U.S.-based CyberSource Corporation and China-based PayEase Technology are teaming up to provide global merchants with fast and cost-effective access to the local online payment vehicles in China. Their joint solution is available now, and, a merchant’s ability to accept Chinese bank cards is subject to satisfaction of certain eligibility criteria and regulatory requirements.

Chinese online payment processor ChinaBank Payment will be offering ReD Shield, Retail Decisions’ Card-Not-Present fraud prevention service, under a five-year reseller agreement with the UK-based payment card solutions provider.

Aiming at enabling consumers in mainland China to shop online directly from North American retailers, Alipay is partnering with NewYork-based consulting firm Philliou Selwanes Partners (PSP) to promote the acceptance of its online payment service to North American merchants.

In October, CRD is launching the international marketing of the company’s extensive development project, the virtual world Beijing Cyber Recreation District. Paynova, the chosen supplier for the project’s payment services, has together with CRD presented the project, first at the Virtual Worlds Conference & Expo in San Jose and currently at the Virtual Worlds Forum Europe in London.

Alipay has launched a new international service which allows consumers in Mainland China to buy directly online from global retailers. The company is working with Bank of China and China Construction Bank to provide the international service and has also formed a partnership with Hongkong-based Asiapay to jointly develop the Hong Kong market.

China Southern Airlines has launched its new global website with an e-ticketing system (http://www.flychinasouthern.com), marking another key step for China Southern to tap the international travel market.

ONE Payment Alliance Corp. has announced that it has launched an online payment processing service for China, Japan, and Korea market with a single interface, a single merchant service, and a single payment gateway. This alliance will offer online payment processing services to many global merchants wishing to conduct online business in China, Japan and Korea immediately.

On June 29 the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) issued a notice on “Improving Risk Management and Services for Internet Banking Business”, which requires commercial banks to adopt “dual confirmation” mechanisms to authenticate online users for high risk internet banking transactions before the end of 2007.

China UnionPay Data (CUP Data) and Arcot Systems have announced a partnership that will help minimize Internet transaction fraud. Under the licensing and development agreement, CUP Data will use Arcot’s TransFort family of solutions in the joint development of a common risk management outsourcing service, for marketing to card issuers in China.

Alibaba Group has announced that the gross merchandise volume (GMV) of TaoBao.com, Alibaba’s ecommerce unit, surged 110 per cent in 2006 to over US$2.18 billion, and the daily transaction volume of Alipay.com, the online payment service of Alibaba Group, reached US$12.8 million by the end of 2006.