Splyt enables Chinese travellers to access ridehailing and micromobility services anywhere in the world

Over one billion users of the Chinese superapp, Alipay, can book and pay for rides directly within the Alipay app, from anywhere in the world. This integration of dozens of partners has been enabled by Splyt.  But how did we get here?

About Alipay

Alipay is China's leading online payment solution, and offers a wide range of services to bring convenience into users' everyday life.  No matter what you buy, what service you need, or where you are headed, for many users, the Alipay app is the first point of call.

Before Alipay became a "one-stop-shop app", commonly known as a superapp, Alipay was predominantly a mobile wallet app. However, with hundreds of millions of users, it made sense to expand the offering beyond the functions of the e-payment industry.  To increase customer loyalty and add revenue streams for itself, Alipay added a multitude of services - from ordering food and groceries to booking cab services online. The platform emerged as a leading superapp.

Alipay Partners With Splyt

In 2019, Alipay began offering ridehailing services to its hundreds of millions of users, through a partnership with Splyt. The integration allowed Chinese travellers to hail and pay for rides from local transportation providers through Alipay, eliminating the need to download a new app while travelling overseas.

With this first integration, the Splyt platform reached over 1.2 billion users in over 50 countries and territories. Alipay users in turn received access to Splyt’s network of transport partners in over 1,000 cities. Splyt's custom-built user interface met the needs of users when travelling, allowing all payments to be processed in the user’s preferred currency, or by payment with the Alipay wallet.. In addition to 24/7 customer support, an in-app chat function was available to help passengers communicate with drivers even if they don’t speak the local language. All of these features delivered ease of use and safety for users, making them feel at home anywhere.

“Consumers don’t want 100 different apps - they want tools that make their lives easier,” said Kiki Wu, Director of Business Development, Cross-Border Business, Alipay. “This brand-new ridehailing mini program makes it possible to search, book and pay for taxi rides in our users’ native currency. Partnering with Splyt gives us unparalleled access to a roster of transport providers across the world that will make getting around when travelling easier than ever before.”

The Integration Process

Splyt provides a full end-to-end booking integration right from booking to payment. The front-end build and design were all taken care of by Splyt. Through the Alipay Wallet API integration, customers were allowed to pay automatically with their wallet balance. At launch, Alipay users from the Chinese mainland were able to use mobility services from Splyt partners in the UK, UAE and South-East Asia.

“Splyt is the world’s leading on-demand services network, and the only company that can enable true global mobility roaming. We’re delighted about this ground-breaking collaboration with Alipay, that helps ease the journeys of its users when abroad,” commented Philipp Mintchin, Splyt CEO. “With huge numbers of global Chinese travellers to resume shortly, the strength of our platform will once again ease and support travel in some of the fastest growing commercial corridors worldwide.”

The Network Effect

• Alipay adds new users and products and increases users’ loyalty.
• Splyt manages the complexity of Alipay's growth.

Key Achievements

• Coverage: Over 2,000 cities
• User loyalty: Over 6 rides per user per month
• Conversion rate: Up to 40%
• GMV spike: 200% GMV increase in China's “Golden Week” peak travel season.