Alipay
China's leading mobile payments and digital wallet platform.
Alipay at a glance
Alipay is a finance & banking website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #143 in the country. It was founded in 2004 by Jack Ma and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China. Today Alipay is owned by Ant Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 400 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through payment fees, financial services. Its closest rivals include tenpay.com, unionpay.com, paypal.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 376 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 388 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 400 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 424 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct72%
- Organic search18%
- Referral5%
- Paid3%
- Social2%
Audience & demographics
- Men53%
- Women47%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5422%
The audience is concentrated in China, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- China86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 120 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- China
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| alipay | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| online banking login | Top 10 | High | — |
| money transfer | Top 10 | High | — |
| loan rates | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the China web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 82% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading finance & banking apps in China
Company information
- Website
- alipay.com
- Sector
- Finance & Banking
- Owner
- Ant Group
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Jack Ma
- Founded
- 2004
- Headquarters
- Hangzhou, China
- Employees
- 20,000+
- Ownership
- Ant Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $18 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Chinese, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $18 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Alipay operates a bank and digital financial platform focused on China. China's leading mobile payments and digital wallet platform. Revenue comes mainly from payment fees, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Payment fees
- Financial services
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #143 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading finance & banking site in China
- Global rank
- 80
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| tenpay.com | ≈ 240 million / month | #144 class competitor | — |
| unionpay.com | ≈ 180 million / month | #145 class competitor | — |
| paypal.com | ≈ 120 million / month | #146 class competitor | — |
What is Alipay?
Alipay (alipay.com) is a bank and digital financial platform serving users in China. China's leading mobile payments and digital wallet platform. It ranks #143 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the finance & banking category.
Who owns Alipay?
The site is operated by Ant Group, founded by Jack Ma. The company was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China. It employs around 20,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Alipay at roughly 400 million visits per month, about 13.3 million per day. Around 82% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 6.3 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How Alipay makes money
Revenue comes primarily from payment fees, alongside financial services.
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include tenpay.com, unionpay.com, paypal.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2004
Alipay is founded in Hangzhou, China.
- Growth phase
Expands its finance & banking offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #143 among the most visited websites in China.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Full account management without branch visits
- Instant local transfers and bill payments
- Strong authentication and fraud monitoring
- Wide ATM and branch network behind the app
Cons
- Occasional downtime during peak load
- Fee structure is hard to compare
- Customer support wait times
- Older interface areas outside the mobile app
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Alipay?
Alipay is operated by Ant Group. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Alipay headquartered?
Alipay is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.
When was Alipay founded?
Alipay was founded in 2004 by Jack Ma.
How many employees does Alipay have?
Alipay employs approximately 20,000+ people.
What is Alipay's revenue?
Alipay's revenue: ≈ $18 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Alipay's competitors?
Main competitors in China include tenpay.com, unionpay.com, paypal.com.
How does Alipay make money?
Mainly payment fees, financial services.
Is Alipay publicly traded?
No — Alipay is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Ant Group.
How many visitors does Alipay get?
Third-party estimates place Alipay at roughly 400 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 82% mobile traffic.
Is Alipay safe?
Alipay is an established finance & banking site founded in 2004 and ranked #143 in China; use the official domain alipay.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsalipay.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageChina and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos