PayMe
PayMe is HSBC's payment app in Hong Kong. You don't need an HSBC account: anyone aged 12 or over with a Hong Kong identity card (HKID) and a local bank account or credit card can sign up. You pay and request money from friends in the app, send money to any Hong Kong bank or e-wallet over the Faster Payment System (FPS), and pay shops by scanning their PayMe QR code, the PayCode. Paying friends and shops is free; only top-ups from another bank's credit card cost 1.2%. Since 11 June 2026 you must add your HKID to keep making payments.
| Country | Hong Kong (HK) |
| What it is | A stored-value wallet app for person-to-person payments, FPS transfers and merchant payments [1] |
| Who runs it | The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, a licensed bank regarded as a stored value facility (SVF) licensee, number SVFB002 [6] |
| Since | February 2017 [9] |
| Who can use it | Age 12 and over, with a valid HKID and a Hong Kong HKD bank account or a Hong Kong-issued personal credit card [2] |
| Cost | Sending, receiving, paying businesses and moving money to a bank: free. Top-up from a non-HSBC credit card: 1.2%. UnionPay card spending outside HKD, CNY and MOP: 1% [4] |
| Typical limit | After full verification: top-ups up to HKD 50,000 a month and a balance up to HKD 200,000 [2] |
| Reaches | Other PayMe users; any bank or e-wallet in Hong Kong through FPS; UnionPay merchants worldwide; Weixin Pay merchant codes in mainland China [2] |
| Users | Over 3.3 million (16 Mar 2026) [14] |
| Code on paper? | Yes. Shops print a static PayCode, and PayMe scans the FPS QR codes on Hong Kong government bills [3] [2] |
This page covers paying and getting paid with PayMe in Hong Kong. For the app's history, ownership and growth, see the PayMe by HSBC wallet page.
How PayMe came to Hong Kong
HSBC launched PayMe in February 2017 as a person-to-person payment app. It reached its first million users in July 2018, 17 months later [9]. Merchant payments came in March 2019 with PayMe for Business. In July 2019 HSBC added permanent PayCodes for shops and PayLinks for online stores, and by then "thousands" of businesses had signed up [7]. Later that month a redesigned app began beta testing FPS, so users could send money free to anyone at another bank or e-wallet [8]. The HKMA had launched FPS on 17 September 2018 [22].
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| Feb 2017 | HSBC launches PayMe for person-to-person payments [9] |
| Jul 2018 | First 1 million users [9] |
| Mar 2019 | PayMe for Business launches [7] |
| 12 Jul 2019 | Static PayCodes and PayLinks for businesses; 1.6 million customers [7] |
| 29 Jul 2019 | New app in beta: FPS transfers to other banks and e-wallets, direct-debit top-ups from ten other banks [8] |
| May 2020 | 2 million users, 25% more than a year earlier [9] |
| 26 Jan 2024 | PayMe for Business Lite opens to small shops banking anywhere in Hong Kong; over 65,000 outlets accept PayMe [12] |
| 8 Aug 2024 | UnionPay virtual card in the app; 3.2 million users [10] |
| 1 Nov 2024 | Over 100,000 merchant outlets, nearly double the count of a year earlier [11] |
| 18 Dec 2024 | PayMe scans Weixin Pay merchant codes in mainland China [13] |
| 16 Mar 2026 | "Spend and Earn" cash rebates; over 3.3 million users [14] |
| 11 Jun 2026 | HKID required for all payments, top-ups and FPS transfers [2] |
In May 2020 KrASIA, republishing the South China Morning Post, reported that PayMe carried 70% of the HKD 7.92 billion that people sent each other through all Hong Kong e-wallets in the fourth quarter of 2019 [9]. The article doesn't name the statistic behind that figure, and we found no newer share.
