WeChat launches digital tax refund service for overseas tourists

WeChat has launched a new service that enables overseas tourists to get a digital refund tax as the latest application of financial technology in various sectors.

Since Oct 1, overseas tourists can receive a tax refund through the We TaxFree Pass mini-application in WeChat, the social networking platform of the internet giant Tencent, and receive money immediately in their digital wallets, significantly simplifying the process.

In the past, they could only get the refundable tax in cash or through their bank cards.

The service has been made available in Beijing Capital International Airport.

For those who have a large amount of tax rebates in excess of 10,000 yuan ($1,415), they can now receive money immediately compared with the previous five working days on average, according to a staff member at the airport who is responsible for the tax rebate business.

Since the official launch of the service, a total of 49 tax refund deals have been made through digital payment methods at the airport, either via WeChat or Alibaba’s Alipay.

Of them, 96 percent were from WeChat, according to the company.