CHINA UNIONPAY

'China UnionPay' (), also known as 'UnionPay' (Chinese: 银联) or by its abbreviation, 'CUP', is the only credit card organization in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in March 2002, China UnionPay is an association for China's banking card industry, operating under the approval of the PBOC. It is also the only interbank network in China excluding Hong Kong and Macau, linking the ATMs of some fourteen major banks and many more smaller banks throughout mainland China. It is also an EFTPOS network.

Contents

History

Use abroad

Members

See also

References

External links

History

With the approval of the People's Bank of China, China UnionPay was launched on March 26, 2002 in Shanghai by PBOC governor Dai Xianglong, with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China and the China Construction Bank serving as its first members. However, the concept of a unified Chinese bank card network dates back to 1993, with the formation of the "Golden Card Project" advocated by then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin. UnionPay is considered the descendant of the Golden Card Project, although attempts at unifying China's various credit card and interbank networks have been in place since the 1990s.

Use abroad

While China UnionPay cards are making great inroads outside China, they are not widely accepted as of yet. However, since 2006, China UnionPay cards can be used in over twenty further countries outside China, including the United States, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Australia. UnionPay cards are also making inroads into other countries' interbank networks, with some networks, such as BancNet in the Philippines, already accepting UnionPay cards at the ATM level and the Point-of-Sale of all SM Prime Holdings, Inc.'s Department Store, Supermarket, Hypermarket, Super Sale, Watson's, Sports Central, Appliance and Toy Kingdom.

★ Australia - UnionPay cards are accepted at National Australia Bank ATMs, and Cashcard ATMs (a First Data company).

★ Japan - accepted in Japan Post's cash machines

★ Germany - some Sparkassen already accept UnionPay cards at ATMs for Euro withdrawals.

★ Russia - Citibank and VTB accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs.

★ Thailand - Kasikorn Bank accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs (yellow in color) for Thai Bhat withdrawals as well as TMB Bank ATMs (blue and red in color)

★ United States - Citibank accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs for USD withdrawal. In May 2005 Discover Network announced an alliance with China UnionPay Network. The two companies have signed a long-term agreement that allows acceptance of Discover Network brand cards at UnionPay ATMs and point-of-sale terminals in China and acceptance of China UnionPay cards on the PULSE network in the U.S. As of November 1, 2007, China UnionPay cards may be accepted where Discover Network Cards are accepted in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

★ Vietnam - East Asia Commercial Bank, Saigon Bank For Industry and Trade accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs for VND withdrawal

★ Switzerland - Credit Suisse accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs.

Members

UnionPay is the primary network of the following banks listed below:

★ Agricultural Bank of China

★ Bank of China

★ Bank of Communications

★ Bank of Shanghai

★ Beijing Commercial Bank

★ China Construction Bank

★ China Everbright Bank

★ China Merchants Bank

★ China Minsheng Banking Corporation

★ CITIC

★ Guangdong Development Bank

★ Huaxia Bank

★ Industrial Bank

★ Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

★ Shanghai Pudong Development Bank

★ Shenzhen Development Bank
Other UnionPay-affiliated organizations include the China Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau, certain municipal commercial banks as well as rural credit cooperatives. Other financial institutions in cities that are already capable of issuing cards will issue UnionPay cards in succession. Overall, there are 165 financial institutions that issue UnionPay cards.
Outside China, UnionPay has partnerships with other ATM networks. UnionPay has a partnership with JETCO in Hong Kong and Macau, both of which are not included in the UnionPay system, although this ended as of January 1, 2006. UnionPay also has affiliations with other banks' networks: this is identified with a UnionPay sticker being displayed usually on the door of the ATM room or on the ATM itself. The sticker has the UnionPay logo and the words "Welcome to use China UnionPay cards" displayed on the bottom in English and Chinese.
UnionPay credit cards are not yet widely accepted outside mainland China; however, they are starting to gain acceptance in the United States, Western Europe, East Asia and Southeast Asia.

See also

★ ATM usage fees

References

# Remarks by Mr. Dai Xianglong, Governor of the PBC at the Opening Ceremony of China Unionpay, People's Bank of China Press Release, March 26, 2002
# Strong Measures to be Taken to Achieve the Target of Connecting Bank-Card Networks This Year, People's Bank of China Press Release, March 27, 2002
# China UnionPay extends coverage globally, Xinhua news agency, February 2, 2006
# China UnionPay accepted in U.S. on Discover/Pulse networks, People's Bank of China Press Release, December 6, 2005.
# National Australia Bank and China UnionPay form new bond, Banking Business Review, September 26, 2006.
# Cards Accepted in the United States

External links

★ China UnionPay