Alibaba mulls payments tie-up with Apple as US retailers shun Apple Pay

Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma told a technology conference in California that he hoped to work with Apple.

Alibaba is already a global leader in electronic payments through its Alipay system, which has 300 million active users, mostly in Asia.

Ma said “I hope we can do something together.” He added that it should be a “marriage” both sides want.

Ma’s comments come just days after it emerged that US retailers Walmart and Rite Aid had stopped accepting Apple Pay and have committed to joining a consortium of retailers to develop a new payments system.

Target and Kohl’s have also declined to adopt Apple Pay, which was unveiled last month, in order to develop CurrentC.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook told the same conference that he planned to meet with Ma to discuss potential partnerships, the Telegraph reported.

Apple rarely partners with other companies but an alliance with Alibaba could propel its Chinese ambitions.

The US technology giant wants to make China its biggest market and last year inked a deal with China Mobile, the country’s largest mobile operator.

A tie-up with Alibaba could help Apple win the trust of the Chinese consumer and could help Alibaba expand in the US.