How to use it
Sign up. Download PayMe from the App Store or Google Play. If you have an HSBC account and the HSBC HK App with a Mobile Security Key on the same phone, tap "Sign up with HSBC HK App". You then get PayMe's highest limits straight away. Otherwise, register with your mobile number, enter your details, set a PIN and verify your email, then add a top-up source [2].
Who can sign up. You need a valid HKID, plus a local HKD bank account or a Visa, Mastercard or HSBC UnionPay credit card. The card must be a personal single-currency HKD card issued by a licensed bank incorporated in Hong Kong; corporate, business and private-label cards don't work [2]. The minimum age is 12. Under-18s register the same way as adults, but PayMe asks them to consult a parent or guardian first [2] [1].
Verify your HKID. From 11 June 2026, you must add your HKID to keep paying businesses, paying or requesting from friends, sending or collecting eLaisee, using FPS, and topping up. PayMe calls this a control against scams, account takeover and unauthorised transactions [2]. The Standard reported an earlier deadline, 14 May 2026, for users who top up with an HSBC credit card [15]. Your wallet becomes "Verified", with the highest limits, only after you add a face scan and your residential address too. Go to Me > Settings > Transaction limits > "Need higher limits?" [2].
Top up. Add an HSBC account, another supported local bank account, or a credit card. To add another bank's account you give the holder's name, the account number and the mobile number registered with that bank. Some banks then ask you to send HKD 1 to PayMe to prove the account is yours [2].
Pay a friend. Tap the P button, then Pay. You can also scan or import a friend's PayCode, enter the amount and confirm with your PIN or biometrics. A payment to a PayMe friend lands in their wallet at once, unless they have hit a limit. Once it has been credited, you can't cancel it; you need the recipient's consent for a refund [2].
Pay someone not on PayMe. Pick "FPS" and enter their FPS-registered mobile number or email, or choose "Pay with bank account" and enter the account number [2]. FPS transfers count towards your normal pay and receive limits [2].
Request. Tap P > Request, or open a friend's profile and tap Request. Split-bill requests divide a total between several friends [2].
Receive. Show or share your PayCode (Me > My PayCode), or send your PayLink. A PayLink is a personal link for people who aren't your PayMe friends yet. It opens PayMe with your details filled in, and it doesn't expire [2]. To receive from other banks and e-wallets, register your PayMe mobile number with FPS under Settings > FPS registrations [2].
Cash out. Tap P > Transfer to bank. You can move money to any licensed Hong Kong bank, and most transfers are instant [2].
Limits and fees
PayMe doesn't publish one limits table. The app shows your own limits under Me > Settings > Transaction limits, and they depend on your verification status and your top-up source [2] [5]. These are the figures PayMe's FAQ gave in October 2026:
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Top-up, fully verified (HKID, face scan and address) | Up to HKD 50,000 a month [2] |
| Wallet balance, fully verified | Up to HKD 200,000 [2] |
| Top-up from a non-HSBC credit card | The FAQ's worked example leaves HKD 900 of the month's limit after a HKD 100 top-up, so HKD 1,000 a month [2] |
| Smallest top-up / payment / transfer to bank | HKD 10 / HKD 0.01 / HKD 0.01 [2] |
| Auto top-up | HKD 500 to HKD 20,000 from a bank account; up to HKD 5,000 from an HSBC credit card [2] |
| FPS payment over HKD 5,000 | Needs a bank account as top-up source and a submitted HKID and address [2] |
| eLaisee (red packets) | Up to HKD 200 per fixed-amount packet; up to HKD 10,000 for a group laisee link anyone can collect [2] |
| Weixin Pay merchant codes in mainland China | CNY 5,000 per payment, CNY 60,000 a year [2] |
The UnionPay card shares these limits with the rest of PayMe [2]. For comparison, in July 2019 HSBC set bank top-ups at up to HKD 50,000 a month and said the credit-card top-up limit would fall to HKD 2,000 a month [8].
| Fee (PayMe fee schedule) | Charge |
|---|---|
| Top-up from an HSBC account, another bank account or an HSBC credit card | Waived [4] |
| Top-up from a non-HSBC credit card | 1.2%, also when it tops up during a payment to friends; waived when paying businesses [4] |
| Payments to friends, payments to businesses, transfers to a bank | Waived [4] |
| UnionPay card in HKD, CNY or MOP | Waived [4] |
| UnionPay card in any other currency | 1%, taken in HKD from the wallet [4] |
The 1.2% fee comes on top of the top-up amount, and PayMe says it can't be waived [2]. A credit-card top-up counts as a card purchase, not a cash advance [2].
