UnionPay returns to Kyrgyzstan in the form of BaiPay cards from Bai Tushum Bank

After nearly six months of absence of cards from the Chinese payment system UnionPay International on the Kyrgyz market, Bai Tushum Bank announced the launch of a new card — BaiPay, developed jointly with UnionPay.

The BaiPay card is primarily intended for travellers and active shoppers on Chinese marketplaces, offering direct payments in Chinese yuan without conversion fees.

According to the bank, BaiPay is opened in yuan (CNY), which allows you to pay for purchases and services directly in Chinese currency, bypassing double conversion.

Key advantages of the card:

• yuan account — no hidden fees or conversions;
• cashback of up to 10% as part of a promotion valid until 31 January 2026;
• savings of up to 3% on purchases on Chinese online platforms;
• full support for payments via WeChat Pay and Alipay;
• instant transactions and availability throughout China.

According to data from the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, by the second quarter of 2025, there were no active UnionPay International cards left in Kyrgyzstan — the latest statistics recorded only two cards in circulation, which disappeared by June. This ended the Chinese system's ten-year presence in the country.

The launch of BaiPay in partnership with Bai-Tushum Bank effectively marks the return of UnionPay to the Kyrgyz market after a hiatus and a possible second wind for the Chinese payment infrastructure in the country.

You can get a BaiPay card at any Bai Tushum Bank branch. The card is already available for application.