进博会支付观察：数币硬钱包申领排长队，离境退税服务出新招

Core Insights - The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) has opened in Shanghai, attracting participation from 155 countries and regions, with 4,108 overseas companies exhibiting, marking a record scale of 430,000 square meters [1] Group 1: Payment Services - The CIIE has introduced various payment service enhancements, including mobile payments, bank cards, cash, and digital RMB wallet payments, providing a seamless payment experience for exhibitors and visitors [1] - A significant interest in digital RMB hard wallets was observed, with long queues at service points for attendees to apply for and activate these wallets, which offer a 20 yuan consumption bonus [2][3] - The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) launched an 8th anniversary edition of the digital RMB hard wallet, featuring an electronic screen to display real-time account balances, and collaborated with exhibitors to provide on-site payment experiences [3] Group 2: Tax Refund Services - The CIIE has upgraded its tax refund services for foreign exhibitors, with the establishment of two centralized "immediate refund" points, staffed with multilingual teams to assist with the refund process [6] - The collaboration between China UnionPay and Bank of China has led to the integration of "immediate refund" and "port tax refund" services, creating a comprehensive service loop from "inbound consumption" to "outbound tax refund" [6] - Bank of China has assisted in expanding the number of tax refund stores in Shanghai, with nearly 80,000 tax refund transactions processed from January to September, reflecting a 92% year-on-year increase [7]