Starbucks coffee with QR code

Beverage chain jumps on WeChat bandwagon, takes mobile payments

WeChat lets users text friends, post selfies and pay a gas bill with a smartphone. From Thursday, the blockbuster Chinese app, known as Weixin Pay in China, has also been used to buy a Java Chip Frappuccino.

Starbucks Corp said on Thursday it will accept the payments system at about 2,500 of its cafes across China, enabling customers to complete purchases with a scan of their phone. The agreement with Tencent Holdings Ltd means the Seattle-based chain joins foreign retailers, including KFC, Disney and Uniqlo, in embracing the cashless mobile payments ubiquitous in China.