Payment service provider, Computop, is integrating Alipay into its paygate payment platform (view press release). Alipay is very popular in China, with research indicating that 77.4% of first time online shoppers in China chose it to pay for their first online purchase. 88.8% of those surveyed by China IntelliConsulting Corp named Alipay as their preferred online payment tool. Alipay has around 650 million registered accounts.

"By offering Alipay through Computop Paygate, we are enabling companies to easily and securely sell into the vast buying audience in China," said Ralf Gladis, CEO of Computop. "Through Computop Paygate, Chinese companies can connect to the domestic Alipay Platform and settle in Yuan. For European and American companies, on the other hand, we have connected to the international Alipay Platform where they can settle in Euros, British Pounds or US-Dollars. This is all part of the combined Paygate/Alipay solution. We are excited to be able to help merchants easily expand to China."