments Become the Norm
On a leisurely weekend, Hong Kong resident Dai Shanni took a bus to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, effortlessly purchased a ticket via a QR code scan at an automated kiosk, and boarded the bus by scanning the ticket. Within forty minutes, she was seated at a restaurant in Zhuhai, ready to enjoy a meal.
Using just her smartphone, Dai navigated Zhuhai with ease—dining, commuting, shopping, and even playing mystery games—leaving her thoroughly impressed. “I can take the MTR in Hong Kong directly to Luohu, Shenzhen. The cross-border convenience is incredible; I travel to Guangdong almost monthly to meet friends, savor local cuisine, get manicures, and shop for daily essentials,” she said. “I didn’t carry any cash. Throughout my day in the mainland, I used AlipayHK linked to my Hong Kong bank account for all payments via QR code scans.”
This routine cross-border consumption exemplifies the rapid formation of the “one-hour living circle” within the Greater Bay Area. As transportation infrastructure hard connectivity expands and soft connectivity policies like streamlined customs clearance become more efficient, the flow of people between Hong Kong, Macau, and the mainland has intensified. This surge drives cross-border consumption, stimulating logistics and capital flows across the region.
According to statistics from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Border Checkpoint, by April 27 this year, the port had already handled over 10 million passenger trips, reaching this milestone 25 days earlier than in 2024, setting a new record since its opening. Benefiting from policy support for the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, the Hengqin Port also recorded 10 million passenger trips by May 7, a 32% year-on-year increase.
Increased mobility fuels higher demand for dining, accommodation, travel, shopping, and entertainment. Data from the Zhuhai Commerce Bureau shows that from January 1 to May 31, 2025, an average of 2,335 Macau-plated and 2,855 Hong Kong-plated vehicles entered Zhuhai daily via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. “Cross-border consumption by Hong Kong and Macau residents significantly drives Zhuhai’s consumption growth. Survey data from 2024 indicates that diverse dining and shopping options are top draws, with price advantages and variety remaining key factors,” a representative from the bureau noted.
The convenience of cross-border payments enhances the integrated market within the Greater Bay Area, keeping the consumer market vibrant. “Many Hong Kong tourists now use mobile payments. We’ve also launched free cross-border WiFi to make扫码消费 faster,” said Zhuang Meirong, General Manager of Shenzhen Link Central Plaza.
Achieving Payment “Soft Connectivity”
Though Liang Shanheng now enjoys seamless digital payments, she recalls earlier challenges. “I’d long heard about relatives on the mainland shopping on Taobao and found it fascinating. When I finally tried to open a RMB account in Zhuhai, my Macau ID meant visiting three banks and filling out piles of forms before succeeding,” she recounted.
With her salary in Macau patacas, spending on the mainland previously required exchanging currency or topping up a linked mainland account for Alipay use. “Now, I don’t need a mainland account. In Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and elsewhere, I can usually scan directly with MPay,” she said. Payments are deducted directly from her Macau account, combining convenience with clear transaction records.
This soft connectivity stems from deep technical and regulatory collaboration among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. Since April, a tripartite cooperation between Guangzhou Metro Group, Ant Group’s Alipay+, and Macau Pass allows Macau residents to use the Guangzhou Metro ride code via MPay for buses, trams, water buses, and even Foshan Metro.
“Over the past year, Hong Kong users made over 10 million northbound trips using AlipayHK,” said Li Yongshi, General Manager of Ant International’s Greater China region. The “Three Wallets, One Bay Area” initiative enables users of Alipay, AlipayHK, and MPay to消费 across multiple cities with a single code. Following seamless shopping, transportation convenience further fuels travel enthusiasm.
Concurrently, new policies like multiple-entry permits for Shenzhen residents visiting Hong Kong, weekly travel permits for Zhuhai residents to Macau, and multiple-entry permits for Hengqin residents have intensified cross-border flows. Mainland residents consuming in Hong Kong and Macau also experience nearly identical payment experiences to home.
