Alipay in latest bid to take on WeChat

Alipay, one of China's most widely used digital wallets, is testing a new social networking feature in its latest attempt to take on WeChat, the country's leading messaging app.

The mobile payment tool, run by Ant Financial Services Group, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, has rolled out the new service that allows some of its users to stay updated on topics of interest to them and get in touch with people who share these interests online.

Alipay said in a statement on Monday that the service, named Quanzi or Circle in English, is designed to build real-name online communities that help users get acquainted with strangers more comfortably via the company's big-data enabled credit rating system.