UnionPay is the largest bank card association in the world, and is owned by a number of Chinese banks. It has over 400 million cards issued to customers, and it provides payment services in over 160 countries. It is the most popular payment method in China, and the only network to link all the ATMs in China, regardless of the bank.

The Unionpay Network is responsible for processing all payment transaction requests within the system. Each member bank has its own account with the Network, which allows them to submit transactions on behalf of their clients. The Network then processes these transactions based on agreed rules and standards before distributing them back to each member bank.

The UnionPay card works like most credit cards. When a consumer uses the card – whether online, at a POS (point of sale) terminal, or at an ATM – they enter their PIN. The machine sends the purchase request through UnionPay Network’s servers, alerting the customer’s bank of the request.

In many countries outside of, the UnionPay Network has partnered with other major credit cards – including Discover, RuPay, and JCB – to expand the card’s market and usability