China UnionPay
Encyclopedia
China UnionPay also known as UnionPay or by its abbreviation, CUP, is the only domestic bank 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 People's Bank of China
(PBOC, central bank of China). It is also the only interbank network
in China
excluding Hong Kong
and Macau
, linking the ATMs of some fourteen major bank
s and many more smaller banks throughout mainland China
. It is also an EFTPOS
(Electronic Funds Transfer
at Point of Sale
) network.
, 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.
, Canada
, France
, Germany
, Japan
, Malaysia, Peru
, Singapore
, South Korea
, Switzerland
, Thailand
, New Zealand
, the United Arab Emirates
, and the United States
.
UnionPay cards are also making inroads into other countries' interbank network
s, 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.
Other UnionPay-affiliated organizations include certain municipal commercial banks as well as rural credit
cooperative
s. Other financial institutions in cities that are already capable of issuing cards will issue UnionPay cards in succession.
In addition, ten foreign banks have the right to issue UnionPay debit cards in China:
While Mitsui Sumitomo Bank
offers a UnionPay credit card in Japan, and United Overseas Bank
offers a UnionPay credit card in Singapore. Bank of East Asia is unique in being allowed to independently issue UnionPay credit cards in both Hong Kong and the mainland. HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank independently issue UnionPay credit cards in Hong Kong while they issue cards in the mainland in cooperation with local banks as noted above. Citibank uses the same arrangement (independently issuing UnionPay cards in Hong Kong while co-issuing with a partner in the mainland) and Deutsche Bank only has co-issued cards, with no independently-issued UnionPay credit cards.
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
.
Bank card
A bank card is a plastic card issued by a bank to its clients that may perform one or more of the following services:* ATM card, card used for transactions at automatic teller machines* Debit card, card linked to a bank account and used for making purchases...
organization in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC). Founded in March 2002, China UnionPay is an association for China's banking card industry, operating under the approval of the People's Bank of China
People's Bank of China
The People's Bank of China is the central bank of the People's Republic of China with the power to control monetary policy and regulate financial institutions in mainland China...
(PBOC, central bank of China). It is also the only interbank network
Interbank network
An interbank network, also known as an ATM consortium or ATM network, is a computer network that connects the ATMs of different banks and permits these ATMs to interact with the ATM cards of non-native banks....
in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
excluding Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, linking the ATMs of some fourteen major bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
s and many more smaller banks throughout mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. It is also an EFTPOS
EFTPOS
EFTPOS is the general term used for debit card based systems used for processing transactions through terminals at points of sale. In Australia and New Zealand it is also the brand name of the specific system used for such payments...
(Electronic Funds Transfer
Electronic funds transfer
Electronic funds transfer is the electronic exchange or transfer of money from one account to another, either within a single financial institution or across multiple institutions, through computer-based systems....
at Point of Sale
Point of sale
Point of sale or checkout is the location where a transaction occurs...
) network.
History
With the approval of the People's Bank of ChinaPeople's Bank of China
The People's Bank of China is the central bank of the People's Republic of China with the power to control monetary policy and regulate financial institutions in mainland China...
, China UnionPay was launched on March 26, 2002 in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
by PBOC governor Dai Xianglong
Dai Xianglong
Dai Xianglong is a politician of the People's Republic of China. He is the former governor of the People's Bank of China, and the former mayor of Tianjin...
, with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. is the largest bank in the world by profit and market capitalization. It is one China's 'Big Four' state-owned commercial banks .It was founded as a limited company on January 1, 1984...
, the Agricultural Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China
Agricultural Bank of China Limited , also known as AgBank, is one of the "Big Four" banks in the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1951, and has its headquarters in Beijing...
, the Bank of China
Bank of China
Bank of China Limited is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China...
and the China Construction Bank
China Construction Bank
China Construction Bank is one of the 'big four' banks in the People's Republic of China. To date, it is ranked as the nation's second largest and the second largest bank in the world by market capitalization and 12th largest company in the world. The bank has approximately 13,629 domestic branches...
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
Jiang Zemin
Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2005...
