This guide will walk you through what these payment methods are, why they matter, and how to integrate them on your website using AlphaPay’s API.
Global shoppers expect to pay with the methods they trust. For millions of Chinese consumers, that means WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay. Together, these platforms process trillions in transactions annually and dominate China’s payments landscape.
For Canadian businesses, supporting these payment methods unlocks access to a global customer base. Whether you’re serving international students, tourists, or cross-border e-commerce shoppers, adding these payment options can help you reduce friction at checkout and increase conversions.
Meeting Shoppers Where They Are
WeChat Pay is built into China’s most popular super-app, WeChat Pay has more than 900 million monthly active users. It enables one-tap payments directly in-app, making it a natural choice for everyday purchases.
Alipay has over 870 million active users, Alipay is the world’s largest mobile payment service. Beyond payments, it powers loyalty programs, targeted marketing, and cross-border commerce.
UnionPay is the largest card network in the world with over 7 billion cards issued, UnionPay supports both in-store QR code payments and e-commerce transactions. It’s widely used by Chinese consumers abroad.
For merchants, supporting these wallets is about meeting shoppers where they already are. Customers are far more likely to complete a purchase if they can use the payment method they prefer.
Before Integrating
Before you apply, you’ll need a few documents and details on hand:
Your website or app URL
Basic company information: industry, name, registered country/region, address, and main contact
A copy of your Certificate of Incorporation or Notice of Articles
A government-issued photo ID for the authorized signer
A void cheque or bank document for your nominated account
联系我们开户
Once you’re ready, contact AlphaPay to begin your merchant application. We’ll submit your details through our secure onboarding portal.
Our compliance team will review everything. In most cases, this takes 3 to 5 business days. If anything’s missing, we’ll reach out.
Get Approved and Set Up Your Account
When your application is approved, you’ll receive a welcome email with everything you need to get started:
Your merchant credentials (App ID, Merchant ID, API key)
Your unique partner code
Login details for the AlphaPay dashboard
Integration instructions tailored for your setup (Shopify, WooCommerce, custom API, and more)
From the dashboard, you’ll be able to track transactions, configure payouts, and manage your payment settings.
Integration options with AlphaPay
AlphaPay supports multiple ways to add WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay to your checkout flow. The right choice depends on your business and technical needs.
You can integrate AlphaPay in a few different ways:
E-commerce plugins: Use our prebuilt connectors for platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. Redirect customers to an AlphaPay-hosted payment page where they can complete the transaction with their preferred wallet. This is the simplest option for getting started quickly.
API integration: Embed WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay directly into your checkout using AlphaPay’s API. Embed these payment methods directly into your checkout flow and allow yourself more control over the user experience.
QR code payments: Generate a QR code at checkout that customers scan with their WeChat or Alipay apps. This method is popular for mobile-first shoppers and can be used online or in-store.
How AlphaPay’s API Works
AlphaPay provides a unified payments API for WeChat Pay, Alipay, and UnionPay across web, mobile, QR, and in-store scenarios. You create a payment with one endpoint and specify the scenario and payment method you want. The platform returns everything you need to present the payment (QR, redirect URL, etc.) and keeps you updated via webhooks.
To create a payment request, you’ll send an order request to AlphaPay’s API with details such as amount, currency, and payment channel.
Example request via online web:
Once the payment is complete, AlphaPay will send a notification to your notifyUrl so you can update your order status.
Example response via online web:
Test in Your Merchant Portal or App
Before you go live, test with your merchant portal or AlphaPay App. AlphaPay does not provide a sandbox. To validate your integration end-to-end, run controlled live tests with low-value transactions and immediate refunds.
Prepare a safe test window
Use a low order amount (e.g., CAD $0.10–$1.00) and clear “TEST – DO NOT FULFILL” descriptors. Enable verbose logging for requests, responses, headers, and webhook payloads.
Run live test payments (each method & scenario)
For every payment method you plan to support (WeChat Pay, Alipay, UnionPay) and every scenario (e.g., QR, web redirect, in-app/JSAPI):
Create a payment and confirm you receive a successful create response. Complete the customer flow and ensure the checkout returns to your site (if applicable). Verify you receive the notification (webhook) and that your signature verification passes. Confirm your order state transitions to PAID (or terminal failure) exactly once.
Verify operational paths
Refunds: Initiate a full and partial refund; verify webhook receipt and order/refund ledger updates.
Cancellations/expiry: Cancel an unpaid order; confirm it can’t be paid afterward.
Retries/timeouts: Simulate a user abandoning payment; ensure you don’t auto-fulfill without a success notification.
Reconciliation checks
Confirm the transaction appears in the merchant dashboard with the expected amount, currency, and order IDs. You can export transactions/settlements and ensure your internal ledger matches (gross amount, fees, net payout where applicable).
Go-live checklist
Webhook signature verification enabled and enforced.
Monitoring/alerts for non-200 webhook responses, elevated declines, or unusual latency.
Run one final low-value live test in production traffic and immediately refund it.
Run test transactions for each payment method.
Confirm that order updates are working.
Validate the full customer checkout experience.
Once you’re ready, you can start accepting payments from customers.
Ready to welcome global shoppers?
Explore what it means to accept cross border payments with AlphaPay—or connect with our team to get started.