Limits change; check the Transaction limits page in your app for your current terms.
Paying shops and businesses
In shops. You can pay in two ways. Either scan the shop's PayCode (swipe left on the home screen to open the scanner), or tap "Pay a business" and let the cashier scan the code on your phone [1]. If your balance is short when the cashier scans you, PayMe tops up automatically from your default source for payments under HKD 3,000. Above that, it asks you to confirm [2]. PayMe's site names McDonald's, 7-Eleven, Foodpanda, Circle K, Mannings, HKTVmall, Fairwood, Uniqlo, Klook and Don Don Donki among the businesses that accept it [1]. Taxi drivers with an Octopus Mobile POS show a PayMe logo, and you pay them by scanning the Octopus QR code on their device [2].
How big the network is. HSBC counted over 65,000 outlets in January 2024 [12] and over 100,000 on 1 November 2024. Beyond shops and restaurants, the November 2024 count included airlines, pharmacies and department stores [11]. In March 2026 HSBC said the network had grown another 20% in the year to February 2026 [14].
Online. Webshops use PayMe through its APIs, where the usual flow is a one-time PayCode on the desktop checkout [3]. The "Spend and Earn" section in the app pays rebates of up to 15% at online merchants such as Klook, Wing On Travel and Samsung [14].
Bills. Tap "Pay bills" and scan the FPS QR code on a bill, or search for the biller and type in your bill account number. FPS QR payments go through at once; other bill payments made after 4:30pm are processed the next business day. The FPS QR list includes the Inland Revenue Department, Water Supplies Department, Immigration Department and Housing Department [2].
Taking payments as a business. HSBC Commercial Banking customers sign up in the PayMe for Business app. Other businesses go through one of 12 acquiring partners, which include Adyen, AsiaPay, Global Payments, Hang Seng Bank, KPay and OpenRice [3]. Since January 2024, small Hong Kong-registered firms with an account at any licensed bank can apply for PayMe for Business Lite, which takes up to HKD 2 million a year and pays out to an FPS-enabled account [12]. A business can collect payments in three ways [3]:
- a dynamic PayCode for one payment of a set amount, valid for 7 days;
- a static PayCode, unique to the business, which never expires; customers scan it and type the amount;
- a PayLink, sent by WhatsApp or SMS.
Each payment can be HKD 0.01 to HKD 1,000,000. Collections are capped at HKD 100,000 for the first 7 days while HSBC verifies the account [3]. The business FAQ quotes a fee of 1.2% per app transaction and 1.5% through the APIs, in an answer last updated in April 2020 [3]. HSBC sends printed PayCodes and stickers free [3].
Paying across borders
PayMe's own payments, FPS transfers and PayCodes are for Hong Kong; to pay outside Hong Kong, PayMe points you to the PayMe UnionPay virtual card [2], a prepaid platinum card in the app that spends your PayMe balance. It launched on 8 August 2024, with access to more than 34 million merchants in 46 markets, mainland China included [10]. There is no physical card and no cash withdrawal [2].
- In shops: tap "Pay businesses", then "UnionPay HK/Global" to show your UnionPay QR code. By default it shows the code for mainland China; tap "HK/Other regions" for the other one. You can also scan a merchant's UnionPay QR code [2].