. 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
Now UnionPay card can be used in 104 countries and regions around the world. Some UnionPay Credit Cards are also affiliated with either American Express, MasterCard or Visa, and they can be used abroad as an American Express, Mastercard or Visa. UnionPay Debit Cards, however, can only be used in the UnionPay network and other networks that have signed contracts with UnionPay. Since 2006, China UnionPay cards can be used in over 100 countries outside China, including AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Malaysia, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
UnionPay cards are also making inroads into other countries' interbank network
Interbank network
An interbank network, also known as an ATM consortium or ATM network, is a computer network that connects the ATMs of different banks and permits these ATMs to interact with the ATM cards of non-native banks....
s, with some networks, such as BancNet
BancNet
Bancnet, Inc. is a Philippine-based interbank network connecting the ATM networks of more than forty local banks. It is considered the largest interbank network in the Philippines in terms of the number of member banks and annual transactions...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, already accepting UnionPay cards at the ATM level and the point-of-sale
BancNet Payment System
The BancNet Point-Of-Sale System is a local PIN-based electronic funds transfer payments solution operated by BancNet on behalf of the member banks and China UnionPay...
of all SM Prime Holdings, Inc.'s Department Store, Supermarket, Hypermarket, Super Sale, Watson's, Sports Central, Appliance and Toy Kingdom.
- UnionPay cards are accepted in 40 ATMs in Afghanistan main cities (from http://en.unionpay.com English Site > Globalization > ATM search ): UnionPay cards are accepted at National Australia BankNational Australia BankNational Australia Bank is one of the four largest financial institutions in Australia in terms of market capitalisation and customers. NAB is ranked 17th largest bank in the world measured by market capitalisation...
ATMs and selected EFTPOS merchants, and Cashcard ATMs (a First DataFirst DataFirst Data Corporation is an American payment processing company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. First Data is a provider of electronic commerce and payment solutions...
company).: accepted in Bangladesh, at HSBC bank's ATMs for BDTBDTBDT may refer to:* BDT, the ISO 4217 code for Bangladeshi taka * The Best Damn Thing, a 2007 album by Avril Lavigne...
withdrawals.: accepted in Belgium, at BNP Paribas Fortis's ATMs for EuroEuroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
withdrawals.: accepted in Brazil, at Citibank's ATMs for Brazilian realBrazilian realThe real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos ....
withdrawals.: accepted at all interacInteracInterac Association is a Canadian organization linking enterprises that have proprietary networks so that they may communicate with each other for the purpose of exchanging electronic financial transactions. The Association was founded in 1984 as a cooperative venture between five financial...
bank machines.: accepted at Canadia Bank ATMs.: accepted in 2 banks in Kinshasa city.: accepted in Denmark, in most shops and ATMs.: accepted in 6 banks in the capital (from http://en.unionpay.com English Site > Globalization > ATM search ): accepted in nearly 100 ATMs in the main cities (from http://en.unionpay.com English Site > Globalization > ATM search ): accepted in Prouds Duty Free shops in Nadi International Airport.: accepted in PrintempsPrintempsPrintemps is a French department store .The flagship Printemps store is located on Boulevard Haussmann in the IXe arrondissement of Paris along with other well-known department stores like Galeries Lafayette. There are other Printemps stores in Paris and throughout France...
shops in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
all credit agricole and Caisse d'Epargne ATMs.: some Sparkassen (German credit unionCredit unionA credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
s) already accept UnionPay cards at ATMs for euroEuroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
withdrawals. Accepted at some outlet shopping malls.: UnionPay cards are accepted at shops and ATMs in Hong Kong.:UnionPay cards are accepted at OTP ATMs in Hungary.: accepted at Citibank, DBS, HSBC, BCA, ICBC and OCBC NISP ATMs throughout Indonesia.: At the moment UnionPay cards can be used in 20 ATM in Iraq (in Baghdad, Erbil and other cities) at CUP and CSC banks. (from http://en.unionpay.com English Site > Globalization > ATM search ): Up to now, UnionPay cards could be used on nearly half of the ATMs in Italy and at more than 40000 department stores, brand stores, and hotel and catering merchants (from the UnionPay English site main page news, in the article with the title "UnionPay cooperating with Italy Starhotels to improve UnionPay card" http://en.unionpay.com/news/newsroom/file_60657215.html and from UnionPay English Site > Globalization > Merchant search.): accepted in Japan PostJapan Postwas a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and was the nation's largest employer. One third of all Japanese...
's and 7-11's cash machines and some shops (Matsumoto Kiyoshi is one of the few chains to accept UnionPay cards at all locations; most chains will only accept UnionPay cards at central city locations).: accepted in some bank's ATMs, and some shops.: accepted in Hong Leong'sHong Leong GroupHong Leong Group is a conglomerate based in Malaysia. Founded as a trading company in 1963 by Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, the company controls 14 listed companies involved in the financial services, manufacturing, distribution, property and infrastructure development...
cash machines.: BanamexGrupo Financiero BanamexGrupo Financiero Banamex S.A. de C.V. has its origins and is the owner of Banco Nacional de México or Banamex, Mexico's second largest bank behind BBVA Bancomer. The Banamex Financial Group was purchased by Citigroup in August 2001 for $12.5 billion USD...
