US-based Citcon, which provides retail platforms enabling payments to be made using major Chinese mobile wallets, set out plans to expand into the European market.

The service supports transactions from Alipay, WeChat Pay and China UnionPay, which cover the majority of mobile payment users travelling from China.

Citcon taps into a segment both WeChat Pay and Alipay have actively targeted over the last two years with a number of partnerships struck by both brands with retailers popular with tourists.

These include stores selling luxury brands, prestigious shopping centres and locations in airports.

Citcon founder and CEO Chuck Huang said the increase in Chinese tourists in Europe presented an opportunity for retailers in the region to “offer the lifestyle that travellers demand, especially luxury brands.”

Its current VP and general manager North America, Jean Kany, will expand his remit to VP and head of global enterprise, retail. His responsibilities include business development and its Europe strategy.

Former Visa, Mastercard and American Express employee Nigel Stone joined as head of UK operations.