- Other QR networks: PayMe says the card pays merchants that accept UnionPay on NETS QR in Singapore, NAPAS QR in Vietnam and KHQR in Cambodia [2].
- Weixin Pay merchant codes: since 18 December 2024 you can scan a mainland merchant's Weixin Pay code in PayMe and pay from the card [13]. This works only for merchants in mainland China, not for personal Weixin codes or for ordering food by QR [2].
- Apple Pay and online: add the card to Apple Wallet for contactless and online Apple Pay payments, or use the card number online like any card [2].
- Cost: UnionPay converts foreign-currency payments at its own rate, and PayMe takes the amount in HKD. Payments in HKD, CNY and MOP have no fee; other currencies cost 1% [2] [4].
Merchants that don't accept prepaid cards, or that need a physical card, won't take it [2]. We found no PayMe link to FPS-style instant payment systems in other countries; cross-border use goes through UnionPay.
How the PayMe code works
PayMe runs on QR codes, but its own codes are a closed system. A PayCode is "our version of a QR code", in PayMe's words. It is your PayMe identity in QR form, and it can be read by PayMe's scanner, by other QR scanners or by the iPhone camera [2]. It doesn't expire, and changing your phone number or email doesn't change it [2]. The data inside a PayCode isn't published. Barcoder's PayMe page treats the format as undocumented, and so do we.
PayMe uses four kinds of code:
| Code | Who shows it | Who scans it | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal PayCode | You, to receive | Other PayMe users | PayMe's own, unpublished [2] |
| Merchant PayCode (static, or one-time with an amount) | The shop | You | PayMe's own, unpublished [3] |
| "Pay a business" code | You, at the till | The cashier | PayMe's own; it pays only merchants, so don't share it [2] |
| UnionPay QR code | You or the merchant | Either side | UnionPay QR [2] |
What a code on a bill or shop counter in Hong Kong usually is. Hong Kong has a common merchant-presented QR standard, HKQR. An HKMA-led working group published it in December 2017, based on EMVCo's merchant-presented QR specification (EMVCo MPM) [23]. Since 17 September 2018 the HKMA has expected payment providers to supply HKQR-compliant codes, and a free HKMA app merges several providers' codes into one, so a shop can show a single code [24]. PayMe's merchant FAQ explains HKQR as a way to merge PayMe's code with other providers' codes [3]. Government bills carry an FPS QR code, which PayMe scans under "Pay bills" [2]. Mainland shops show WeChat Pay QR merchant codes, which PayMe can pay, and UnionPay QR codes, which the virtual card pays. In Cambodia the card works on KHQR [2].
Safety: the fake "PayMe staff" call
The common PayMe scam is an impersonation. In September 2024 a court jailed 9 members of a gang that had phoned 138 people while posing as PayMe staff. The callers said the victims' accounts needed identity checks and got them to read out verification codes and transaction passwords, then moved over HKD 1.5 million to mule accounts [18]. In February 2026 HKCERT warned of the same "account verification" trick by phone, WhatsApp and SMS, naming FPS, PayMe and AlipayHK. It also warned of fake eLaisee messages that ask you to click a link or scan a QR code [19]. HSBC has warned about fake PayMe text messages that offer a "refund" link (March 2022) [20] and about a phishing site with fake PayMe login and sign-up pages (September 2025) [21].
- Never read out a one-time code or your PIN, whoever says they are calling. HKCERT's first rule is not to give your OTP, transaction password or card details to anyone, bank or platform staff included [19].
- Don't log in from a link. HSBC doesn't send links by SMS or email asking you to log in or make a transaction. PayMe's site is payme.hsbc.com.hk [20]. Since 28 September 2023 PayMe's own WhatsApp and SMS payment messages carry instructions instead of a payment link [2].
- Stop at a high-risk alert. When you pay by FPS proxy ID, bank account or SVF account number, PayMe shows a warning if the payee appears in scam reports in the police's Scameter. You can check a payee yourself at cyberdefender.hk [2]. Report a scam to the police and to PayMe; the Anti-Scam Helpline is 18222 [2].
