UnionPay Expands Acceptance Across Europe, Now Accepted in Over 90% of European Countries and Regions

MADRID, Sept. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International ("UPI") announced today significant progress in building a seamless payment environment across Europe, which has now made its services available in over 90% of European countries and region, providing both local residents and international travelers with secure and convenient payment options.

UnionPay's European footprint covers core payment scenarios: over 80% of merchants accept its cards at POS terminals, and more than six million merchants support UnionPay QuickPass contactless payments, spanning open-loop public transportation, dining, hotels, supermarkets, and tourist attraction ticketing. Since 2025, QuickPass transactions have more than doubled in multiple European markets, reflecting growing adoption among users and merchants.

Major retail and hospitality players have integrated UnionPay into their services. European airport duty-free stores, France's Galeries Lafayette, the UK's Harrods, Spain's El Corte Inglés, and nine Value Retail premium outlets all accept UnionPay cards and most of them also accept UnionPay mobile payments. Dining options—from fine restaurants to fast-food chains and coffee shops—also support the brand, while global hotel groups including Four Seasons, Shangri-La, and Park Hyatt offer UnionPay payments at key European properties. Through partnership with Dojo, UnionPay cardholders can make payments over 110,000 UK merchants, primarily in the hospitality sector.

In travel and tourism, UnionPay has become a staple: it is integrated into urban and intercity transport systems as well as car rental services in Germany, Spain, and Italy. Popular attractions like the London Eye, Disneyland Paris, and Barcelona's Sagrada Família also allow visitors to purchase tickets online with UnionPay cards. Around 40,000 Selecta vending machines across Europe have enabled UnionPay acceptance.

UnionPay's local issuance in Europe further deepens its presence: over one million cards have been issued across 13 countries including Serbia, Italy, and Spain. Residents in Spain, France, Germany, and other EEA markets can apply for PecunPay UnionPay cards via the "Yi An" app—usable across UnionPay's European network and 183 countries and regions worldwide, and compatible with Weixin Pay (also known as WeChat Pay internationally) and Alipay for QR code transactions, facilitating convenient payments for European travelers to China.

With China emerging as a top destination for European tourists (fueled by more visa-free agreements and direct flights), UPI's "Project Excellence" is enhancing inbound payment convenience. UnionPay's widespread acceptance in China, plus tax refund services direct to UnionPay cards in gateway cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Nanjing, ensure smooth payment experiences for European visitors.

This robust infrastructure benefits both sides: it serves European residents' daily and travel needs while drawing global UnionPay cardholders—including a fast-growing number of Chinese tourists—to European merchants. UnionPay continues to roll out exclusive offers with local merchants and Chinese issuers to boost spending.

Beyond Europe, hundreds of millions of UnionPay cards have been issued in 83 countries and regions, strengthening cross-border travel and commerce worldwide.