China's mobile-payment users reach 621 mln in June

About 621 million people used mobile payments in China as of June, up 37.88 million compared with 2018, according to a report from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

A Chinese cashier scans the QR code through mobile payment service Alipay of Alibaba Group on the smartphone of a customer at a supermarket in Shanghai, China, February 16, 2019. [File Photo: IC]

A total of 633 million people made online payments as of June, 32.65 million more than the figure of December 2018, said a report from the CNNIC, published earlier this week.

Meanwhile, about 421 million people ordered food online, up 15.16 million over the end of 2018, 417 million of whom did so on a mobile phone, up 20.37 million.

Chinese online payment platforms have tested new features that do not require a mobile phone. Alipay and WeChat pay, two leading mobile payment platforms, both launched online payment services using facial recognition technologies.

With increasing government support and active promotions by banks and online payment platforms, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) service expanded in China. By July 18, its users totaled 91.51 million.

China's Internet users totaled 854 million as of June 2019, with the internet availability rate reaching 61.2 percent.