Standard Bank Group and UnionPay International (UPI) have expanded UnionPay e-commerce acceptance across nine African markets, enabling participating merchants to accept secure online payments from UnionPay cardholders and giving businesses broader access to cross-border consumer demand.
The expanded capability strengthens digital commerce across Africa by helping merchants offer more payment choice, reduce checkout friction and serve international travellers, cross-border shoppers and businesses transacting across multiple markets.
Through the partnership, online merchants in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe can now offer secure UnionPay e-commerce acceptance, with nearly 900 participating merchants across the continent.
Building on the collaboration announced by Standard Bank and UnionPay in 2024, this latest expansion comes as African businesses increasingly seek to serve customers beyond their domestic markets, supported by the continued growth of e-commerce, travel, tourism and regional trade. For merchants, the ability to accept internationally recognised payment methods online can help improve conversion, increase customer reach and support participation in cross-border digital commerce.
UnionPay cards are accepted in 183 countries and regions, including 51 countries in Africa, and are issued in 85 countries and regions globally. UnionPay’s African footprint includes approximately 7 million cards issued across the continent, creating additional opportunities for merchants to reach consumers travelling, trading and transacting across borders.
Supported by Standard Bank’s African presence, the expanded acceptance capability is locally relevant, regionally scalable and connected to international customer flows. Merchants can facilitate e-commerce transactions in local currency, US dollars or both, depending on market requirements.
Beyond expanding access to international payment networks, the partnership also supports the growing flow of trade and commerce across African markets. Leveraging Standard Bank’s African footprint, the solution helps connect merchants to both regional and global customer flows, supporting trade and commerce within Africa and beyond.
“African businesses are increasingly selling beyond their domestic markets and the ability to accept trusted international payment methods is becoming essential to that growth. By enabling UnionPay e-commerce acceptance across nine African markets, Standard Bank is helping merchants reduce payment friction, reach more customers and participate more effectively in cross-border digital commerce. This partnership reflects our commitment to using our African footprint and digital capabilities to unlock practical growth opportunities for businesses across the continent,” says Mr Bill Blackie, Chief Executive for Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group.
“UnionPay International is committed to expanding the reach and usability of our payment network across Africa. Our collaboration with Standard Bank enables more merchants to accept UnionPay online and gives UnionPay cardholders greater choice and convenience when transacting with African businesses. Together, we are supporting safer, simpler and more connected digital commerce across the region,” says Mr Feng Chen, General Manager at UnionPay International Africa Branch.
The expanded acceptance capability is expected to benefit a broad range of businesses, including hospitality and tourism operators, retailers and e-commerce platforms. By giving customers more ways to pay online and supporting internationally recognised authentication standards, the solution helps merchants improve the checkout experience while strengthening confidence in digital transactions.
About UnionPay International:
UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay’s global business. In partnership with more than 2,600 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in 183 countries and regions with issuance in 85 countries and regions.
UnionPay International provides high-quality, cost-effective, and secure cross-border payment services to the world’s largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.
For further information, go to https://www.unionpayintl.com/en/.
About the Standard Bank Group:
The Standard Bank Group is the largest African bank by assets, operating in 21 African countries, 4 global financial centres and 2 offshore hubs.
Headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, the bank is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with share code SBK, and the Namibian Stock Exchange, share code SNB.
Standard Bank has a 163-year history in South Africa and started building a franchise outside southern Africa in the early 1990s. Its strategic position, which enables it to connect Africa to other select emerging markets as well as pools of capital in developed markets, and its balanced portfolio of businesses, provide significant opportunities for growth.
As at 30 June 2026, Standard Bank Group had 19.5 million clients, employed over 50,000 people (including Liberty) and had over 1,200 points of representation and over 5,600 ATMs across the African continent. The group’s largest shareholder is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the world’s largest bank, with a 19.7% shareholding. In addition, Standard Bank Group and ICBC share a strategic partnership that facilitates trade and deal flow between Africa, China and select emerging markets.
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