Under PayMe's terms you are responsible for transactions until you tell PayMe that your wallet, phone or security details are no longer safe. If HSBC finds you acted carelessly, you may also be responsible for unauthorised transactions [5]. If you lose your phone, report it through the contact form on PayMe's site, and PayMe will end all active sessions [2].
Privacy of your payments. PayMe began as a social app, and each payment can be "Friends" (visible to both sides' friends) or "Private". Private has been the default for new users since August 2019 [2]. On 8 January 2026, after a South China Morning Post report, HK01 reported that the Privacy Commissioner had begun a compliance check on risks to early users' old settings. PayMe answered that amounts in person-to-person payments are not shown [16]. On 12 March 2026 AASTOCKS, citing the Hong Kong Economic Journal, reported that PayMe would end the Friends feed on 13 April 2026, and that the Commissioner had closed its inquiry with no further action [17]. We didn't find a notice from the Commissioner itself.
PayMe and the alternatives in Hong Kong
| Way to pay | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayMe | Paying friends, splitting bills, shops that show a PayCode, government bills | Run by HSBC as a bank SVF, SVFB002 [6]; free except the 1.2% fee on non-HSBC credit-card top-ups [4] |
| FPS in any bank or e-wallet app | Transfers to anyone by mobile number or email | Run 24/7 in HKD and RMB; every bank and e-wallet in Hong Kong can join [22] |
| Octopus | Transport and small everyday purchases | SVF licence SVF0001 [6]; 32 million cards in circulation (2020) [9] |
| AlipayHK | Shops that show an Alipay code, travel to the mainland | SVF licence SVF0004 [6] |
| WeChat Pay HK | Shops that show a WeChat Pay code | SVF licence SVF0005 [6] |
| BoC Pay | Bank of China (Hong Kong) customers | Bank SVF, SVFB072 [6]; also scans Weixin Pay merchant codes since Dec 2024 [13] |
Sources
- HSBC, "PayMe by HSBC | Pay you. PayMe. Pay anyone instantly.", read 21 Oct 2026. https://payme.hsbc.com.hk/
- HSBC, "PayMe by HSBC | FAQs & Support" (personal FAQs, answers last updated between Jul 2021 and 30 Sep 2026), read 21 Oct 2026. https://payme.hsbc.com.hk/en/help#personal
- HSBC, "PayMe by HSBC | FAQs & Support" (business FAQs, answers last updated between Apr 2020 and Oct 2025), read 21 Oct 2026. https://payme.hsbc.com.hk/en/help#business
- HSBC, "PayMe by HSBC Fee Schedule", 19 Aug 2024 (PDF date). https://payme.hsbc.com.hk/files/PayMe-Fee-Schedule-EN.pdf
- HSBC, "PayMe by HSBC Terms", 13 Mar 2026 (PDF date). https://payme.hsbc.com.hk/files/PayMe-T%26Cs-EN.pdf
- Hong Kong Monetary Authority, "Register of SVF Licensees", read 21 Oct 2026 (last revised 14 Aug 2026). https://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/regulatory-resources/registers/register-of-svf-licensees
- HSBC, "HSBC's PayMe for Business introduces static PayCodes to improve the speed of payments for businesses", 12 Jul 2019. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/-/media/hong-kong/en/news-and-media/190712-payme-for-business-static-paycodes-final-eng.pdf
- HSBC, "HSBC launches new version of PayMe in beta test", 29 Jul 2019. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/-/media/hong-kong/en/news-and-media/190729-hsbc-launches-new-version-of-payme-in-beta-test-eng.pdf