ATMs service UnionPay customers for cash withdrawals in Mexican pesoMexican pesoThe peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
s.: Golomt BankGolomt BankGolomt Bank is Mongolia's largest privately owned bank. It conducts banking business such as current and savings account, debit card, online banking, etc. It also issues Visa cards on its name. It was founded in 1995....
ATMs service UnionPay customers for cash withdrawals in Mongolian tögrögs.: UnionPay cards are accepted at the Bank of New ZealandBank of New ZealandBank of New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest banks and has been operating continuously in the country since the first office was opened in Auckland in October 1861 followed shortly after by the first branch in Dunedin in December 1861...
's 420 ATM's nationwide and selected EFTPOS merchants.: accepted in CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
's ATMs .: accepted in GlobalNetGlobalNetGlobal Net is an interbank network in Peru operated by Peruvian bank "Interbank".ATMs are available all over Peru. GlobalNet ATMs work with any Cirrus, PLUS, American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard, or Visa card...
's 1403 ATMs throughout this country. Widely Accepted at most ATM's and Retail Stores.: CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
, Bank of MoscowBank of MoscowThe Bank of Moscow is the fifth largest bank in Russia.In 2011, following a hostile takeover by VTB Bank, USD$ 9 billion in fraudulent loans were discovered and the bank received an unprecedented $14 billion bailout. Russia has issued an international arrest warrant for Andrei Borodin for his...
, VTB and Uniastrum accept UnionPay cards at ATMs, Evrofinance Mosnarbank (Moscow) issues cards.: accepted in ATMs displaying Network for Electronic TransfersNetwork for Electronic TransfersThe Network for Electronic Transfers Pte Ltd was founded in 1985 to operate and manage an online debit payment system pioneering Singapore's shift to a cashless society. It has since grown to a multi-service organisation, providing a comprehensive range of electronic payment services...
Singapore (NETS) logos.: accepted in ATMs from Standard Bank.: Credit SuisseCredit SuisseThe Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs.: UnionPay cards accepted in nearly 100 ATMs in Syria big cities (from http://en.unionpay.com English Site > Globalization > ATM search): Kasikorn BankKasikorn BankKasikornbank Public Company Limited formerly known as the Thai Farmers Bank was established on 8 June 1945 by Choti Lamsam, with registered capital of Baht 5 million and has been listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand since 1976...
accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs (green in color) for Thai bahtThai bahtThe baht is the currency of Thailand. It is subdivided into 100 satang . The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand.-History:The baht, like the pound, originated from a traditional unit of mass...
withdrawals as well as TMB Bank ATMs (blue and red in color).: UnionPay cards are accepted at the Garanti BankGaranti BankGaranti Bank is the second largest-private bank in Turkey with US$90 billion in assets as of December 31, 2010. On November 2nd, 2010 BBVA , Spain's second largest bank, acquired 24.9% stake in Garanti Bank for $5.8 billion. Garanti provides retail, commercial, corporate and private banking...
's more than 2,700 ATMs and other bank ATMs bearing the UnionPay logo (all have Chinese interfaces). UnionPay cards are accepted at tens of thousands of merchants - mainly in major tourist cities and areas.: MashreqbankMashreqBankMashreq PSC is one of the leading financial institutions in the United Arab Emirates , with total assets as of 31 December 2010, of AED 84.8 Billion and net profits of AED803 Million...
accepts China Unionpay cards at all its ATMs and point-of-sale machines in its Merchant network.: On August 12, 2009, China Unionpay and LINKLINK (UK)LINK is a shared interbank network of automated teller machines operating in the United Kingdom. The network counts 37 member institutions, of which many are various banks and building societies issuing LINK ATM cards, and the remainder are independent ATM operators who do not issue cards...
, the only national ATM network in UK, jointly held a ceremony to announce the acceptance of China Unionpay (CUP) Card at all ATMs in the LINK network. This cooperation marks the acceptance of CUP Card at all ATMs in UK.: CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs for United States dollarUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
withdrawals. 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 PULSEPulse (interbank network)PULSE is an interbank electronic funds transfer network in the United States. It serves more than 4,400 U.S. financial institutions and includes more than 380,000 ATMs, as well as POS terminals nationwide...
