Xin Lang Ke Ji·2025-09-16 07:29Core Viewpoint - Ant Group's CEO, Han Xinyi, highlighted that the Chinese mobile payment sector is entering a new innovation cycle driven by technological advancements, regulatory empowerment, and innovative practices, aiming to enhance service for the real economy and achieve high-quality development [1][2] Group 1: Historical Development of Alipay - Alipay has undergone three innovation cycles over its 20-year history, starting in 2004 with the rise of online payments facilitated by the popularity of PCs, which significantly reduced trust and usage barriers in online transactions, thus promoting e-commerce growth [1] - Around 2011, the mainstream adoption of smartphones and 3G networks led to the emergence of mobile payment methods such as barcode and facial recognition payments, which simplified mobile transactions and reduced costs, achieving an 86% coverage rate in China, the highest globally [1] Group 2: Future Innovations in Payment - Starting in 2024, the maturity of NFC-enabled devices, smart cabins, smart glasses, and AI agents will shift service entry points, introducing new payment experiences like "tap," "look," and "AI payment," which align with current demands and will foster the AI industry ecosystem [2] - The "tap" feature allows users to make payments by simply tapping their NFC-enabled phones on payment devices, which is particularly beneficial for elderly individuals, visually impaired users, and foreign tourists, resulting in an increase of 100 million users in the last four months, surpassing a total of 200 million [2] - The "look" feature enables payments through smart glasses, allowing users to verbally confirm payment amounts while interacting with QR codes or payment devices, addressing the needs of users who cannot use their hands [2] - "AI payment" encompasses a range of services designed for the AI era, including "Payment MCP service," "AI tipping service," and "AI pay," catering to new payment scenarios involving AI tools and intelligent agents [2] - The new payment experiences aim to make transactions as natural as human communication, creating a comprehensive ecosystem involving hardware supply chains, smart terminals, service providers, and merchants, fostering continuous innovation among ecosystem partners [2]