Air China’s loyalty partner Wetour has announced plans to consolidate XRP payments. However, strict cryptography bans in China mean that services are likely to operate only outside the mainland.
The airline’s Phoenixmiles program is set to expand payment options through a new partnership with Webus International, registered with NASDAQ. The program serves more than 60 million members.
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XRP Air China and Wetour’s Ambition
In its latest press release, the travel agency Wet Tools Platform said it will support XRP payments for overseas services. This includes airport transfers and driver bookings.
The plan remains one of the most prominent references for state-owned Chinese companies experimenting with cryptocurrency payments.
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However, it is impossible for China to deploy XRP within the country as Beijing completely bans crypto transactions and payments.
In particular, Air China is majority owned by China National Airlines Co., Ltd. It is a national enterprise under the supervision of the central government.
As such, airlines cannot legally accept digital assets such as XRP for domestic flights, tickets or loyalty transactions.
However, the announcement of the partnership was expressed very carefully. It specifies that XRP integration applies to Wetour’s “overseas platforms.”
Therefore, Phoenixmiles members can pay XRP overseas, overseas, while keeping domestic operations compliant with Chinese law.
Global Context
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Other international airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airlines, have been experimenting with crypto-based payments and royalty tokens in recent years.
Air China’s move is in line with a broader trend for airlines to explore blockchain, improve payment times, reduce costs and tokenize rewards.
Still, China remains a prominent outlier. The government continues to promote digital yuans, or e-Cny.
Therefore, Air China’s adoption of XRP-related services is limited to international hubs and partners outside of Beijing’s jurisdiction.
Although Phoenixmiles members may be able to pay for services via XRP overseas soon, the program rarely expands options to flights or services within China’s borders.
This development highlights the complex intersection of national ownership, international competition, and blockchain adoption. It shows how Chinese companies can test their digital assets overseas despite Crypto being banned from home.
