To welcome incoming Chinese visitors during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, about 4,000 shops in Russia, including big department stores, have been connected to Alipay, huanqiu.com reported.
With the addition of QR code readers being installed at 5 metro stations in Moscow, passengers can pay for their tickets via Alipay, simply scanning the QR code after downloading a special mobile app offered by the metro.
A 53-year-old visitor from east China's Jiangsu Province, who has just arrived in Russia, said it’s very convenient for those who don’t speak Russian to buy subway tickets via Alipay.
Chinese football fans have bought more than 40,000 tickets for the World Cup, the 9th biggest buyer among their global peers, according to FIFA.