Xiao Chun, a Shenzhen resident, recently visited Hong Kong for a concert and shopping at Harbour City. “Just like on the mainland, I used WeChat Pay. At checkout, HKD was converted to RMB automatically, and I received a SMS confirmation immediately after scanning—very convenient.”
With the ongoing optimization of “Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles” and “Northbound Travel for Macau Vehicles,” Guangdong and Hong Kong are actively planning “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles.” This policy will allow eligible private cars from Guangdong to enter Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge without a regular quota, simply by booking in advance, making short-term business, family visits, or tourism smoother.
Future plans include integrating e-wallets into more civic scenarios like healthcare and government services, offering greater convenience for cross-border travel, work, family visits, and daily life.
👉 Explore more strategies for seamless cross-border travel
Richer Consumption Scenes
At the PO PARK Oriental Plaza near Guangzhou East Railway Station, an interactive event called “Egg Friend Meetup” drew crowds with garden tours, races, and lucky draws. Among the participants were many Hong Kong and Macau travelers who had just arrived by train.
The mall’s integration with the railway and metro stations means passengers step directly from their trains into shops, creating a hub for cross-border shoppers. “To ensure all travelers can easily enjoy diverse消费, we vigorously promote cross-border mobile payments in our stores and via targeted WeChat official account pushes,” said Ye Songxi, President of PO PARK Oriental Plaza. Since the Canton Fair this spring, the mall partnered with Alipay+ to offer discounts for users of AlipayHK, MPay, and other overseas e-wallets who scan promotional posters.
At the “TOP TOY” store on the lower level, shelves brim with trendy domestic and international collectibles. Young shoppers browse alone or in groups, often purchasing hundreds of dollars in blind boxes before catching trains back to Hong Kong. “The ‘blind box economy’ and ‘merchandise economy’ are hot trends. Mainland stores offer great variety and prices,” said store manager Li Jiayao.
This “step-off-the-train-into-a-store” mall is a microcosm of the Greater Bay Area’s vast “business circle.” During the May Day holiday, cross-border consumption surged at outlets like Hema Fresh, Miniso, Pop Mart, and Shenzhen Tong, with lifestyle services like dental care, beauty treatments, and Sinopec gas stations ranking high in popularity.
Seamless payment experiences eliminate concerns about payment hassles for inbound tourists and enable small mainland shops to easily become “cross-border stores,” presenting innovative消费 scenes to overseas consumers. Currently, around 200 mini-programs—for portable chargers, massage chairs, claw machines, luggage storage, and more—are accessible via overseas payment apps through Alipay+’s cross-border services.
How can cross-border consumer experiences be further enhanced? Ye Songxi recommends stronger merchant collaboration for joint innovative events, creating richer消费 scenes that foster mutual benefits over inefficient competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the “one-hour living circle” in the Greater Bay Area?
It refers to the highly integrated transportation and infrastructure network that allows residents to travel between major cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau within approximately one hour, facilitating daily cross-border activities like work, leisure, and shopping.
Which payment methods are commonly used for cross-border consumption?
Popular options include AlipayHK for Hong Kong residents, MPay for Macau residents, and WeChat Pay for mainland residents. These e-wallets are widely accepted in retail, dining, and transportation across the region, often with currency conversion built-in.
Do I need a separate bank account in mainland China to use these services?
No, residents of Hong Kong and Macau can often use their local e-wallets directly without opening a mainland bank account. Payments are deducted from their home currency accounts, with transparent exchange rates applied during transactions.
What types of消费 scenes are popular with cross-border visitors?
Dining, shopping for trendy goods like blind boxes and collectibles, beauty services, and convenience items are top draws. Transportation hubs integrated with malls also see high foot traffic from travelers making quick purchases.
Are there any discounts or promotions for using cross-border payment tools?
Yes, many malls and service providers collaborate with payment platforms to offer limited-time discounts,满减promotions, or exclusive “福利包” for overseas wallet users, enhancing the value proposition.
How is the cross-border payment infrastructure expected to evolve?
Future developments may include expansion into healthcare, government services, and more public utilities, providing a seamless experience for residents engaging in cross-border work, tourism, and daily life.