Chinese mobile payment service provider WeChat Pay has now extended its cross-border payment service to over 49 countries and regions, the company announced Thursday.

The company noted the service now supports payments in 16 currencies.

The number of transactions via WeChat Pay’s cross-border payment increased by 500 percent in 2018 from the previous year, with the monthly average transaction amount growing by 400 percent during the same period. Moreover, 700 percent more merchants were connected to the service last year.

Thanks to China’s rapid economic development, more and more Chinese tourists are traveling overseas. To meet the consumption demand of this growing group, WeChat Pay has cooperated with merchants in global destinations, enabling direct mobile payment in RMB without currency exchange. In this way, users can avoid communication barriers and enjoy fast and convenient payment.

Now WeChat's cross-border payment service not only supports purchases made in retail, dining and leisure, but also in transportation, medical services and education.