Tencent and Visa have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on cross-border payments, AI-powered commerce and global business growth.

The agreement aims to combine Tencent’s digital platforms and payment capabilities with Visa’s global payments network to develop new payment and commerce experiences.

The companies will explore ways to make cross-border payments easier for travellers to and from China through Tencent’s TenPay Global platform and Visa Pay. They will also look at expanding cross-border remittance services through Visa Direct, enabling more overseas senders to transfer funds into the Weixin Pay ecosystem.

Tencent and Visa will also examine how AI and agentic technologies could support digital commerce, including AI agents that help users discover, select and purchase products and services.

The companies said they will focus on maintaining consumer control, security and trust while exploring new AI-enabled payment experiences.

The partnership builds on existing work between the two companies, including collaboration around Tencent’s gaming ecosystem, international payments platform Midas and risk management services. The companies also plan to explore AI payment opportunities across Tencent’s overseas AI businesses.

Elaine Chang, group general manager for Greater China at Visa, said: “The next chapter of commerce will be shaped by increasingly connected digital ecosystems and new AI-powered experiences.

“Our partnership with Tencent gives us an opportunity to help connect those experiences to Visa’s global network, opening more ways for consumers to pay and businesses to participate in global commerce, with trust and consumer control at the heart of how we innovate.”

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