Super app WeChat has integrated the digital yuan into its payment service.
China’s most popular messenger WeChat, which includes payment system functions, announced digital yuan (e-CNY) payments support. Thus the application joined the new stage of the Chinese CBDC’s pilot program.
Users can connect their digital wallet (Digital RMB APP) to the WeBank app and use the e-CNY directly in WeChat. The only restriction — the function is only available to residents of cities where the Digital RMB pilot project operates. Recall that the Chinese government has recently included 11 more megalopolises into the list of the involved cities.
The total audience of WeChat exceeds one billion active users — it is one of the most popular apps in China. The application is a super app, which means it includes various functions. One of them is the payment system WeChat Pay, a kind of center for various services (ordering food and finding a cab). Thus, the digital yuan’s integration into the app will greatly expand its apps. Remember that earlier, during the pilot testing of the digital yuan during the Winter Olympics, the payment systems Alipay and WeChat were disconnected on the territory of the Olympic Village. Although local media had already reported at the time that the teams of these applications are working to integrate the e-CNY into their services.
