CIMB OCTO Users Can Now Pay by DuitNow QR in Nine Countries

CIMB Bank Berhad customers using the CIMB OCTO app can now make DuitNow QR payments at participating Alipay+ merchants in five more places, China, Hong Kong SAR, South Korea, the Philippines and Laos, the bank announced on Monday (Nov 2).

The new markets add to Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, which were already supported. Including Malaysia, the app’s QR payment coverage now spans nine countries, CIMB said.

How it works

The service runs on the outbound DuitNow QR link between Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) and Ant International’s Alipay+. Users scan a merchant QR code that displays the Alipay+ logo, then review and confirm the payment within the OCTO app.

No additional payment app or separate Alipay+ account is needed, according to the bank. The sources did not state fees, exchange rates or transaction limits.

CIMB said OCTO processed more than 500,000 cross-border DuitNow QR transactions as of September 2026, an increase of more than 150% year on year. The bank said Alipay+ connects more than two billion user accounts and over 50 international payment partners, with acceptance at more than 150 million merchants in over 220 markets.

Haniz Nazlan, Chief Executive Officer of Group Consumer Banking at CIMB, said customers “expect banking to move seamlessly with them, including across borders.” He added that the service gives customers greater convenience and flexibility when they travel.

Inbound payments and other banks

The link also works in the other direction. Users of supported Alipay+ partner wallets can pay at DuitNow QR merchants in Malaysia, which CIMB said helps local businesses, particularly SMEs, benefit from tourist spending. Fintech News Malaysia reported that inbound payments have been available since November 2023.

According to Fintech News Malaysia, PayNet named CIMB, Maybank and Hong Leong Bank in October as the first three banks on the outbound service, with Bank Islam expected to follow. Other banks and e-wallets can also adopt the service, the publication said.

What’s next

CIMB said the expansion forms part of its Forward30 strategy and links with the CIMB TravelCurrency and travel insurance features in the OCTO app. The bank said it plans to add Alipay+ destinations in more markets over time.

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