Atome enables Singapore users to shop in Malaysia via BNPL app

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider Atome has introduced cross-border payment functionality, allowing users of its Singapore app to shop and pay at partner merchants in Malaysia using the same platform.

The feature enables more than 1.5 million Atome Singapore users to transact at over 15,000 retail outlets and malls across Malaysia by scanning an Atome QR code at checkout. Purchases made in Malaysian ringgit are automatically converted into Singapore dollars at an exchange rate displayed upfront, before being split into three interest-free instalments. Transactions completed in Malaysia will also accrue A+ rewards points within the app.

The rollout comes amid sustained cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore remained Malaysia’s largest source of foreign visitors in 2024, accounting for 18.9 million arrivals, a 27% year-on-year increase, according to official tourism data. Shopping, accommodation and food and beverage were among the key spending categories. Johor Bahru alone recorded 11 million arrivals from Singapore in the first half of 2025.

Upcoming infrastructure developments, including the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link scheduled for completion by end-2026 and the Singapore–Johor Special Economic Zone, are expected to further stimulate bilateral travel and retail activity. Malaysia’s launch of its Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign last month is also aimed at boosting inbound tourism.

Bryan Quek, General Manager of Atome Singapore, said the launch aligns with growing cross-border retail flows. “With major infrastructure projects set to further boost cross-border travel and retail activity, this new feature enables over 1.5 million Atome Singapore users to shop and pay at more than 15,000 retail partner outlets in Malaysia using the same mobile app,” he said.

The service extends to partner merchants in cities including Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang. Participating retailers span electronics, fashion, beauty and sports brands such as Samsung, Coach, Nike and Decathlon.

Industry observers view cross-border payment functionality as a competitive differentiator among regional digital finance platforms, particularly in Southeast Asia, where high-frequency travel corridors create demand for integrated consumer payment solutions. By embedding foreign exchange conversion and instalment financing within a single app experience, providers are seeking to capture a greater share of discretionary retail spending beyond domestic markets.