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 AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. However, Discover does not support China UnionPay for e-commerce or card-not-present transactions.: DongA Bank (the former East Asia Commercial Bank), Saigon Bank For Industry and Trade accepts UnionPay cards at ATMs for Vietnamese đồng withdrawal, and United Overseas BankUnited Overseas BankUnited Overseas Bank Limited , abbreviated as UOB is a bank incorporated in Singapore. It was founded 6 August 1935 by Kuching-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, father of the present United Overseas Bank Group Chairman, Mr...
Ho Chi Minh Branch accepts UnionPay cards on its merchant network in Vietnam. On October 23, 2008, China Unionpay and VietcomBank, the biggest ATM and POS network in Vietnam, announced the acceptance of China Unionpay (CUP) Card at all ATMs and merchants in the Vietcombank network.
Members
UnionPay is the primary network of the following banks listed below:- Agricultural Bank of ChinaAgricultural Bank of ChinaAgricultural Bank of China Limited , also known as AgBank, is one of the "Big Four" banks in the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1951, and has its headquarters in Beijing...
- Bank of ChinaBank of ChinaBank of China Limited is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China...
(including its Hong Kong-based subsidiary Nanyang Commercial BankNanyang Commercial BankNanyang Commercial Bank is a bank based in Hong Kong and a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of China , with 41 branches. NCB primarily focuses on corporate customers, in particular trading companies. However, since 2007 it has also taken over all of BOCHK's mainland business as well....
) - Bank of CommunicationsBank of CommunicationsBank of Communications Limited , founded in 1908, is one of the largest banks in China.-Before 1949:The Bank of Communications was founded in 1908 and emerged as one of the first few major national and note-issuing banks in the early days of the Republic of China...
(Credit cards co-issued with HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
) - Bank of NingboBank of NingboBank of Ningbo Company Limited is a city commercial bank in Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. As of June 2008, it operated 78 branches in Ningbo and Shanghai. Since January 2008, Bank of Ningbo has become one of the constitute stocks in Shenzhen Stock Exchange Component Index...
- Bank of ShanghaiBank of ShanghaiBank of Shanghai is a bank based in Shanghai in the People's Republic of China.In September 1999 and December 2001, Bank of Shanghai received equity investments from International Finance Corporation, HSBC and Shanghai Commercial Bank in Hong Kong....
- Beijing Commercial Bank
- China Construction BankChina Construction BankChina Construction Bank is one of the 'big four' banks in the People's Republic of China. To date, it is ranked as the nation's second largest and the second largest bank in the world by market capitalization and 12th largest company in the world. The bank has approximately 13,629 domestic branches...
- China Everbright Bank
- China CITIC BankChina CITIC BankChina CITIC Bank is China’s seventh-largest lender in terms of total assets. It is formerly known as CITIC Industrial Bank. China CITIC Bank, established in February 1987, is a nationally comprehensive and internationally oriented commercial bank...
- China Merchants BankChina Merchants BankChina Merchants Bank is a bank headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Founded in 1987, it is the first share-holding commercial bank wholly owned by corporate legal entities.CMB has over five hundred branches in mainland China and one in Hong Kong...
- China Minsheng Banking CorporationChina Minsheng BankChina Minsheng Bank , founded on January 12, 1996 in Beijing, is the first bank in China to be owned mostly by non-government enterprises. The bank was founded by Jing Shuping, a Chinese lawyer and businessman who become prominent in the People's Republic of China after the nation's founding in...
- Guangdong Development BankGuangdong Development BankChina Guangfa Bank , previously Guangdong Development Bank , is a bank based in Guangzhou, Guangdong in People's Republic of China. The bank was established in September 1988 as a joint stock commercial bank....
- Huaxia Bank (Credit cards co-issued with Deutsche BankDeutsche BankDeutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
) - Industrial BankIndustrial Bank (China)Industrial Bank was the old short name that was more commonly used in China from June 2001 until March 3, 2003 for Industrial Bank Co.The former Fujian Industrial Bank was established on August 26, 1988, and had its first name change in June 2001, renaming itself as Fujian Industrial Bank...
(Credit cards co-issued with Hang Seng BankHang Seng BankHang Seng Bank Limited is the second largest bank in Hong Kong. It is a listed company but it is majority owned by the HSBC Group via The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Hang Seng is also one of the constituent shares of the Hang Seng Index...
) - Industrial and Commercial Bank of ChinaIndustrial and Commercial Bank of ChinaIndustrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. is the largest bank in the world by profit and market capitalization. It is one China's 'Big Four' state-owned commercial banks .It was founded as a limited company on January 1, 1984...