- KrASIA (South China Morning Post), "Thanks to mahjong and poker, HSBC's e-wallet hits new milestone on pandemic-driven surge in online payments", 25 May 2020. https://www.kr-asia.com/thanks-to-mahjong-and-poker-hsbcs-e-wallet-hits-new-milestone-on-pandemic-driven-surge-in-online-payments
- HSBC, "PayMe goes global with new UnionPay virtual card", 8 Aug 2024. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/news-and-media/payme-goes-global-with-new-unionpay-virtual-card
- HSBC, "PayMe's merchant network hits 100,000 outlets in Hong Kong", 1 Nov 2024. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/news-and-media/paymes-merchant-network-hits-100000-outlets-in-hong-kong
- HSBC, "PayMe for Business Lite 接受商戶申請", 26 Jan 2024. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/-/media/hong-kong/zh-hk/news-and-media/240126-payme-for-business-tc.pdf
- HK01, "北上消費｜PayMe八達通即日起可掃商戶微信碼支付 6步教成功申請", 18 Dec 2024. https://www.hk01.com/社會新聞/1086199/北上消費-payme八達通即日起可掃商戶微信碼支付-6步教成功申請
- HSBC, "Spend more, earn more: PayMe by HSBC introduces new rebate programme", 16 Mar 2026. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/news-and-media/spend-more-earn-more-payme-by-hsbc-introduces-new-rebate-programme
- The Standard, "PayMe users beware: miss this deadline and you could lose access to key features", 14 Apr 2026. https://www.thestandard.com.hk/news/article/329241/PayMe-users-beware-miss-this-deadline-and-you-could-lose-access-to-key-features
- HK01, "PayMe据报遭私隐专员公署调查 汇丰︰未收到监管机构通知", 8 Jan 2026. https://global.hk01.com/财经快讯/60310742/payme据报遭私隐专员公署调查-汇丰-未收到监管机构通知
- Longbridge (AASTOCKS, citing the Hong Kong Economic Journal), "PayMe will stop the 'Friends' dynamic feature next month, and transaction records will no longer be publicly displayed", 12 Mar 2026. https://longbridge.com/en/news/278799015
- Sing Tao Headline, "詐騙集團假冒PayMe職員套取交易密碼等騙款150萬元 9涉案男女判囚24至56個月", 12 Sep 2024. https://www.stheadline.com/society/3382106/詐騙集團假冒PayMe職員套取交易密碼等騙款150萬元-9涉案男女判囚24至56個月
- Sing Tao Headline, "新春嚴防釣魚攻擊騙案 HKCERT列出8大陷阱 收電子利是也可能中招", 10 Feb 2026. https://www.stheadline.com/investment/3543544/
- HSBC, "滙豐就偽冒手機短訊及網站發表聲明", 14 Mar 2022. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/-/media/hong-kong/zh-hk/latest-alerts/220314-hsbc-warns-against-phishing-sms-c.pdf
- HSBC, "滙豐就偽冒網站發表聲明", 15 Sep 2025. https://www.about.hsbc.com.hk/-/media/hong-kong/zh-hk/latest-alerts/250915-hsbc-warns-against-phishing-website-cn.pdf
- Hong Kong Monetary Authority, "Faster Payment System (FPS)", read 21 Oct 2026 (last revised 10 Jul 2025). https://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/key-functions/international-financial-centre/financial-market-infrastructure/faster-payment-system-fps/
- Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKQR working group), "Common QR Code Specification for Retail Payments in Hong Kong", version 1.0, Dec 2017. https://www.hkma.gov.hk/media/eng/doc/key-functions/financial-infrastructure/infrastructure/retail-payment-initiatives/Common_QR_Code_Specification.pdf
- Hong Kong Monetary Authority, "Implementation Guideline on Common QR Code", effective 17 Sep 2018 (PDF updated 24 Sep 2019). https://www.hkma.gov.hk/media/eng/doc/key-functions/financial-infrastructure/infrastructure/retail-payment-initiatives/Implementation_Guideline_on_Common_QR_Code.pdf
Researched 21 October 2026. Limits and bank offerings change; the banks' own pages are authoritative.