Apple Pay to Launch in China on February 18th

Apple Pay is set to launch in China on February 18th, according to social media posts from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), reports Reuters.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on ICBC's posts on the projected launch. The lender is set to be joined by a raft of peers: Apple's China website lists 19 Chinese lenders as official Apple Pay partners, and state media reported two other lenders will also go live with the service from Feb. 18.

The launch would make China the fifth country to get Apple Pay. ICBC is the country's biggest lender by assets and China is Apple's second largest market. The country already has dominent and entrenched players in the mobile payments business so it will be interesting to see how the service does.


Notably, China's state radio is also reporting that China Guangfa Bank Co Ltd and China Construction Bank Corp have announced plans to launch Apple Pay on February 18th.

Read More