(ICBC) - Postal Savings Bank of ChinaPostal Savings Bank of ChinaPostal Savings Bank of China is a commercial retail bank, which provides basic financial services, especially to SMEs, rural and low income customers. PSBC has 40,000 branches covering all regions of China....
(formerly known as the China Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau) - Shanghai Pudong Development BankShanghai Pudong Development BankShanghai Pudong Development Bank Co. Ltd , incorporated on January 9, 1993 with the approval of the People's Bank of China , is a joint-stock commercial bank with its headquarters located in Shanghai....
(Credit cards co-issued with CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
) - Shenzhen Development BankShenzhen Development BankShenzhen Development Bank Co., Ltd. is a bank based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. It is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.-External links:*...
- Shenzhen Ping An BankShenzhen Ping An BankPing An Bank is a joint-stock commercial bank with its headquarters in Shenzhen. It primarily operates in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Fuzhou. As a subsidiary of Ping An Insurance Company of China, Ltd. , the bank is one of the three main pillars of Ping An Group: insurance, banking and asset...
- Taizhou City Commercial BankTaizhou City Commercial BankBank of Taizhou is a city commercial bank headquartered in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province - China. On 9th September, 2010, it was officially renamed as Bank of Taizhou from the original name of Taizhou City Commercial BankBank of Taizhou (TZB; simplified Chinese 台州银行) is a city commercial bank...
Other UnionPay-affiliated organizations include certain municipal commercial banks as well as rural credit
Credit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
s. Other financial institutions in cities that are already capable of issuing cards will issue UnionPay cards in succession.
In addition, ten foreign banks have the right to issue UnionPay debit cards in China:
- Standard Chartered BankStandard Chartered BankStandard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
- Bank of East AsiaBank of East AsiaThe Bank of East Asia Limited often abbreviated to BEA, is the largest independent local bank and the third largest bank in Hong Kong. Its chairman and chief executive is Sir David Li...
- CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
- HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
- Hang Seng BankHang Seng BankHang Seng Bank Limited is the second largest bank in Hong Kong. It is a listed company but it is majority owned by the HSBC Group via The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Hang Seng is also one of the constituent shares of the Hang Seng Index...
- Woori BankWoori BankWoori Bank is a bank headquartered in Seoul, Korea. The bank changed its name in 2002, and includes the former Commercial Bank of Korea, Hanil Bank, and Peace Bank. It was known from 1999 through 2002 as Hanvit Bank...
(as of May 2009) - Development Bank of Singapore (as of July 2009)
- Hana BankHana Financial GroupHana Financial Group is the 4th largest commercial banking group in South Korea.The company originally began in 1971 as Korea Investment & Finance, the nation’s first financial company established with purely private capital...
(as of November 2009) - Wing Hang BankWing Hang BankWing Hang Bank Limited is Hong Kong's sixth biggest bank by total assets. In Macau it is known as Banco Weng Hang S.A. In fiscal 2003, the bank had total assets of HK$89 billion, and net profits of HK$864 million.- History :...
(as of 2010) - OCBC Bank (as of 2010)
While Mitsui Sumitomo Bank
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
is a Japanese bank based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a member of the Sumitomo Group and Mitsui Group. As of the year 2009, SMBC was the second largest bank in Japan in terms of assets.-History:...
offers a UnionPay credit card in Japan, and United Overseas Bank
United Overseas Bank
United Overseas Bank Limited , abbreviated as UOB is a bank incorporated in Singapore. It was founded 6 August 1935 by Kuching-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, father of the present United Overseas Bank Group Chairman, Mr...
offers a UnionPay credit card in Singapore. Bank of East Asia is unique in being allowed to independently issue UnionPay credit cards in both Hong Kong and the mainland. HSBC and its subsidiary Hang Seng Bank independently issue UnionPay credit cards in Hong Kong while they issue cards in the mainland in cooperation with local banks as noted above. Citibank uses the same arrangement (independently issuing UnionPay cards in Hong Kong while co-issuing with a partner in the mainland) and Deutsche Bank only has co-issued cards, with no independently-issued UnionPay credit cards.
Overall, there are 165 financial institutions that issue UnionPay cards.
Outside China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, UnionPay has partnerships with other ATM networks. UnionPay has a partnership with JETCO
JETCO
JETCO is the biggest network of automatic teller machines in Hong Kong and Macau, with nearly 1,700 cash machines.-History:...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, 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
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
.