Freedom SuperApp users will be able to pay for purchases in China by scanning local QR codes. The Kazakhstani bank signed a memorandum with the TenPay Global platform.
What happened
Kazakhstan’s Freedom Bank agreed to partner with the cross-border payment platform TenPay Global, owned by Chinese corporation Tencent. The parties signed a memorandum of understanding on July 17, 2026, in Shanghai on the sidelines of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference.
Finteqstan previously reported that at the same venue, Freedom Holding agreed to create an AI supercluster. Now the focus has expanded to payment infrastructure. The TenPay Global platform connects international financial institutions to the Weixin Pay ecosystem, formerly known as WeChat Pay. Kursiv.kz reported the system integration, citing a bank statement.
How it will work
The partnership centers on two-way QR payment integration. Users of the Kazakhstani Freedom SuperApp will be able to directly scan Weixin Pay QR codes in Chinese stores, venues, and services.
This solves a classic infrastructure problem for tourists and entrepreneurs in China. The local market relies almost entirely on domestic payment systems, which are difficult to link to foreign bank cards. The integration creates a unified settlement environment: clients will not have to open accounts in Chinese banks or look for workarounds to top up local wallets.
Country and market
Kazakhstan acts as a key transit hub between Asia and Europe, and trade with China is steadily growing. Digitizing financial flows in this direction is a logical step for local players looking to expand beyond their home market.
For TenPay Global, this continues its global expansion strategy. The service already supports mutual integration with more than 40 foreign e-wallet operators from 13 countries. Partnering with Freedom Bank gives the Chinese system direct access to the Central Asian market.
What’s next
The parties are moving on to the technical and operational development of the project. The bank will announce the launch dates for pilot services later.
Besides acquiring, the companies are exploring cross-border money transfers and direct settlements in national currencies, including the Chinese yuan. For Kazakhstani banks, direct integration with Asian payment giants is gradually becoming a basic standard of competition for clients doing business with China.